Profile

Vid. Megha P Rao

Director, Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance

As an accomplished and dedicated artist of Bharatanatyam, a celebrated Indian classical dance form, Megha has over two decades of experience both as a performer and as a teacher. She is a Graded Doordarshan Artist and currently serving as the Board of Directors of Downtown Bentonville Inc. Over the past decade, Megha has captivated the hearts of audiences across the Central U.S at multiple venues. She has extended her creative journey in choreography combining many Indian dance forms. Uniquely conceptualized and choreographed productions like NAVARASA MARGAM, THE EXILED KING, ARDHANAREE and BAALA-TALE OF KANHA. In recognition of her contribution to the performing arts in Northwest Arkansas, she was recently awarded a grant by Artists 360, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, to support her Dance production – ‘Baala – tale of Kanha’ She has performed 1000+ dance performances across India and the US, some of them nationally significant events such as Nrityotsav-Mumbai, West Bengal Tourism Festival Calcutta, Pallavothsav Mysore, Navaraspur Utsav Bijapur, Hampi Utsav, India Fest – Little Rock, 21st TANA Conference – St louis, NAVIKA- Cincinnati, OH. 12th & 14th American Natya Festival, St Louis. Sammilana 2023, Houston. Margazhi Nrityothsava 2023 in Chennai, India. As Artistic Director she currently runs the ‘Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance’ based in Bentonville Arkansas, training over a hundred students in the US every year in Bharatanatyam. Over the past five years, she has organized and produced ‘Pradarshana’ an annual Fall student showcase, to encourage young talents. She also works with school districts and other organizations to bring Bharatanatyam to the community. Her goal is to Bridge the gap between society and the classical art form by inspiring, educating and guiding budding talent. She often collaborates with like-minded artists across different genres of music and performing arts, expanding the vocabulary while staying true to the art form. She has been appointed as an Ambassador of Good Will by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, representing the spirit of an Arkansas traveler. She has been approved as a subject of biographical record in the esteemed Marquis Who’s Who in America.

Core Accomplishments

Has been appointed as an Ambassador of Good Will by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, representing the spirit of an Arkansas traveler.
Recepient of grant from Artists 360, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, with generous support from the Walton Family Foundation.
Graded Doordarshan Artist – Doordarshan is an Indian national television channel.
Has extended her creative journey in choreography combining many Indian dance forms. Uniquely conceptualized and choreographed productions like NAVARASA MARGAM, THE EXILED KING, ARDHANAREE and BAALA-TALE OF KANHA.
Collaborated with Trike Theatre and Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation to create an original adaptation of the well-known story, The Jungle Book mixed with theatrical storytelling and classical Indian dance.
Established Dhirana Academy for Indian Classical Dance which trains 100+ students and creates opportunities for them to perform and also exposes them to various learning opportunities such as dance workshops, dance competitions, events. Also graduates senior disciples through Arangetram. Since 2017 Dhirana Academy organizes an annual event ‘Pradashana’ for young students to have the experience performing for a wider audience
Since 1996 performed 1000+ dance performances across India and the US, some of them nationally significant events such as Nrityotsav-Mumbai, West Bengal Tourism Festival Calcutta, Pallavothsav Mysore, Navaraspur Utsav Bijapur, Hampi Utsav, India Fest – Little Rock, 21st TANA Conference -St louis.
She was an early achiever in the Bharatanatyam and won many national and state competitions conducted by government and private organizations. Considering her accomplishments in the field she has been regularly invited to perform by various organizations in India and USA.

