Kum. Samyuktha Kumar

Kum. Samyuktha Kumar has been learning Bharathanatyam since the age of 6 under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Priya Karthikeyan, Director of Natyaranjana, School for Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi. Smt. Priya Karthikeyan is a senior disciple of the late Kalaimamani Smt. K.J. Sarasa. Samyuktha completed her Salangai Poojai in 2013 and her Arangetram in 2016. In 2022, she was placed in the “B” Grade Category for Bharathanatyam by Doordarshan.

She has given many individual performances and has been part of numerous group productions by the Natyaranjana dance troupe, such as Shri Krishna Paarijaatham (where she performed as Sage Narada), Navarasa Raamaayanam, and Sreenivaasa Kalyaanam. These productions have been staged in various cities and towns across Tamil Nadu and other states. Samyuktha felt truly blessed to perform with the troupe in the Nadhaniranjanam programme in Tirupati and at the Shirdi Saibaba temple during the centenary year of the samadhi.

During the 2018 Margazhi season, she was chosen to perform for the Indian Fine Arts Talent Promotion Scheme. With her Guru’s blessing, she won the Best Performer Award from Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha at the Bharat Nrithya Utsav 2019, as part of their 119th Year Dance Festival. In 2023, Samyuktha was among the ten selected to perform at The Music Academy, Madras, for the Annual Spirit of Youth Festival sponsored by Sundaram Fasteners, marking a significant milestone in her career. She also participated in many inter and intra-school cultural programs as part of her school (Vidya Mandir) dance troupe, winning several prizes.

Performances at Sabhas:

• Nov 2015: Mylapore Fine Arts Club (Chennai), dance festival organized by Pushpanjali Cultural Trust
• Jul 2016: Pollachi Tamizhisai Sangam (Pollachi, Tamil Nadu) dance festival
• Nov 2016: Cultural dance ballets at Bengaluru Palace Grounds (Bangalore)
• Dec 2016: R.K. Swamy Hall (Chennai) in the Maargazhi dance festival organized by Gana Mukundapriya Cultural Trust
• May 2017: Tag Auditorium (Chennai), Chithirai dance festival organized by Gana Mukundapriya Cultural Trust
• Jul 2017: Dance ballet (Krishna Paarijaatham) at Narada Gana Sabha (Karur, Tamil Nadu)
• Jan 2019: Bharat Nrithya Utsav 2019, Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha
• Jan 2019: Indian Fine Arts Talent Promotion Performance, Margazhi Season
• Jul 2019: Brahma Gana Sabha, Aadi festival 2019
• Dec 2019: Bharat Kalachar Margazhi Mahotsav
• Jan 2020: Kartik Fine Arts, 45th year Festival
• Mar 2021 and 2022: Giri Fine Arts, Sivaratri Festival
• Jan 2023: Krishna Gana Sabha, Illamayil Thiramai
• Jan 2023: Vani Mahal, Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha
• Aug 2023: Spirit of Youth Festival 2023, The Music Academy Madras
• Dec 2023: Anusham Arts Academy, RR Sabha
• Jan 2024: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai

Performances at Temples:

• Dec 2012: Sree Narayani Peedam (Vellore), Navarathri dance festival
• Jan 2013: Mylai Kapaliswarar Temple (Chennai), Pongal festival, organized by Malar Cultural Association
• Sep 2014: Malleeswarar Temple (Chennai), Navarathri dance festival
• Sep 2014: Appar Swamy Temple (Chennai)
• Dec 2014: Kapaliswarar Temple (Chennai), Sannidhiyil Sangeetham cultural festival, organized by Giri Fine Arts
• May 2015: Hanuman Temple, Dallas (Texas, USA)
• Oct 2015: Appar Swamy Temple (Chennai), Navaratri dance festival
• Oct 2015: Virupaaksheeshwarar Temple (Chennai), Navaratri music and dance festival
• Oct 2015: Nadaneeraanjanam in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (a live recording of the performance aired on SVBC television channel)
• Feb 2019: Shirdi Saibaba Samadhi Temple (Shirdi), organized by Malar Cultural Association
• Mar 2019: Virupaaksheeshwarar Temple (Chennai), Shivarathri dance festival, organized by Mayilai Poombavai Trust Sabha
• Feb 2020: Chidambaram Natyanjali and Vaitheeswarar koil Natyanjali
• Mar 2022: Apparswamy koil Sivaratri festival
• Mar 2023: Nadaneeraanjanam in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (a live recording of the performance aired on SVBC television channel)
• Mar 2023: Iskcon Temple, Chennai
• Jun 2023: Kapaleeswarar Temple, Chennai

Teaching Opportunities:

• Assisting Guru Smt. Priya Karthikeyan in teaching newer and younger students at her dance school over the past 4 years
• Conducting dance teaching workshops in Dallas (Texas, USA) alongside her mother, Charulatha Kumar, to train students from other dance schools in the area over a period of 3 weeks