Bharatanatyam exponent · Kathak practitioner · Founder-Director of
Hreemkari · Graded artist with Bangalore Doordarshan.
About the Artist
Prathiba Sathyavannan is an emerging Bharatanatyam dancer, trained under the expert guidance of Smt. Vedavathi and the late Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran. Having completed her Arangetram in 2008, she is a graded artist with Bangalore Doordarshan.
She holds a Master's degree in Fine Arts (Bharatanatyam) from Sastra University, Thanjavur, where she studied under the mentorship of Guru Dr. Padma Subramanyam, and is currently undergoing advanced training with Smt. Kirti Ramgopal.
Beyond Bharatanatyam, Prathiba has trained for several years in Kathak under the internationally renowned duo Sri Hari and Smt. Chetna Hari, and completed a Karanas course under Smt. Vithya Arasu. She is the founder and director of Hreemkari, a dance school dedicated to nurturing young talent.
Performances & Experience
The Journey
Began Bharatanatyam under Smt. Vedavathi and the late Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran.
Maiden solo recital marking her formal debut as a Bharatanatyam dancer.
Performances at Hampi Utsav, IISc Bangalore, Vipanchee Dance Festival, Tamil Isai Sangam and CPWD New Delhi.
Master's in Fine Arts (Bharatanatyam) under the mentorship of Guru Dr. Padma Subramanyam.
Established her dance school dedicated to nurturing young classical talent.
Several years of disciplined training in Kathak under the internationally renowned duo.
Deepened her engagement with the 108 Karanas of the Natya Shastra.
First international solo concerts at the Indiesu Deju Concerts, returning by invitation in 2024.
Currently refining her craft under Smt. Kirti Ramgopal.
THE SCHOOL
a sanctuary for the next generation of Bharatanatyam.
Founded in 2014 by Acharya Prathiba Sathyavannan, Hreemkari School of Dance is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam while nurturing young talent with discipline, devotion, and artistic excellence.
Located in Banaswadi, Bengaluru, Hreemkari is home to over 100 passionate students who are guided to discover their potential and grow into confident performers. The school has consistently achieved excellent results in the Gangubai Hangal University and Bangiya Sangeet Parishad examinations.
Hreemkari has proudly performed at ISKCON Whitefield during Krishna Janmashtami celebrations and continues to provide opportunities for students to showcase their artistry on prestigious cultural platforms.
More than a dance school, Hreemkari is a nurturing space where tradition meets creativity, inspiring students to carry forward the timeless legacy of Bharatanatyam with grace and dedication.
Dance doesn't just change our lives. It changes our world.
Classes are rooted in the traditional teacher-student lineage, emphasising discipline, devotion, and personal mentorship over mass instruction.
From Adavus and Alarippu to Varnam and Padam, students progress through a carefully sequenced syllabus grounded in the Pandanallur and Thanjavur banis.
Beyond technique, students study Natya Shastra, mythology, rhythm, Sanskrit shlokas and Abhinaya Darpana, nurturing the dancer as scholar and storyteller.
Regular stage exposure, ensemble work and one-on-one coaching prepare students for festivals, examinations and their eventual Arangetram.
Students appear for Senior and Junior examinations of the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, and the Bhangiya Sangeetha Parishad, West Bengal, consistently securing excellent results.
Senior students Akshata Shastri and Vaishnavi Reddy performed at the Youth Dance Festival conducted by Medai, Bangalore, the school also presented at Bekal Gokulam Goushala Vaishaka Natanam 2026, Nagar Sankeertan (April 2025), and ISKCON Krishna Janmashtami Ananda Mahotsava (2024).
Hreemkari proudly sponsors the complete dance education of five talented students from underprivileged backgrounds, enabling them to pursue Bharatanatyam without financial constraints.
Workshops
Since 2019, Prathiba has been regularly invited to Latvia to lead immersive Bharatanatyam workshops, introducing European audiences to the grammar, mythology and meditative discipline of South India's classical dance.
From her first residency in 2019 to her most recent edition in 2024, these workshops have welcomed seasoned movers and curious first-timers, exploring adavus, mudras, abhinaya and the philosophy of rasa.
Press & Reviews
Prathibha's spatial imagination came to the fore. Circular pathways, expansive arm movements, and layered rhythmic patterns created the impression of a living mandala.
Review of "Kumudini"Her abhinaya achieved a remarkable stillness within motion, unravelling emotional depth without theatrical excess.
Review of "Kumudini"Technique served not merely as a display but as a vehicle for introspection and spiritual engagement through dance.
Review of "Kumudini"
In Print
A featured review of Prathibha's Bharatanatyam recital at Malayi Chambers, Vijayawada, presented by the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravathi as part of the Nritya Sravanthi series.
"She entertained the audience with her vivid expressions. Prathiba could make the audience feel the roles of all the characters by her swift change of bhava and quick movements. It was a beautiful mix of humour and devotion and bhava."Prasuna Balantrapu
Featured Production
Vaijayanthi as a cosmic lotus - narrative sacred feminine unfolding like petals.
One of the evening's most evocative segments envisioned Vaijayanthi as a cosmic lotus, its twelve sacred forests unfolding like petals. Circular pathways traced across the stage, expansive arm movements, and layered rhythmic patterns created the impression of a living mandala, transforming the performance space into a symbolic universe rooted in the lotus motif.
The production incorporated evocative sanchari portrayals from Krishna's divine narrative - the vanquishing of Shakatasura and Bakasura, the lifting of Govardhana, the protection of Draupadi's honour, the ten avatars of Vishnu, the Kurukshetra discourse to Arjuna, and the enchanting Ras Leela with Radha - each rendered with narrative clarity and sensitivity.
The ensemble featured Bharatanatya artistes led by Mayuri Upadhya, with distinguished musicians and dancers shaping the production's luminous visual and rhythmic identity.
"Throughout the recital, Prathibha demonstrated a firm command over Bharatanatyam's grammar - clear lines, rhythmic precision, and balanced poise. Yet what ultimately distinguished Kumudini was its sincerity."
Get In Touch
For performance bookings, workshops, lecture demonstrations, collaborations, and admissions to Hreemkari, please write in. We respond within two working days.
prathiba12sathyavannan@gmail.com
+91 81053 41022
Hreemkari School of Dance, Bengaluru