Meet the Artist…
श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः
Archana Raja is a professional Indian Classical Dancer & Choreographer.
Archana Raja is a distinguished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam artist, teacher, and choreographer in the United States. Her journey in Bharatanatyam began under the esteemed tutelage of Guru Sheela Unnikrishnan at Sridevi Nrithyalaya in Chennai, India. She later honed her craft through advanced training with Renjith Babu and Vijna Vasudevan at the Saraswatham Foundation India.
Archana is recognized for her exceptional artistry and ability to engage audiences worldwide. Her extensive career as a soloist has earned her invitations to perform at prestigious dance festivals, including the Kalarasa Dance Festival (Barcelona), the Dancing the Gods Festival (New York City), the Pongal Dance Festival at Krishna Gana Sabha (Chennai), the New York Kuchipudi Festival, Jacob's Pillow Festival with Prakriti Dance, and the Nishagandhi Festival organized by Kerala Tourism.
Archana’s creative collaborations include working with renowned choreographers such as Dr. Anita Ratnam and Padmashri Shobana, further enhancing her artistic repertoire.
As the artistic director of Laya Dance, Archana is dedicated to nurturing excellence in Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam. She also contributes to the artistic growth and marketing efforts of Prakriti Dance.
Currently, Archana is focused on developing solo projects that integrate diverse genres of music and storytelling into the rich traditions of Indian classical dance, pushing the boundaries of the art form while staying rooted in its essence.
With over twenty years of experience, Archana is the Artistic Director of Laya Dance Company, where she creates solo and group work and trains the next generation of dancers. She is also involved with other dance companies such as Prakriti Dance, and Navatman Dance NYC.
Some of her artistic achievements can be found here.