Guru Uma Dandayudapani Pillai
Kalaimani Smt. Uma Dandayudapani, daughter of legendary artist, the late Guru Padmashri. Sri. K.N.Dandayudapani Pillai has been teaching Bharathanatyam for over 25 years. She has conducted over hundred Arangetrams and three hundred performances. She was sponsored by Indian council for Cultural Relations to conduct performances with students in Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, Maldives and Croatia. She was awarded Fellowship by the Government of India for research in padams and javalis. She has choreographed several dance dramas.
Smt. Uma Dandayudapani has conducted various workshops all over the world and was awarded the title “Nattuvanga Mamani”. She is one of the world’s leading researcher, practioner and teacher of Nattuvangam. As a recognition of her distinctive work on Padam and Javali, the Gov’t of India has recognized her with several awards.
Uma Dandayudapani is currently a senior lecturer in Annamalai University and is pursuing her doctorate about Nattuvanars. She also serves as a dance consultant at the eastern University of Sri Lanka.