Prayoga (Practical) Apprenticeship Faculty
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Faculty: Akhil Jobanputra
Instruction: Hindustani Vocals (primarily khayal and dhrupad), Breathwork and Vocal Production, Raga Theory, Creative Improvisation Email: [email protected] Currently accepting students: Yes (limited spots available) Locations: Burnaby, Virtual About Akhil's Classes
About the Instructor Akhil Jobanputra is a young student, performer, educator, and curator of Indian classical music. He began his journey at the age of three, learning from various teachers across different gharanas over the years. Since 2017, he has been receiving intensive training under the tutelage of highly respected gurus Dr. Pandit Arun Dravid and Pandit Arijit Mahalanabis. Featured as one of CBC’s “30 under 30” Canadian classical musicians (2024), Akhil is a practitioner of various sub-genres of Hindustani vocal music, including Dhrupad and Khayal, and is deeply influenced by his exposure to a diverse array of stylistic disciplines, artists, and musical lineages. His repertoire includes a mix of centuries-old rare and common traditional compositions alongside a range of contemporary creations, including his own. Akhil has performed across Canada, the U.S., India, and the U.K., with recent notable performances at Kitab Khana (India), the Chilliwack Cultural Centre (Canada), and the Chhandayan Center for Indian Music (U.S.). His music flows between tradition and innovation, characterized by rhythmic playfulness, emotive ornamentation, and unhurried, expansive expressions of rāgas and compositions. As an educator, Akhil is passionate about investing into the future of this music. Through the Kalāvāṇī Institute, he teaches students from a variety of backgrounds, contributing to Vancouver’s vibrant South Asian arts and cultural scene. At the age of twelve, Akhil founded the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV). Since then, he has curated a series of initiatives and events aimed at increasing awareness, accessibility, and education about Indian classical music. Through his work, he has created a space where seasoned listeners and newcomers alike explore the depth and beauty of Indian classical music in community. |
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Faculty: Utkarsha Kale Instruction: Hindustani Vocals, Pranayama & Yoga, Marathi Natya Sangit & Sugam Sangit Email: [email protected] Currently accepting students: Yes (limited spots available) Locations: Burnaby, Virtual About Utkarsha's Classes
About the Instructor Utkarsha is a devoted practitioner of north Indian classical vocal music, having over two decades of immersive training. Originally from Pune, India, she began her musical journey in 2002 under the guidance of Smt. Asawari Aserkar, based on the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya system, culminating in her achieving the Sangeet Visharad with First Class honors. To further enhance her skills, Utkarsha trained under the esteemed Pt. Vijay Koparkar. Since relocating to Canada in 2019, she has continued her advanced training in the Gwalior Gayaki from Smt. Aparna Gurav and has also been learning a well-groomed approach to singing Khayals and Dhrupad with Pt. Arijit Mahalanabis since 2022. Utkarsha's versatility extends beyond classical music; she holds a Diploma in Natyasangeet (Maharashtrian Theatre Music) from the Vidyadhar Gokhale Sangeet Natya Pratishthan (2017-2019). Her performance repertoire includes classical and semi-classical presentations at the 'Sahabhāva' series by the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV), the ‘Sadhana/Tarana’ series by Pratibha Arts in Toronto, the ‘Ashta Prahar’ by the Society for Indian Music and Arts (SIMA) in Pennsylvania, USA, and the ‘Vasantotsav’ festival by NAAD Foundation in Surrey. She has also performed at 'Culture Days' by the Richmond Cultural Centre, and in programs such as ‘Marmabandhatil Thew’ for the Marathi Society of British Columbia and Akashvani broadcasts for Natyasangeet by AIR, Mumbai. Alongside her music, Utkarsha is deeply committed to the practice and teaching of traditional Indian Hatha Yog to students across India and Canada. Balancing her artistic passions, she also holds a Master's in Computer Applications and continues to work full-time in the IT sector. Her aim is to nurture and propagate traditional Indian classical music and yogic practices in Canada where you can explore the rich heritage of north Indian classical music while benefiting from the holistic teachings of Hatha Yog. |
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Faculty: Arno Kamolika
Instruction: Bharatanatyam dance (adavus, abhinaya, margam repertoire, body conditioning, theory of rhythm, nattuvangam) Email: [email protected] Currently accepting students: Yes (limited spots available) Locations: Coquitlam, Vancouver About Arno's Classes
About the Instructor Arno is a Vancouver based Bharatanatyam dance artist with an experience of teaching for nearly 2 decades. Born and raised in Bangladesh, Arno’s earlier training started with learning Manipuri and Bharatanatyam in Chhayanaut (Dhaka) under Sharmila Banerjee, Tamanna Rahman and Belayet Hossain. She also received training in Uday Shankhar dance style at Nrityanandan and in mime under Partha Pratim Majumber. After 12 years of training in many forms, she consciously chose to devote herself full time to study Bharatanatyam. Her mentorship under eminent guru Professor C.V. Chandrasekhar in Dhaka and Chennai played an instrumental role to deepen her understanding of Bharatanatyam vocabulary. After moving to Canada in 2010 she finished her graduation from Jai Govinda Dance Academy and continued her training with Jai Govinda. Her training under abhinaya exponent Bragha Bessel has played a keyrole to expand her imagination around story telling. A graduate in architecture, she draws from her training of various disciplines like music, mime, theatre, and other dance forms to add layers to her practice and to create an informed artistic narrative. Her rich repertoires have taken her across the globe at various festivals. In recent years she has performed for Institute of Asian Research, UBC, Simon Fraser University, Transform : A Cabaret Festival by The Cultch, World Rhythm Festival in Seattle, Dance All Sorts by New Works, Dancer’s Transition Resource Centre, Discover Dance by The Dance Centre, Vancouver Moving Theatre and Sahabhava, ICMSV, among many. Some of her recent productions are Rabindranth Tagore's Shyama: A Bharatanatyam Interpretation (2015-2018), Parāśakti: The Flame Within (2021), Svaha (2023), Skydancers (2024). Arno's work is supported by BC Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts and she has finished an internship with Nova Dance in 2021. Arno is interested in a holistic approach of learning dance through exposure to music, theatre or any other art forms. Arno has taught as a Bharatanatyam teacher for 7 years in Chhayanaut, Dhaka, and has taught at Mandala Arts and Culture Society in Vancouver for 10 years from 2015 to 2025. |
Header photography by Dhushy Captures Studio (Dhushyanth Karunakaran)