Urmila Satyanarayanan performed for the Natyanjali festival at Perur Temple, Coimbatore on 27 September 2010. , Photo Courtesy: S Shiva Saravanan
Bharatnatyam exponent Urmila Satyanarayanan says, “The Sangeet Academy’s Nritya Kalanidhi Award comes at an important stage of my life – it has been 50 years since my Arangetram and 30 years since my dance school Natya Sankalp.” The joy is manifold, she says, because her mother, who introduced her to the art, is there to share the moment.
Dancer at her residence in Chennai. , Photo Courtesy: KV Srinivasan
Recalling her journey, Urmila says that this recognition is the culmination of her parents’ dreams. His association with the arts began at Saraswati Gana Nilayam, the dance school run by Ranganayaki Jayaraman. His talent was honed under the tutelage of two other stalwarts, KN Dhanadayuthapani Pillai and KJ Sarasa.
“Guru KN Dhanadayuthapani Pillai’s classes were extremely enjoyable, and I absorbed everything I was taught. He was the guru of some of the leading stars of the celluloid world. I was fascinated by how effortlessly he could choreograph songs. I had my Arangetram at the age of 10, and I knew this would be my calling.”
Urmila Satyanarayanan’s dance performance at Narada Gana Sabha during the December Utsav in 2011. Photo courtesy: R. Shivaji Rao
After some time, Urmila came under the tutelage of KJ Sarasa, who played a major role in her progress. “She didn’t change the basics of my earlier training. She honed my art through rigorous practice, discipline and commitment. Under her watch, she also allowed me to improvise,” recalls Urmila.
During this period, Urmila started getting acting opportunities. “He played a major role in shaping my stage presentation technique.”
Urmila Satyanarayanan’s thematic production ‘Meera’ at Bharat Kalachar’s Margazhi Utsavam in 2014. Photo Credit: Raghunathan SR
The urge to teach young enthusiasts inspired Urmila to launch Natya Sankalp, which initially operated out of a friend’s garage before moving to its own premises. “I enjoy the process of training children. It also helps me update my knowledge. When I was learning we hardly had any distractions and only focused on improving our art. Today, we have to constantly adapt the teaching methodology to suit the needs of the current generation, which involves many things. For example, instead of attending separate classes, they now get the benefit of learning dance, music, theory and yoga in the same institute. I have been fortunate. That I got excellent dancers as faculty members, who are my pillars of support,” shares Urmila.
Talking about the changing nature of rehearsals and performances, Urmila narrates how musicians were employed full-time in her Vadyar class. “We used to practice with live music. Today, getting musicians for a rehearsal is a daunting task in itself. The duration of performances has also reduced, so the repertoire needs to be edited.”
Urmila Satyanarayanan with students of her dance school Natya Sankalp, performing at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai. Photo courtesy: Ragu R.
Awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Nritya Chudamani, Urmila has performed extensively as a soloist. He also choreographed and presented several thematic productions as well as collaborating with other artists. She will present her new work ‘Karunya Kavya – Legends behind poetic masterpieces’ on the opening day of The Music Academy Dance Festival on 3 January.
“Dance is an inseparable part of my life. Apart from giving happiness and identity, it has also taught me discipline, commitment and humility. But this journey would not have been possible without the full support of my family and rasikas,” says Urmila.
published – January 02, 2026 12:39 PM IST