Guru Vishal Ramani

Guru Vishal Ramani is the Founder-Director of the Shri Krupa Dance Foundation of San Jose, one of the leading schools of Bharatanatyam in the Bay Area. She has taught the Bharatanatyam art form since 1977. Vishal received rigorous training in the Thanjavur style of Bharathanatyam from Guru Mahalingam Pillai and Guru Govinda Raj Pillai of Shri Raja Rajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir of Bombay. Her dance debut (Arangetram) was at the age of 6-7 at the Poddar College in Bombay. Having finished her 'Arangetram', she also learnt from Janakiraman in Jamshedpur. Vishal has won much acclaim for her performances in India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.Creative vitality & vivid imagination mark her choreography, which is strictly kept within the confines of the style as set by the Tanjore tradition.

The first classes were offered at the Sunnyvale Community Center in 1977 with about 60 students. Early in 1980, a chance meeting with the Thathacharis brought some new beginnings. With them came hopes of several productions, such as the first dance ballet in the Bay Area, "Shubhagaman". Her productions "Sculptor's Dream" and "Navadyuti" were also among the first dance ballets, and depictive of her brilliant choreography. In 1981 the school was named 'Raagtarang Institute of Bharatanatyam' and soon after established non-profit status. In addition, the very first arangetram, or solo dance debut, in the Bay Area was performed by Vishal's student Shashikala Bhat. Subsequently more dance ballets and solo recitals followed. Through 1987-88 Vishal also served as an artist-in-residence for the California Arts Council and the San Jose Unified School District and as a result taught the basics of Indian dance at six of the district schools on an on-going basis. She has choreographed more than 19 full length dance ballets. She currently teaches in Berkeley, Los Altos, Berryessa, Fremont, and San Jose. The school re-emerged under the new name 'Shri Krupa Dance Foundation of San Jose' in 1992 with technical assistance from the City of San Jose. With their assistance and the continued presence of esteemed musicians Ashok Subramaniam and Lalitha Venkataraman, more innovative productions followed.