Parijat Desai, Artistic Director
Photo by: Shay Peretz
Dancer/choreographer Parijat has been presented by venues around
the US and abroad including the J. Paul Getty Center in Los Angeles, Performance
Space 122 in New York and the Bangalore Biennial in India. In 2001, she
was commissioned to develop Quiet/Fire in collaboration with internationally
renowned Taiko composer Kenny Endo, and the piece was presented at California
Plaza, Los Angeles. Festivals of South Asian contemporary art that have
presented her work include Artwallah (Los Angeles) and Desh Pardesh (Toronto).
Honors include the Durfee Foundation's Artist Fellowship and the Lester
Horton Dance Award for Individual Performance. As a dancer, Parijat has
performed for choreographers David Roussève and Lynn Dally and
worked with the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company in London.
Parijat holds a B.A. in anthropology from Stanford University and a Master
of Fine Arts in choreography from UCLA, where she studied with Victoria
Marks, David Roussève, and Dana Reitz. Parijat began her training
in bharata natyam in Texas under Rathna Kumar and Padmini Chari. She has
also studied with gurus Katherine Kunhiraman, V.P. and Shanta Dhananjayan,
and Viji Prakash. (click here for Parijat's complete
CV)
Aditi Dhruv, Dancer
Photo by: Lalitha Venkat
Aditi Dhruv is a contemporary and Indian classical dancer in New York
City. She received bharata natyam training from Padmini Chari and
Rathna Kumar in Houston, Texas as well as from Padmashree Kalaimamani
Adyar K. Lakshman and V.P. and Shanta Dhananjayan in Chennai, India.
She has also studied Odissi with Jhelum Paranjape in Mumbai, India.
Dhruv has performed with Parijat Desai since 1998. In 1999, she
studied briefly with pioneer choreographer Chandralekha. Dhruv was
also a founding member of Ananya Chatterjea's company Women in Motion
and has performed with them in the US, Canada and India. Aditi has
worked with New York-based choreographers Rajika Puri, Myna Mukherjee
(Nayikas Dance Theater Company), Sridhar Shanmugham, Nia Love
(Blacksmith's Daughter), Emily Bunning (Treehouse Shakers) and Preeti
Vasudevan (Thresh Dance Company). Aditi is also an avid student of
yoga.
Penelope Kalloo, Dancer
Photo by: Rose Eichenbaum |
Emi Komatsuzaki received her early training at Kanemitsu Dance School and Matsuyama Ballet School in Japan. She completed a two-year independent program at The Alvin Ailey School in 2006. She is also certified as a Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis instructor. Her performance experiences include Chinese New Year Global Gala 2006 performed in 13 cities including such venues as Radio City Music Hall, The Grand Opera House, D.C. and Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, The Elan Awards, Empty Sky, and The Rising (a tribute to the victims of 9/11) at Two River Theater, Red Bank, 92nd Street Y, and The Best-Of Performance Outlet at Hunter College. She joined PDDC in 2006 and has also worked with Nina Buisson Contemporary Dance and Notes In Motion Dance Company.
Photo by: Lalitha Venkat |
Riyo Mito was born in Japan. She began training in classical ballet at an early age and started modern dance in 2001. She also studied drama, rhythmic gymnastics, and traditional Japanese arts (Nichibu and Nou-Kyogen) at Takarazuka-kita High School in Takarazuka, Japan. Riyo came to NYC in 2006 and is currently studying at The Alvin Ailey School. Recently, she performed as student of The Ailey School at the American Museum of Natural History (NYC), in a tribute to Katherine Dunham choreographed by Joan Peters. Riyo begin working with the Parijat Desai Dance Company in 2006.
Shobana Ram, Vocalist/DancerShobana Ram received her initial bharata natyam training from Padma Bhushan Kamala Narayan, and continues her training under guru Smt. Rhadha of Madras. In addition to solo recitals in New York and Madras, Ram has performed in Smt. Rhadha's productions of Shiva Shakti (North American tour), and Jaya Jaya Gokula Bala. Shobana danced with choreographers Ananya Chatterjea (A Wife's Letter) and Rajika Puri (Bharata Natyam Variations). She also performed at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Music Festival in a presentation of the dance compositions by violin maestro, Padma Bhushan Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. In December 2004, she performed with Parijat Desai and Dancers in The Other Festival, Chennai. Most recently, Ram has been awarded a 2005-2006 Individual Artist Grant by the Indiana Arts Commission, toward advanced training and performance. Ram has an M.A. in International Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is an arts educator, offering dance and storytelling workshops in schools in the Indiana area. Shobana is also a student of Carnatic vocal music.
Sanjay Cherubala, Mridangam/Percussion
Sameer Gupta, Tabla/Drumset
Arun Ramamurthy, Violin
