Artistic Director- Sheela Ramanath

Sheela Ramanath was initiated into Bharatanatyam by Guru Sridevi Thirumalai. After being under her guidance for 10 years, Sheela's keen interest and aptitude in Bharatanatyam led her to Guru B Bhanumati, the Director of Nrityakalamandiram. Sheela was among the few chosen to be in the renowned troupe Bharatanjali. Founded by her teacher, Guru Bhanumati, this troupe pioneered group choreography in Bharatanatyam. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) awarded Bharatanjali the recognition of "Best Bharatanatyam Dance Troupe ''. As part of Bharatanjali and as a soloist, Sheela performed extensively throughout India, the UK and the US. Learning from the virtuosos at specialized workshops allowed her to delve deeper into the nuances of the art form. The interaction with master artists and fellow artists during her formative years spurred Sheela's creativity.  She explores the musicality in dance and the dance in music. Her choreographies celebrate their glorious union. Sheela is deeply rooted in the tradition of the art form, yet continually evolving. She is constantly pushing the limits of her creativity. Although always aiming at perfection, she believes that the true spirit of dance is not limited to it. One must go beyond mere grammar to savor each dancing moment. Sheela's choreographic repertoire includes individual and group features. Her eloquence awards her the ease of adapting to dancers of every level. 

In 2001, Sheela founded the Kalavaridhi Center for Performing Arts to promote Bharatanatyam and to impart an exceptional quality of training and guidance to aspiring artists. Sheela and her students have performed in various prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in DC, Wolftrap Children’s Festival, Washington DC, National Cherry Blossom Festival, Reston Multicultural Festival, National Theatre, DC, Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival, Ohio, to name a few. Recently Guru Sheela and her students were invited to perform in Italy. 

Sheela is an empanelled artist of Fairfax County's Creative Arts Program. Sheela is a member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London, UK. Sheela is a recipient of Fellowship from the Performing Arts Educators for her outstanding contribution in the field of arts.

Sheela has choreographed dance productions to raise funds for numerous charitable organizations.

Sheela is a member of Indian Dance Educators' Association, a non-profit organization that promotes Indian Classical Art forms. She has served on the panel of judges for numerous competitions including the IDEA competition, Tu Bhi Nachle at George Mason University among others. Sheela has completed Masters Degree in Bharatanatyam with distinction. Sheela is an Academic Lead of Dance and Community Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Dance.

Sheela has trained more than 1000 students in the art of Bharatanatyam in the span of 24 years. Her students have received numerous prizes and accolades in the regionally held competitions. As Kalavaridhi marks its 25th year, Sheela’s journey continues to inspire generations of dancers. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the performing arts, she was  honored with the 19th Annual Del Kieffner Award by Performing Arts Educators at Carnegie Hall, New York, in January 2026.

Many students of Kalavaridhi have completed their Arangetrams (Solo Dance Debut) under Sheela's able guidance and tutelage. Today, she is one of the most sought after dance gurus in Northern Virginia and Maryland.