Artistic Exhibitions/Performance

Bentonville Film Festival – The Momentary- June 2023
Bentonville Together – Multicultural Festival – April 2023
Artist 360 Full Circle Showcase – Crystal Bridges Museum – April 2023
14th American Natya Festival – St Louis, Mo – 2023
Sammilana 2023 by Shivalli Kutumba in Houston Tx.
Margazhi Nrityothsava 2023 – Andra Mahila Sabha, Chennai 2023
Natyam by Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation @ KIFA Studio-Dec 2022
Kannada Rajyotsava @ Thedan Great Hall – 2022
Onam Celebration by NANMA @ BWHS PAC – 2022
Botanical Garden at Ozarks – 2022
LIVE in America at The Momentary – June 2022
Baala-Tale of Kanha – @Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville – 2022
Collision-When visions combine, The momentary, Bentonville-2021.
12th American Natya Festival, St. Louis-2021
Art Party-CACHE, Rogers-2021
ARt Ventures, Fayetteville-2021(RVCF-One of the cohort members of ART Connect
The Exiled King-Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville-2021
In The Atrium-Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville-2021
Value The World Series-Sapthami Foundation-2020
Ardhanaree -A duet performance for RVCF 2020
International Art & Culinary Week Downtown Bentonville Inc.2020
Independence Day celebration by ICANWA 2020
Botanical Garden at Ozarks 2020
Friday Nights at the Lawn by Crystal Bridges Museum 2020
Sankirtana 2020
International Festival at Downtown Bentonville 2019
NAVIKA 2019 at Cincinnati OH
International Festival 2019 at Ozarks
Springdale Cultural Festival by House of Songs-2019
Charity and Fundraising event by AAPI – 2019
SANKIRTANA HANWA USA 2019
Walmart Asian Pacific Associate Resource Network – APAN Heritage Event 2019
AAPI 2019
Navarasa Margam 2018
India Fest, Little Rock, Arkansas 2018
Sankirtana HANWA, USA 2018
University of Arkansas Diwali Celebrations 2017
Sri Lanka Flood Relief Fund Raiser Event Bentonville Arkansas USA 2017
Thaipoosa Festival HANWA USA 2017
Multicultural Festival at Root Elementary School Fayetteville Arkansas USA 2017
Ugadi Sambaralu NWA USA 2017
Independence Day Celebration Bentonville Arkansas USA 2017
HANWA Music and Dance Festival-Sakala Kala Samarpana 2017
Charity event by NWA AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian origin) Bentonville Ar 2017
India Fest, Little Rock, USA 2017
TANA Festival St Louis Missouri USA 2017
DBI’s First Friday International Festival Bentonville Arkansas USA 2017
Fundraiser for Pediatric Cancer Treatment Bentonville Arkansas USA 2016
India Fest Little Rock Arkansas USA 2016
NWA Kannada Rajyotsava Celebrations 2016
Sargam NWA USA 2016
Diwali Celebrations by GIACA Rogers Arkansas USA 2016
Northwest Arkansas International Festival hosted by NWACC USA 2015
India Fest, Little Rock, USA 2015
Pongal Celebration, NWA, USA 2015 Language of Art Multilingual Open House, Crystal Bridges-Museum of American Art, NWA, USA 2015
School Fundraiser, Fayetteville, USA 2015
Pongal Celebration, NWA, USA. 2014
Sargam, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2014
Pongal Celebration, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2014
Navratri celebration at Temple, Northwest Arkansas, USA.
Sargam, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2011,2012
American Art, NWA, USA 2015
School Fundraiser, Fayetteville, USA 2015
Pongal Celebration, NWA, USA. 2014
Sargam, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2014
Pongal Celebration, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2014
Navratri celebration at Temple, Northwest Arkansas, USA.
Sargam, Northwest Arkansas, USA. 2011,2012
Performance at Mantralaya on Vardanti and Pattabhisheka 2010
Hampi Utsav – Group Performance with Vidya Venkatraman and 11 troupe at Hampi 2010
West Bengal Tourism Festival- Kolkata 2010
Dasara- Main Palace- with Dr Vasundhara Doreswamy in “Durga” 2010
Navaraspur Utsav – A National festival – Bijapur 2010
Pallavothsava – Mysore 2010
Indian Institution of World Culture- Bengaluru 2010
ISKCON Temple- with Dr Vasundhara Doreswamy and troop 2010
2006: Performed at “Nalanda Nrityotsav”- A national level dance festival held at Mumbai.

Community Outreach

Arkansas Arts Academy(AAA) Summer Dance Intensive-June 2021
House Concert-Lecture Demonstration-May 2021
Viriiya Drop In Classes-RVCF-CACHE Project-2021
Alaripu Workshop-March 2021
Expression In Dance Workshop-RVCF- July 2020

Education

Masters Degree- University of Bangalore, India.
Post-Graduate Diploma in Media Presentation – Loyola College, Chennai, India. Bachelors in Arts (Journalism)- St Philomena’s College, Mysore, India.
Bharatanatyam Junior Exam 1998 – Karnataka State Secondary Examination Board, India. Bharatanatyam Senior Exam 2000 – Karnataka State Secondary Examination Board, India. Bharatanatyam Vidwat Exam 1st Class 2003 – Karnataka State Secondary Examination Board, India.
Rangapravesam/Arangetram 2002 – A debut solo recital of 2-3 hours, which requires years of training, dedication and practice.

Awards and Honors

Awards

Award of Excellence in Entertainment for Stage Performances 2015 – Tamil Community, Northwest Arkansas, USA
Rajyothsava Prashasthi awarded by Jilla Kannada Sahitya Parishat an organization promoting art and culture in Karnataka
Aryabhata Award 2006 by Aryabhatta Cultural Organizations Bengaluru
Karnataka State IMA Cultural Award 2003 as part of 69th state medical conference.
Ugadi Puraskar 2004 by Chaitanya Balaga, Mandya which promotes social and cultural development in Mandya Karnataka India.

Honors for contributions and achievement in the field of dance

Karavali Samskruthika Sangha Mandya honored Ms Rao as part of Vasantotsav 2004
Shiv Sena Karnataka Mandya District honored Ms Rao with Puruskrita Pratibhe -2001
Sri Ranjini Kalavedhike Mandya – Ugadi Puraskar 2003
Chaitanya Balaga 2006
Prathiba Sanje 2005 – Akhila Karnataka Karavali Samskrithika Vokutta
Kannada Bharati-2006
Mandya zilla Brahmana Sabha 2002
Gurudev Academy of Fine Arts

Achievement

2020: Winner Of Momentary Virtual Tower Talent Show,NWA, USA.
2005: First prize at 38th All India Competition in Music and Dance 2005 at Hyderabad
2005: Second place in “Yuvaprathibe” – A state level Dance and Music competition
2005: Second place in “Yuvajanotsava” – A zonal level Dance competition
2005: Represented Mysore University at the south zone cultural competition [Bharatanatyam] “Yuva Kalanjali” at Bengaluru
2004: Second Prize at 37th All India competition in Music and Dance at Hyderabad
2004: Second Prize in Karnataka Govt. “Kishora Prathibe” – A state level Bharatanatyam competition
2003: Gold Medal and Rolling Shield in Gopinath Das Nyasa Memorial state level Dance competition
2003: First place in state level Dance competition held by Nritya Kala parishath in Mysore
2003: Second place in district level Music and Dance competition held by Rotary in Mandya
2003: Third place in district level Bharatanatyam competition held by Rotary in Mandya
2002: Second place in Karnataka state “Yuvajanolsava”– Folk dance competition
2001: First place in Karnataka Govt. zonal level “Kishora Prathibe” Bharatanatyam competition
2001: Silver medal in Gopinath Das Nyasa Memorial state level Music and Dance competition
2000: Gold medal in Gopinath Das Nyasa Memorial state level Music and Dance competition