Dancer,
Choreographer,
Musician
Aparna Keshaviah is a Bharatanatyam dancer of the Pandanallur lineage who distills the South Indian classical form to its raw, expressive core — through abstract posture, percussive footwork, improvisation. Shedding myth and ornament, her choreography spotlights precise geometries and basal emotions that transcend culture. Her modern reformulation of Bharatanatyam has captivated audiences across the U.S., India, and Italy.
As an Indian American, Aparna’s life and work are rooted in hybridity. In 2020, she began composing music for her contemporary choreography, drawing on training in Carnatic and choral voice, mridangam, and classical piano. Her compositions have been commissioned and performed around North Carolina, and in collaboration with Free Planet Radio.
Offstage, she leads global health research to improve emergency preparedness. The discipline, structure, and interpretation she brings to dance parallel her approach to data, systems, and decision-making in research. This dual career also allows dance to remain a deeply personal and uncompromised pursuit.
dance RESEARCH & WRITINGS
Fulbright 75th Anniversary
Feb 2021
Bharatanatyam: A Reality Check!
attenDance magazine
2009-2010
The Reviewer’s Bias
Narthaki.com
Jul 2009
Interview on Fulbright research in India
PULSE Dance magazine
Winter 2007
This or That:
The Unbearable Burden of Binaries
PULSE Dance magazine
Spring 2007
Decoding the Modern Practice of Bharatanatyam
CORD Proceedings
Nov 2008