About the founder

Dr. Joyce Kakariyil Paul

Joyce Paul is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer who believes that dance is a wonderful medium that can transport you to a level of consciousness that is difficult to reach otherwise.

She works hard to ensure that the essence of dance and its unseen ramifications are experienced by her students and co-dancers. Her knowledge of Exercise Physiology and the human body in general give her classes a unique twist. Her basic knowledge of Ballet and Jazz help her work on competitive analysis between art forms and how the body reacts to different stress movements.

Joyce had the pleasure of having Padmashri Leela Samson as her guru. Under Leela Akka she learnt the rigour, vitality and precision that the Kalakshetra school had to offer. She also had the privilege of spending time at Kalaskhetra with teachers like Janardhanan Sir and Thomas Sir and Krishnamurthy Sir. Her dancing took a different flavour when she started training with the eminent Prof C.V. Chandrashekhar and his daughters Chitra and Manjari Chandrashekhar. She has performed extensively in India and venues outside India. For more information refer to a detailed bio.

After moving to Seattle, WA in January of 2001, Joyce has been performing regularly for the Northwest Folklife festival, Seattle Art Museum, Bellevue Community College and other art organizations. She is keen on educating the local community about the rich and varied heritage of India. On this end, she is working on a project with the local schools.

Joyce has a unique curriculum for her workshops – one that incorporates kinesiology, strength and fitness, yoga (esp. paranayama), theatre, lateral thinking and impromptu interpretations of non-traditional dance concepts.