Anjal Chande

Anjal Chande is a spirited dancer, teacher, and choreographer, developing a fresh and personal performance style of her own. As founder and director of Soham Dance Space, she aims to share the rich Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam with focus on artistry, integrity, and innovation. Born in Chicago, she brings a unique, local perspective to this performance art of universal appeal. As a dedicated disciple of renowned Guru Hema Rajagopalan (Artistic Director of Natya Dance Theatre), Anjal has been training extensively in Bharatanatyam including its movement, expression, theory, and philosophy since the age of seven.

Anjal has performed countless times as a distinct soloist and group member in front of audiences of all sorts in the United States, India, Canada, and Trinidad, appearing at venues such as the Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, National Gallery of Modern Art in Mumbai, and Brahma Gana Sabha and Chinmaya Performing Arts Center in Chennai. She has been a contributing dancer in numerous Natya Dance Theatre productions, including Shakti Chakra, Ahimsa, Inside Outside, and Margam, while also performing full length solo recitals and actively creating independent works. While Bharatanatyam remains Anjal’s primary medium of dance, her agility of movement has no boundaries. Anjal’s versatility and innovation in choreography and her capacity to connect with the audience prove her to be a rare gem of the arts.

Upon completion of her arangetram, a solo debut, in 2001, Anjal was awarded the Natya-Ratna “Dance- Jewel” title. She is a recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Grant, the Palos Park Fine Arts Scholarship, the NFAA National Merit Award, and was selected to participate in the NFAA Regional ARTS Week where she was awarded the Platinum Scholarship for her artistic achievements. Most recently, she was given the “All-Star” title at Maiytra 2006, a national youth convention of Indian-Americans held in Chicago, for her leadership in the arts community. She has received artistic acclaim in publications such as the New York Times, Nartanam Dance Magazine, India Tribune, Indian Reporter, and India Post.

As an artistic leader, Anjal has used dance to raise substantial funds for charitable causes through solo presentations. She spearheaded a major fundraising effort for the Chinmaya Spiritual Ashram of Chicago, raising more than $20,000 through her dance performance. In Trinidad she has had a unique opportunity to bring classical Indian dance to part of the Indian diaspora that is generations removed from its roots, which has allowed her to cultivate an appreciation for dance and Indian heritage in the West Indies. She has also had the unique role of teaching an intensive two-week dance camp to grade school students offered through Natya Dance Theatre.

Complementary to Anjal’s dance prowess, she is a proficient and passionate musician. A western percussionist since grade school, she has also been playing tabla, a North Indian drum, for more than ten years, having studied in Chicago with Raju Deshmukh and in California with acclaimed Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music. Her talent for composing intricate rhythmic cadences and thihais and for improvising during accompaniment is also showcased in her dancing through precise footwork and musical choreography.

Additionally, Anjal is a recent graduate of New York University where she immersed herself in a thought-provoking liberal arts education while living in a dynamic, eye-opening, and soul-stirring city.

Email: info@sohamdancespace.org
Web link: www.sohamdancespace.org