Posted on 19 October 2026:

💫  #YathraRhythm: Poetry in Motion

Radhika Shetty: The Bharatanatyam Soloist, Curator and Teacher Taking Classical Dance from Mangaluru to the World

Meet renowned Radhika Shetty, the acclaimed Bharatanatyam soloist, curator and teacher from Mangaluru. Founder of Nrityaangan, she has performed across India and Europe and taken classical dance to 49 schools.

Some dancers perform, some teach, and some build the stage for others to stand on. Radhika Shetty from Mangaluru, Karnataka, does all three. She is one of the most thoughtful voices in Bharatanatyam today, known for her sensitive abhinaya, her thematic storytelling and her commitment to nurturing the classical arts.

A JOURNEY THAT BEGAN AT NINE

Radhika Shetty began her Bharatanatyam training at the age of nine under Vidushi Smt. Sharadamani Shekhar at Sanathana Natyalaya, Mangaluru. She later moved to Bengaluru for advanced training under Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran of Natyapriya, under whose guidance she completed her Rangapravesha. She has also learnt from renowned gurus Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan and Smt. Bragha Bessell, which has shaped her distinctive performance vocabulary.

The Soloist: Dance as Emotion and Philosophy

As a solo performer, Radhika Shetty is drawn to the emotional and philosophical depths of Bharatanatyam. Her thematic productions bring literature, mythology and human emotion to the stage:

• Mānushī – On a Quest, an introspective solo on the journeys of women, told through the stories of Saraswathi, Meerabai, Devaki and Akka Mahadevi
• Gopika Prasārana
• Payana – The Journey of Life
• Navarasa Ramayana

Her performances have been presented at leading festivals and venues across India and internationally, in Hungary, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA.

She is a graded artiste of Bengaluru Doordarshan and an empanelled resource person with SPICMACAY for workshop demonstrations.

She also regularly conducts workshops, lecture-demonstrations and interactive sessions on Bharatanatyam and abhinaya.

HONORS

Radhika Shetty has received several honors for her artistic contributions. These include:

• Best Dancer, Senior Category, Parthasarathy Sabha, Chennai (2018)
• Kala Surabhi, UVSA, Bengaluru (2023)
• Guru Prerana Award, Sanathana Natyalaya, Mangaluru (2025)

NRITYAANGAN: A STAGE FOR MANY

In 2012, Radhika Shetty founded Nrityaangan, a registered trust based in Mangaluru, to create meaningful opportunities for dancers. As Founder-Director, she promotes Indian classical dance through festivals, workshops, seminars, lecture-demonstrations and educational outreach.

She has conceptualised and curated more than 50 dance events under the Nrityaangan banner. These bring together established and emerging artistes, encourage artistic exchange and widen performance opportunities beyond the metropolitan centres.

Through the trust’s Jnana Vaahini initiative, she has also taken classical dance into classrooms, completing lecture-demonstrations in 49 schools across Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Mysuru and Kasaragod districts. The aim is to make classical dance accessible to young learners and help them appreciate India’s cultural heritage. In 2022, Nrityaangan received the Samskara Bharati Kala Puraskara for its sustained contribution to the arts.

THE TEACHER AND CURATOR

As a teacher, Radhika Shetty guides her students towards a deeper understanding of Bharatanatyam, with particular emphasis on abhinaya, interpretation and artistic individuality. As a curator, she creates platforms for dialogue, exchange and growth within the classical dance community.

Through her work as a performer, teacher and curator, Radhika Shetty remains committed to preserving the richness of Bharatanatyam while creating new spaces for its exploration, appreciation and transmission to future generations.

💫  YathraRhythm