"Consummate Artistry..."
Krithika Rajagopalan (principal dancer and assistant artistic director) has trained under masters, learning from world-renowned practitioners Hema Rajagopalan and Kalanidhi Narayanan. Krithika also has trained in the art of histrionic expression and dramaturgy, Kalari Payatu (Indian Martial Arts), and yoga. She has presented more than 200 solo performances, having the honor of appearing for President Bill Clinton and at prestigious venues all over the world, including the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC; Ravinia Festival, Highland Park; the Auditorium Theatre, Chicago; the Kentucky Centre for the Arts; the Music and Dance Festival of Madras, India; and the National Centre for Performing Arts, Bombay, India. Recognition of her work includes the Chicago Dance Award, the Jerome Foundation Grant, the Master Teacher Award from the Illinois Arts Council, the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship, the Woman Warrior Award from Columbia College Chicago, and the Commitment to the Arts Award from Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago. She has many choreographic credits, including full productions such as Ahimsa: Toward Non-Violence, which received the Critic’s Choice Award from the Chicago Reader, and Dhrasta: The One Who Sees. She has also co-choreographed works such as Amma (Mother), in collaboration with Hedwig Dances; Mitra, in collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and World Stage Chicago, an Emmy-award-winning PBS choreography. She has taught at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. Krithika was the lead choreographer of Ritu: The Four The Seasons, created in collaboration with The Anila Sinha Foundation and presented in the spring of 2005. She is the main choreographer working in collaboration with Lookingglass Theatre Company and the Chicago Children’s Choir on Sita Ram, a rock opera version of the Indian epic, Ramayana. Sita Ram was presented at Ravinia Festival in 2003 and will be remounted in March and April 2006.
"The exceptional and spirited Ms. Rajagopalan was the spiritual and physical center of Shakti Chakra "
The New York Times Sep 2005
"...a brilliant dancer that created a history of sorts by evoking thunderous applause for every one of the jathis for which she provided matching footwork..."
Subbudu -Indian Express
"Krithika delineating the three aspects of Bharata Natyam victoriously to textbook perfection."
Subbudu
"Adavus are executed with discipline strictly...the footwork impeccably clear and the Abhinaya eloquent, the net result is a feeling of satisfaction that the audience carries back home."
Manisha Lavkumar -Times of India - Ahmedabad
"Perfect symmetry of time and accuracy of rhythm in pure dance sequences were balanced by the deep emotive quality of the narrative aspects."
-The Chicago Reader
"Good understanding of the language of dance…lucid expressions…executed intricate footwork with ease…Pleasing from start to finish."
CK -Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad