Guru Prasanna
Kasthuri
Prasanna is a teacher,
choreographer, organizer and a performer of two great traditional Indian
classical dances - Bharathanatyam and Kathak. His art has a pleasant
infusion of the key elements of literature, music, and theatre.
Prasanna was fortunate to receive training from many great legendary
teachers of dance field. The main styles which he received training are
from Dr. K. Venkatalakshamma and Smt. Lalita Srinivasan of Mysore style
and later in Pandanallur style from Guru Narmada. He attended workshops
of Chitra Vishweswaran, T. Mahalingam Pillai, Adyar K. Lakshmanan and
Pandanallur GopalaKrishna. He received Kathak knowledge from Guru Maya
Rao, a very well known authority in Choreography and took Kathak
workshops under Birju Maharaj.
Prasanna has performed all around the world and at present is the
artistic director of "Soorya Dance Company" in Saint Louis, Missouri.
His major credentials include - a rank in Vidwath exam conducted by
Karnataka Government, more than a decade of Carnatic music training, a
24 hour non-stop marathon dance feat and a Master's degree in
Information Technology.
Prasanna's major dance productions include -
"Kadu
Kuniyithu" (1987) -Dance production for children on the story of animals
"Kavya
Kinkini" (1989) - A Bharathanatyam repertoire based on poetry from
Kannada epics
"Subhadra
Parinaya" (1991) - A Sanskrit dance drama from Mahabharatha
"Shrungara
Naayakaru" (1994) - A Portrayal of Romantic heroes corresponding to the
Nayikas of Indian dance.
"Rasa Gati" (1996) - Adoption of Rasa theory and Carnatic tala
structures
"Jnana"
(1998) - Mini dance drama based on moral stories
"Avataara"
(1999) - Metaphysical interpretation of incarnations
"Cherishnu"
(2000) - A dance spectacle of Bengali literature
"Silambu"(2002)
- Dance drama based on 2nd century Tamil epic Silappadikaram
"Anubhava
Mantapa"(2002) - Dance reflection of 12th century Sharana literature
"Maarga"
(2002) - A Bharathanatyam dance repertoi
"Thoughts"(2002) - A thought provoking dance presentation based
different works of philosophers of India
Rainbow - I (2004) - English poems into
Indian Solo dancing
Katha Kahe Kathaka (2004) - Presentation of
Kathak dances
Rhythms in Motion (2005) – Rhythms across the life
Shaam - e - Kathak (2006) – Dances on Ghazals - love-lorn songs
Rainbow - II (2006) – English poems into
Indian Dancing with a Grammy award winning musician
Call of Flute (2007) – USA’s first Indian opera through classical music
and dance of India
Prasanna believes that dance is universal and can include any movement
in its vocabulary. Feelings and emotions are the colors which a dancer
enjoys painting, with his experience of life to an avid lover of
performing arts. Prasanna hails from a family of writers and artists -
his father Raghusutha - has published 300 works in Kannada on various
subjects, his mother has published 60 social novels, brother - Pulikeshi
and sister- Sushma are very good dancers. Prasanna is happily married to
Seema, who is a melodious singer, with 10 years of Carnatic Vocal
training and has a 3 year old daughter, Samanvita, who is already
dancing with her tiny feet.