Meet Maya
Maya has been learning dance since she was 4 years old. She started with ballet and Bollywood dance classes. At age 6, she began Bharatanatyam classes with her guru Shachi Phene. She took an immediate liking to the rhythmic stomping and dramatic elements of the dance form. Over the years, she has enjoyed learning the choreography as well as the stories behind the dance. Her favorite part of dance is learning new and challenging poses.
Maya is excited to share her love of dance and Bharatanatyam. After her Arangetram, she hopes to continue improving her Bharatanatyam skills and learning more about Carnatic music. She also hopes to explore more dance forms.
In addition to her passion for dance, Maya also enjoys playing the piano and cello. She also enjoys both playing and watching tennis.
Maya's Guru
Shachi Phene is a New York City-based dancer, teacher, and choreographer with twenty years of experience in Indian classical, film, and folk dance. She is the founder and creative director of Noor Dance Academy. Shachi trained in Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Gurus Ranjani Saigal (Eastern Rhythms School of Dance), Kausalya Srinivasan (Sunartaka School of Bharatanatyam), and Sunanda Narayanan (Thillai Fine Arts Academy). She has performed and put together shows for numerous venerable institutions including the United Nations, Ellis Island, the South Asian Performing Arts Festival, 8 in Show, the Rubin Museum, the American India Foundation, and more.
