"TAPASYA" - pray for a soul

                                             Supriya Shridharan

Supriya Shridharan, 19 year old student of Georgia State University studying Pre-Med,  has been learning Bharathanatyam since the age of 4. With over 15 years of dance training, she has won awards on school for dance. She joined The Narasimha Academy of Arts in 2003 and under Guru Preeti Vinayak Shah’s tutelage has blossomed into a complete dancer with rhythm control, and perfection of movements.  She has been featured in all the productions of the Academy. One of her notable performances has been for the Image Liberation Organization in front of Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe. She has already played one of the lead roles in Guru Preeti Shah’s 2006 production, “Om Pranava Shabdam”. She has been a regular performer for the Festival of India and even participated in the Desi Idol Dance search in 2007.

 Apart from dance, Supriya is also an accomplished vocalist. She has won many awards at the Guruvayurappan Temple competitions in New Delhi, India. She won awards two years in a row at the Shruthilaya Competitions for Carnatic vocal in Atlanta. Supriya was picked one of 20 finalists out of 1500 contestants in SA RE GA MA PA Challenge 2008 USA.  She made it through 10 out of the 12 episodes which aired on Zee TV July – August 2008. She is a part of the local band Dhwani. She won the second place in the Desi Idol competition in 2008.  Supriya has been an invaluable asset to the Tapasya team helping in every aspect of the show. She has been Guru Preeti's assistant from choreography all the way down to making props and costumes for the show.

 A few words from Supriya:

“While The Narasimha Academy of Arts may just be a dance school for others and Preeti just a teacher, for me, The Narasimha Academy of Arts has been the cultural foundation I needed after I immigrated to the United States in 2002. When I first moved to the US, I was in the midst of an identity crisis. Not only had I been ripped from an environment that fostered me my entire life, but I had been placed in an atmosphere completely unfamiliar to me. This is when I joined Preeti’s dance school where not only did I find myself all over again, but I found a very loving and caring elder sister in Preeti.”

“I found guidance, friendship and discipline in one person who went lengths to make sure everyone around her, especially her students, were happy with what they were learning and doing. She has been an incredible inspiration to all of her students, especially me, because of her strength and will power to overcome any obstacles in spite of all the hardships she has been through.”  

“My time at the Narasimha Academy of Arts has been nothing, but wonderful. I have had the chance to enhance my talents, contribute my ideas, make lifelong friends and cultivate fabulous memories. So, finally, I would like to thank Preeti wholeheartedly for everything that she’s done for me. I am looking forward to many more amazing productions with The Narasimha Academy of Arts and Preeti Akka.”