Husband-and-wife performers Sanjay Shantaram and Shama Sanjay will teach an introductory master class in the Bharata Natyam style of dance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, in the Annelise Mertz Dance Studio in the Mallinckrodt Student Center.
Shantaram and Sanjay are in St. Louis as guest artists for Dances of India’s 30th anniversary concert, “A Magical Gala of Indian Dance,” which takes place at Edison Theatre Oct. 19-21.
Shantaram began dancing at age 7 and soon became a well-known child actor, appearing in more than 50 Kannada and Telugu films as well as on several popular Kannada television serials. Sanjay, who began dancing at age 8, also is a well-known face on the small screen, appearing in numerous television serials since 1994.
Shantaram and Sanjay have been featured at prestigious dance festivals throughout India and have toured the United States, the United Kingdom, Oman, Switzerland and the Andaman Islands.
Shantaram’s many honors include a Gold Medal at an all-India dance competition in Hyderabad, while Sanjay has received a national-level scholarship from India’s Ministry of Tourism & Culture as well as the Aryabhata Award for Upcoming Dancers from the Aryabhata Cultural Association in Bangalore.
Today the couple directs the Shivapriya School of Dance in Bangalore, India. For more information, visit shivapriya.com.
Cost for the class is $10 for the public and free for members of the Missouri Dance Organization as well as for WUSTL students, faculty and staff. For more information or to register, call 935-5858.
Dances of India is led by Asha Prem, adjunct instructor in dance in the Performing Arts Department of Arts & Sciences. For tickets or more information about the concert, call the Edison Theatre Box Office at 935-6543.