About
Biography
Rukmini Vijayakumar is a Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer who has performed widely in India and internationally. She serves as the artistic director of Raadha Kalpa, a classical dance company, and directs LshVa, an art space. She is also the founder of The Raadha Kalpa Method, a pedagogical framework developed for training dancers in Bharatanatyam and classical Indian dance.
Her early training in Bharatanatyam was under the guidance of Guru Padmini Rao, Guru Narmada, and Guru Sundari Santhanam, including a focused study of Karanas linked to the Natyashastra tradition. She later expanded her movement training through Western dance and completed a BFA in Ballet and Modern Dance from the Boston Conservatory (2008). She has also studied acting at the New York Film Academy and pursued academic courses in anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and fitness-related subjects.
As a performer, she has appeared at major international venues and festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow (USA), Drive East Festival (New York), Korzo Theater (Netherlands), and Milapfest (UK). She performed the role of the “goddess of love” in the dance-opera Sukanya, produced by the Royal Opera House, London.
Her choreographic works include productions such as Prabhavati, Abhimata, Talattu, The Dark Lord, Turiya, MALA, and Unrequited, which explore both traditional and contemporary approaches within the Bharatanatyam vocabulary. She received the Jiri Kylián Grant for Choreography and served as a resident choreographer at Korzo Theater in 2018.
Alongside dance, Rukmini has worked in Indian cinema. She has appeared in films including Ananda Thandavam (2009), Bhajarangi (2013), Kochadaiyaan (2014), Final Cut of Director (2016), Kaatru Veliyidai (2017), and Sita Ramam (2022).
Her recognitions include the Arsha Kala Bhushan title (2013) and the Big FM Dancer of the Year award.
Rukmini Vijayakumar continues to work as a performer, teacher, and choreographer, engaging with Bharatanatyam through both traditional frameworks and contemporary exploration.