NATYA DHAARA

Known for her elegant performance and avant-garde choreography, Uma is an accomplished performer and a dedicated teacher. She is a senior disciple of the internationally known dance couple The Dhananjayans. Uma started learning dance at a very young age of four. Initially under Vijayambigai Indira Kumar and Renuka Arumuga Swamy. Later she came under the tutelage of The Dhananjayans and has had training under them for more than ten years and had her Arangetram under their training in Chennai. All three of her gurus hail from the famed Kalakshetra. Uma has also taken courses in Contemporary Improve Movement and Alexander Technique at Emory University. Uma has performed in various festivals, conferences, programs and productions internationally.

She has performed in some of the very prestigious dance festivals and productions - Non Aligned Nations Conference delegates, Ramayana, Rukmini Kalyanam, Punjab Association's Srinivasa Kalyanam and Mangadu Kamakshi, Russian Cultural Center, Rupavahini Television Co-operation, Chidambaram Natyanjali Festival; International Dance Alliance, Madras Music Academy; Vasantha Bharatam - Narada Gana Sabha; “Natyanjali to Lord Nataraja”- Shankarabharanam Trust; Nrithya Aradhana series- Lakshminarayan Temple, Michigan; Dallas and Atlanta Libraries, International Dance Council, Greece, and Nataraja Anjali, Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Festival of India, Robert Ferst Performing Arts Center, Nava Vidha Bhakthi, Gwinnett Performing Arts Center to name a few.
Her performances were received with great critical acclaim by audiences as well as the press. Uma’s style of dance has been highly acclaimed for its elegance and the total and sublime involvement of the artiste in the art. Uma’s artistic vision has also been typified her unfettered quest to juxtapose the ancient and revered traditions of Bharatanatyam, with her own avant-garde interpretations of it, and with other creative art forms from other cultures. She has also given workshops and Lecture Demonstrations in schools and libraries. Her teaching experience spans over 15 years.

*The Hindu, India’s premier news-paper commented on her performance as "Dedicated practice, stage experience, talent and commitment to the spirit of dance enabled her to reveal the richness of the art form."

*Dance critique R. Raman of News Today commented, "In rendering the ‘Varnam’ the central item of the day’s performance composed by Thurayur Rajagopala Sharma, Umarani displayed a repertoire of the skills in her ‘jathis’, ‘adavus’ (dance steps) and ‘abhinaya’ (expressions).

*The excellence of the hard work of nine years (as a disciple of The Dhananjayans) was reflected in every ‘mudra’ (hand gestures) of Umarani. She is a star in the world of dance. - Dinamani

*Her dance steps won the acclaim of the entire audience. Her delineation of the divine majesty of Lord Krishna through her ‘abhinaya’ (expressions) was excellent. - Dinakaran

*Those who have seen the dance will understand the depth of the knowledge she has got in Bharatanatyam, the facial expression and knowledge of rhythm. - EENADU