About Prarthana
Prarthana Prashanth joined Natya Dance Theatre in August 2008 and has had the immense pleasure of being a disciple of Smt. Hema Rajagopalan for the past 14 years. She has been privileged to learn from Smt. Krithika Rajagopalan as well. Prarthana is a passionate and dedicated dancer, who enjoys performing Bharatanatyam as means of connecting with her Indian culture and progressing on her spiritual journey. Bharatanatyam has helped her develop discipline and grit, while staying grounded to her core values.
Prarthana has performed at several venues including the Art Institute of Chicago, Harris Theatre, Pritzker Pavillion, Field Museum, Chicago Cultural Center, Garfield Conservatory, Navy Pier, and the Taste of Chicago. She has performed as part of Chicago's Night Out in the Parks, Chicago's Stomping Grounds Festival, and for the Indian Consulate General several times. Prarthana has also been part of Natya's productions including Ramanuja Darshanam, Vedanta Desikar, the 2019 World Tamil Conference, and Daya Devi Darishanam. Recently, she was awarded the 2021 National YoungArts Honorable Mention Award in Bharatanatyam.
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Due to the pandemic, Prarthana postponed her arangetram by two years, from 2020 to 2022. However, during that time she continued to engage with dance through virtual collaborations. She recorded and edited several video productions and performed in various live-streamed events.
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Prarthana also shares her passion for dance with the community through performing at local Temples and teaching at local schools. She has led workshops at Stevenson High School, UChicago Lab School, and Daystar Academy and has taught as part of Natya's Chicago Public School Residency.
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Apart from Bharatanatyam, Prarthana is an avid enthusiast for the arts. She has trained in Carnatic Classical Music for 10 years under Smt. Shanthala Subramaniam. Additionally, she has studied Western Classical Piano under Mrs. Christine Paryl for 11 years completing the Level 10 National Royal Conservatory Exam and performing her solo debut in 2021. Prarthana continues engaging with music by singing as a part of UIC's Downtown Voices acappella team.
Prarthana graduated from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in 2021 and is currently entering her second year at the University of Illinois at Chicago, as part of the guaranteed medical program. She looks forward to continuing her artistic journey throughout her future.
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