Today we’d like to introduce you to Samanvita Kasthuri
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey as a dancer started when I was a kid. My parents, Prasanna and Seema Kasthuri, started an Indian classical dance and music school in St. Louis called Soorya Performing Arts in 2002. I grew up surrounded by the Indian classical arts; my house was always filled with people taking music or dance lessons. My father is my teacher, and I’ve trained under him in the styles of Bharatanatyam and Kathak since I was 5.
I began to have an interest in choreography at a pretty young age, and when I was in high school, I began choreograph and compose music by messing around on Garageband. I created a piece for the St. Louis Teen Talent Competiton in 2019 called “Equal” , which focused on women’s rights. This piece placed second and was awarded the “I” Award. This really was a turning point for me as a young dancer, as it made me realize that dance was something I wanted to pursue forever.
I declared a dance minor at Saint Louis University, but I was wary about my choice after realizing that my training did not prepare me for the classes in the curriculum. However, being pushed in an environment that I was completely foreign to ended up influencing my choreographic style, which is the fusion of Indian classical dance with Contemporary. I owe a lot of my growth to SLU, and to my mentor, Holly Seitz, who gave me space to interrogate and combine my Indian classical training with Contemporary, providing me with guidance and support for projects such as “What Do You Feel?” which was my senior capstone project hosted at Intersect Arts in May of 2024.
Post graduation, I am now a Company Dancer and Teaching Artist at Pack Dance Company, as well as a Company Dancer with Soorya Performing Arts. I’m still continuing to choreograph independently—I most recently presented a self-composed and choreographed dance, “Krtghna” at the Breaking Ground Festival at the Tempe Center for the Arts. I teach Contemporary Fusion classes at Pack Dance, aiming to expose fusion choreography to St. Louis by incorporating elements of Bharatanatyam and Kathak in my classes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been an interesting journey, and I think my undergraduate experience at SLU was where I had the most thrown at me. It was jarring to be in an environment that was completely different than what I had grown up learning. It felt like I was starting over, and I was very far behind. It was awkward being the only Indian classical dancer there, watching everyone else hit those pirouettes with ease.
However, as time passed, my perspective changed, and I stopped putting pressure on myself to become the best dancer in the room. I began to open myself to a new language of movement, embracing an attitude of curiosity rather than apprehension. As time passed, something clicked in my head, and I realized that what I was learning at SLU wasn’t really that different than what I had grown up doing, and I started to make connections between the dance styles I was learning. The easiest example: a plié is equivalent to aramandi (half-sitting posture in Bharatanatyam).
I was also beginning to face this internal battle once I graduated and moved back home. I could feel that my body danced differently because of all of the styles I learned throughout college. It felt a little like betrayal, like I hadn’t done justice to my training. I beat myself up about it for a couple months, convincing myself that I had to choose one of two paths: either be an Indian classical dancer, or a Contemporary dancer. The mental turmoil was terrible, I couldn’t even motivate myself enough to dance. Eventually, I began to make peace with the fact that I was a fusion dancer, and I can still be respectful of the traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire while exploring my personal choreographic voice.
I’m obviously still figuring it out- I just graduated, I’m 22, I’m still living with my parents. But I’m learning to be comfortable with figuring it out. It’s hard to deal with uncertainty when you have social media constantly showing you all the work that other dancers are doing. There is a constant need to keep creating and keep doing the next thing but taking a step back and thinking deeply about your practice is a skill I’m learning to cultivate.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a choreographer based in St. Louis, and my work specializes in the fusion of Indian Classical dancing with Contemporary and elements of Hip-Hop. The two styles I specifically work with are Bharatanatyam and Kathak. Fusion is something I am completely enamored by, as it’s a genre of dance that you can keep growing and evolving in. A big focus of mine is storytelling, which is a key factor in Indian classical dance styles. I think what sets us apart as Indian classical dancers is our ability to express and form a connection with our audience as storytellers. As a choreographer, telling a story through fusion expands the modes in which a story can be told- with your face and gestures, like in Bharatanatyam; or your whole body, with a jump and a turn, like Contemporary. The possibilities are literally endless when you begin to combine different styles of dance, and that is what I want to convey with my work— dance is a universal language, no matter your training style or experience level.
I am most proud of the work I have created so far. For example, I’ve had the opportunity to be commissioned by Saint Louis University for the Literary Arts Award Ceremony in 2022, which is when I created “Krtghna” a work inspired by Arundati Roy’s work (who was being honored that year) that explores themes of motherhood, sacrifice, and environmentalism through the story of Mother Earth. This piece holds a special place in my heart, as I’ve been expanding it since I first created it and a further expansion will be presented at Pack Dance’s “Disruption” in May 2025, presented with the company dancers. I’ve presented my work in many venues around St. Louis, such as the Fox Theater, Sheldon Concert Hall, St. Louis Literary Arts Award Ceremony, Festival of Nations, Battery Park Festival (New York), and the Breaking Ground Festival (Tempe).
Overall, I’m excited to continue my journey of connecting and working with dancers in St. Louis— we have such a strong community of talented and diverse performers and choreographers, and I am proud to be a small part of it.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My father, Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, is the first person I have to thank. He raised me, taught me (and is still teaching me) everything I know, and has been by role model and idol since I was a kid. I grew up watching him teach class everyday, choreograph for productions, compose music, coordinate logistics, work with musicians— I saw every tiresome, draining, exhilarating, and authentic part of running a non-profit organization right in front of my eyes. He was the one who inspired my to choreograph, just by existing. I am grateful every single day that he is my dad and my teacher, and I’ve gotten as far as I have with him by my side.
My mom, Guru Seema Kasthuri, is next. Not only did I learn Carnatic music from her growing up, but she’s been a constant inspiration in my life. She’s currently in a band called the American Raga Band, and they’ve performed at many places like the Festival of Nations and the Dark Room. I’ve had the opportunity to watching her collaborate with the band and perform live. It’s inspiring to see my mom continue to live out her dreams, I feel like she’s unstoppable and that drive is something I aspire to have.
Last, but not least, my mentor Holly Seitz. She’s the dance minor coordinator at Saint Louis University, and she has been a huge support system for me since I stepped foot in the dance studio my freshman year. Holly has never failed to make me feel supported, and has worked with me to build my vision for projects and performances. I remember taking Choreography I and II with her my senior year of college, and it completely changed the way I perceived choreography. I have learned so much from Holly, and I have left SLU with a stronger sense of my artistic identity because of her classes.
There are a lot of other people who deserve a shoutout, my friends and family for constantly believing in me, Arica Nyamsi (founder of Pack Dance) for offering this great opportunity for me to be in the company, and many more.
Pricing:
- Classes at Pack Dance: Tuesdays from 7:00-8:15, $25 each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://samanvitakasthuri.com
- Instagram: @samanvitaaa
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@samanvitakasthuri634?si=jB2oC6L1B4fptT_8
