Training
- Disciple of Professor CV Chandraskehar and Smt. Bragha Bessell of Chennai, India
Received initial training under Smt. Thejeswini Raj of Shiv Jyoti Dance Academy
- Sonali is a Carnatic vocal music student under the guidance of Smt. Shobana Raj
- Sonali is a student of Mridangam vocal percussion by Shri A.R. Balaskandan
- Sonali is a student of Nattuvangam under Bhagavatalu Shri Seetharama Sharma of Chennai, India
- Sonali has been studying Yoga for the past 10 years.
- Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance Summer Intensive 2007
Original Productions
- 6/2006: "Urban Kutcheri" premiered at Joyce/SoHo (Producer, Director & Performer)
- 6/2004: Solo Bharatanatyam Margam, Lighthouse International Auditorium, New York, NY (Producer, Director & Performer)
Selected Performances
Selected Solo Performances
- 4/2007: Borough of Manhattan Community College
- 3/3007: Gateway to India Festival: ABS Carpet & Home
- 12/2006: Karthik Fine Arts December Music & Dance Festival Chennai, India
- 11/2006: Sampradaya: Celebrating Tradition at the Arch Studios NYC
- 10/2006: Columbia University Guria Festival
- 10/2006: CUNY Graduate Center, NYC
- 9/2006: Harkness Dance Center Fridays@Noon, NYC
- 9/2006: Rubin Museum of Art: "Sikh Childrens Stories through Indian Music and Dance"
- 4/2005: "Sunil Kothari presents: Classical Indian Dance Forms: Tradition in Transition", Arch Studios, NYC
- 12/2005 and 1/2006: Solo performances at Hamsadhwani and Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, Chennai, India
- 12/2005 and 1/2006 solo performance for Hema Rajan at Hamsadhwani, Chennai, India
- 11/2005: Full length recital at the Hindu Temple Society of North America, New York
- 10/2005: Rubin Museum of Art, New York
- 9/2005: Dance/Now NYC Festival, New York
- 8/2005: Downtown Dance Festival, New York
- 8/2005: fFida International Dance Festival, Toronto, Canada
- 6/2005: Warren Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
- 5/2005: Tradewinds 2005 Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center's United States Of Asian America Festival, San Francisco, CA
- 5/2005: The Door, New York, NY
- 5/2005: Sounds of the East and Sounds of the West, hosted by Indian Consulate and Salon de Virtuosi
- 4/2005: New York University, Sargam, Festival of South Asian Art
- 2/2005: Hunter College, NY.
- 2/2005: NY Chef's Cooking for Life.,Tsunami Fundraiser
- 1/2005: ABC Carpet & Home. Performance with PURE dancers
- 8/2004: South Asian Women's Creative Collective, Annual Performance Benefit, Gallery ArtsIndia, NY.
- 8/2004: Project Voice, AFSC.
- 8/2004: Queens Museum of Art
- 11/2003: SALAAM theatre 3rd Monday series, New York
- 11/2003: Chakra Shri Mini-Confluence, Queens, New York
- 9/2003: South Asian Women's Creative Collective Monthly Showcase, New York
- 7/2001: Merce Cunningham Dance Theatre, New York. Featured Bharatanatyam choreographer and dancer in an experimental piece by Maia Ramnath.
- 5/1998-9/2001: Featured solo Bharatanatyam dancer for Trilok Fusion, Inc. Performed all over the New York City area, including Newark First Night.
- 12/1999: Trilok Fusion Arts Showcase, Clark Studio Theatre, Lincoln Center.
Group Performances
- Rajika Puri & Dancers: Conversations with Shiva. Joyce/SoHo March 2007
- 8/2004: Lincoln Center Out of Doors.
- 5/2004: New York City Mayor's Office South Asian Night
- 1/2004: Hindu Center Fundraising Gala, Adria Convention Center, New York.
- 11/2003: Broome Center Choreographers Showcase, New York. Featured Bharatanatyam choreographer and dancer in the fusion piece by Maura Lee entitled Harvest.
- 9/2003: September 11th Memorial Dance Festival at Chelsea Piers, New York. Featured Bharatanatyam dancer in the fusion piece by Maura Lee entitled Harvest.
- 1/2003 - Dec 2003: Chakra Shri Dance Theatre company dancer. Performed in various schools, hospital and community centers in the New York City area. Including, the Woodhull Hospital, Andrews Academy, Harlem Hospital, Jewish Cultural Center, Queens, etc.
- 12/2002: New York City Mayors Office, South Asian Night.
- 9/2002: World Sacred Dance Festival/ Rangoli Festival, Los Angeles, CA. Performed Trinethra for Chakra Shri Dance, was one of 3 dancers from Chakra Shri Dance to perform
- 8/2002: Hindu Temple Society of North America, Flushing, Queens. Participated in a Chakra Shri dance ballet entitled Tasmai Shri Guruvai Namaha.
- 6/2002: Hindu Youth Group, New Jersey. Played the role of Sita in the Chakra Shri dance ballet entitled Bhavayami Ragu Ramam.
- 5/2002: Confluence Festival, Queens, New York. Performed as one of two dancers in the piece entitled Mayu Matru.
- 1/2002: Confluence Festival, Queens, and New York. Inaugurated the Chakra Shri Dance Company
- 6/1998: Maa, the Creator, Clark Studio Theatre, Lincoln Center. Participated as a featured Bharatanatyam dancer for this Trilok Fusion ballet.
- 1994 -1998 dancer in the Swati Bhise Dance Ensemble. Performed at the American Museum of Natural History 1997 and 1998.
Dance Companies
- Rajika Puri & Dancers (2007)
- Shiv Jyoti Dance (2003-2005)
- Chakra Shri, NY (2001-2003)
Selected Workshops and Lecture Demonstrations
4/2007: Family Workshop at IS25, Queens, NY
4/2007: Teaching Artist Residency at PS56, Queens, NY
3/2007: ABC Carpet & Home "Gateway to India" Festival
11/2006: Brooklyn Montessori School, United Nations International School
10/2005: "The Gods and Goddesses of India," Rubin Museum of Art, Family Programs.
5/2005: Brooklyn Friends School. Taught Bharatantyam workshop to dance students, which culminated in a student showcase to benefit the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India.
3/2005: Introduction to Bharatanatyam Worksop for SAYA! (South Asian Youth Action)
2/2005: Story-telling workshop for preschool children at the House of Little People, New York, NY.
11/2004: Lecture demonstration for artists of PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment).
1998-2001: Presented Bharatanatyam in public schools all over Brooklyn and Manhattan with Trilok Fusion.
Film
7/2005: Kalinga Narthanam for India Television India Television (ITV)
2/2005: Performed group Saraswati project for ITV television performance.
Red Feet: 2004 by Mumtaj Ismail. Featured Bharatanatyam dancer in this film about a girl's dream to become a Bharatanatyam dancer.
Theatre
Heer Ranjha 1/2003: Directed by Sridhar Shanmugam. Played the lead role of Heer. Produced for the Confluence Festival in Queens.
Dance Writinge
RAVE*SQ: Jan/Feb 2006: Interview with Mallika Sarrabhai
RAVE*SQ: Sept/Oct 2005: Falling for Dance
RAVE SQ* March/April 2005: There Is No Shiva Without Shakti: Feminine and Masculine Interplay in Indian Classical Dance.
RAVE SQ* Jan/Feb 2005: Jonathan Hollader: Following Destiny
Chakra Shri/CS Arts Theatre presents its Series of Mini-Confluences: Bringing Art to the Audience
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