Vidhyaa
&
Varshika

Vidhyaa, whose name means “Goddess of Knowledge,” has always found joy in learning, creativity, and connecting with others. She began her artistic journey with Carnatic music at the age of four and discovered her love for Bharata Nrityam at nine under the guidance of Guru Smt. Parvatha Chidambaram.

Over the years, Bharata Nrityam has become much more than a dance form for Vidhyaa. It has taught her discipline, confidence, and perseverance while giving her a meaningful way to express emotions and tell stories. She especially enjoys bringing characters to life through abhinaya and finds great joy in sharing those stories with an audience. Outside of classical dance, she enjoys performing stand up comedy with her dad, bringing laughter and fun to community events.

Beyond the arts, Vidhyaa is passionate about medicine and serving others. Through physician shadowing, hospital internships, and volunteer experiences, she has developed a deep appreciation for compassionate patient care. She is excited to begin her studies in Neuroscience on the Pre Med track in Upstate New York. Performing her Arangetram in India, surrounded by family and friends, makes this milestone especially meaningful. Vidhyaa is excited to share this moment with her loved ones and humbly seeks their blessings as she celebrates this special chapter of her Bharata Nrityam journey.

Varshika, whose name means “Goddess of Rain,” is a High Honor Roll seventh grade student from Upstate New York. She began her dance journey at the age of four with joyful performances on community stages and soon developed a deep love for Bharata Nrityam under the guidance of Guru Smt. Parvatha Chidambaram. Over the years, dance has become an important part of her life. What started with carefully remembering each step has grown into a confident and expressive art form that allows her to connect with music, rhythm, and storytelling.

Outside of dance, Varshika enjoys staying active through running, badminton, and swimming. She is also passionate about music and loves playing the piano and violin. Whether learning a new dance piece, practicing an instrument, or taking on a challenge at school, she approaches everything with enthusiasm and determination.

This Arangetram is a celebration of years of dedication, perseverance, and countless hours of practice. Varshika is especially excited to perform before her family and friends in India and considers it a privilege to share this milestone with them. As she takes the stage, she seeks their love, encouragement, and blessings as she continues her Bharata Nrityam journey.

Parvatha Chidambaram is the Artistic Director of Bharata School of Dance & Music — a 25-year-old school of Indian Classical Dance and Music in Rochester, NY. She underwent 11 years of rigorous training in Bharata Nrityam and Carnatic Music and graduated in theory, practical, teacher's training, and nattuvangam (playing the cymbals) courses.

Parvatha gave up her career as a creative director in advertising and became a full-time performer, choreographer and dance teacher. Understanding the intricacies of these art forms enabled her to explore beyond the confined boundaries of her traditional art forms.

She was featured as one of "The Changemakers" at the Rochester Museum of Science, which highlighted the actions of area women from diverse backgrounds who were innovators, creators, organizers, and leaders — whose life or work was transformative or impactful in ways that inspire and empower others to shape a better future.

In eagerness to bridge the gap between theory and practice, Parvatha has developed her own pedagogy and trained many students to spread the knowledge of these beautiful art forms amongst the younger generations in the US.