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Gomathi Manoj - 3

Gomathi Manoj - Artistic Director & Teacher

A performing artiste, dance teacher, & the Artistic Director of Soundarya Natya Kalalaya - a Bharatanatyam dance institution based in New Jersey, Gomathi has learnt this classical art form for almost 30 years with over 500 performances to her credit staged in various parts of India and also in USA, Singapore, Kingdom of Bahrain & Greece. She has featured in over 30 different productions of Bharatanatyam.

 

She continues to explore the Bharatanatyam repertoire  under the guidance of her Guru Smt. Padmini Radhakrishnan.

 

Currently, she serves as a torch-bearer of her Guru's institution, here in New Jersey, USA.

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Gomathi started her initial training at Kingdom of Bahrain under Kalamandalam Gurus -

 

  • Gurus - Shri. Ashokan & Smt. Chandrika Ashokan

  • Guru Smt. Sreedevi Sreenivasan

  • Guru Smt. Girija Sasi

She is a trained dancer in - 

 

  • BHARATANATYAM (traditional dance form of Tamil Nadu, India)

  • MOHINIATTAM (traditional dance form of Kerala, India)

  • KUCHIPUDI (traditional dance form of Andhra Pradesh, India)

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Gomathi has completed the - 

 

  • Bachelors' Degree in Dance - the 'Nritya Visharad' from Shree Vallabh Sangeetalaya, Mumbai &

  • Masters' Degree in Arts (Bharatanatyam) from Tamil University, Thanjavur.

  • 'Diploma in Nattuvangam' from Guru Layathvam Academy of Fine Arts 

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She is trained under Gurus Shri Swamimalai Suresh, Shri Guru Bharadwaaj & Shri RLV Hemanth Lekshman, in the art of Nattuvangam (art of cymbals) which is important for a dance recital. Her proficiency of rhythm (Thalam) supports her students during Annual Day recitals & Arangetrams in Vadya-Vrindam.  

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A Masters' Graduate in Software Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Gomathi had been a software professional at a leading US corporate company for 8 years.

 

Furthermore, she also holds a Certificate of Achievement in Creative Writing from Great Oaks Education Foundation, Ohio.

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Gomathi Manoj - 5

Gomathi was recognized as an Outstanding Performer of High Artistic Excellence & awarded the

'2023 Individual Artist Fellowship' by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA) & Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. 

 

She was recognized as a 'Master Artist' of extraordinary ability as part of the 

'New Jersey Folk Apprenticeship Grant' by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA) for 2021-22.

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In April 2023, Gomathi was awarded the 'Spandana Service Award' by the fundraising organization - Spandana Foundation, for her efforts to the art form & to the artistic community.

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She has been conferred with the titles - 

  1. 'Singar Mani' by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai (India) - 2007 & 

  2. 'Nritya Shivali' by Shivali Cultural Society, Mumbai (India) - 2009.

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While at Bahrain, she won several accolades at the dance competitions held for Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kuchipudi hosted at

 

  1. Indian Fine Arts Society (IFAS),

  2. Coordination Committee of Indian Associations (CCIA),

  3. Tamil Social and Cultural Association (TASCA),

  4. Indian Club,

  5. Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS)

  6. Indian School to name a few. 

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In the USA, Gomathi has performed for various prestigious organizations & temples at - 

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  • New York 

  • New Jersey

  • Delaware

  • Maryland

  • Pennsylvania

  • Ohio

  • California

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Few of the organizations & associations where Gomathi has performed in the past are - 

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- New York Tamil Sangam, New York

- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New York

- Navatman's Drive East Festival, New York

- Organization of Hindu Malayalees (OHM), Orange County, California​

- Chinmaya Vrindavan, Cranbury, New Jersey

- One World Music & Arts Cultural Festival, Burlington, New Jersey

- North Bergen Public Library, New Jersey

  • Rhythms of India Festival

  • Taste of India Festival

- Sai Datta Peetam, South Plainfield, New Jersey

- Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Pomona, New York

- Center for Modern Dance Education, Hackensack, New Jersey

- Sri Guruvayurappan Temple, Morganville, New Jersey

- Shri Krishna Vrundavana, Edison, New Jersey

- ISKCON, South Plainfield, New Jersey

- ISKCON, Towaco, New Jersey
- Indian Caucus of Secaucus, New Jersey

- Mahalakshmi Devasthanam, Delaware

- Council of Indian Organizations in Greater Philadelphia (CIO's) event - 'Festival of India', Philadelphia

- Fund raising organizations - SPANDANA Foundation & Vibha Organization.

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Dance Productions

Gomathi has portrayed the leading roles in multiple dance ballets & thematic productions over the last 2 decades. Apart from the in-house productions at Soundarya Natya Kalalaya, Mumbai, she has also been invited to play pivotal roles in well-appreciated productions choreographed by esteemed Gurus in Kingdom of Bahrain.

 

During her growing years, she also trained under Guru Smt. Lekha Sasi (from Kalakshetra) at Bahrain.

Under the guidance of Guru Smt. Lekha Sasi, Gomathi has played the main characters as part of her choreographed productions.

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  • Annual Day Productions at Soundarya Natya Kalalaya, Mumbai, India - between 2000 & 2011

  • “Navarathnamalika” - 1996 at Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam - Kingdom of Bahrain

  • “Ravanaputri” - 1997 at Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam - Kingdom of Bahrain

  • “Bhoothapaattu” - 1998 at Indian Club, Indian School - Kingdom of Bahrain

  • “Kaalachakra” - 2002 at Indian Fine Arts Society (IFAS) - Kingdom of Bahrain 

  • “Prapancham” - 2002 at Tamil Social & Cultural Association (TASCA) - Kingdom of Bahrain

  • “Luv Kush” - 2002 at Vartak Nagar Ayyappa Sangh - Mumbai, India

  • “Sree Krishna Parijatham” - 2004 at Bhajan Samaj, Ghatkopar - Mumbai, India

  • 25th SNK Annual Day Celebrations - "Prakriti-Nature" - 2005 at Zaverben Auditorium, Ghatkopar - Mumbai, India

  • 26th SNK Annual Day Celebrations - "Shakuntala" - 2006 at Zaverben Auditorium, Ghatkopar - Mumbai, India

  • “Swami Saranam Ayyappa” - 2006 at Ghatkopar Bhajan Samaj & Mulund Fine Arts, Mumbai, India

  • “Ramayana” - 2009 at Dombivli Fine Arts, Ghatkopar Bhajan Samaj - Mumbai, India

  • “Bhakti Nrityam” - 2009 at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple - Singapore

  • “Om Saravanabhava” - 2009 at Mysore Association - Mumbai, India & Nritya Sankul, Goa, India

  • “Shakti” - 2010 at Kollur Mookambika Temple, Karnataka, India

  • “Swagatham Krishna” - 2011 at Udupi Krishna Temple, Karnataka, India

  • “Swagatham Krishna” - 2011 at New York, USA

  • Kalakendram Production - "Viswaroopam" - 2015 in New York, USA

  • Kalakendram Production - “Mirage of Lion” - 2015 in New York, USA

  • “Hari-Haram” - 2016 in New York, USA & New Jersey, USA

  • “Shiva-Shakti" - 2017 in New Jersey, USA

  • IndianRaga Production - “Natya Yatra” - 2018 in New Jersey, USA

Recognition in USA

  • In April 2023, Gomathi was awarded the 'Spandana Service Award' by the fundraising organization - Spandana Foundation, for her efforts to the art form & to the artistic community.

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  • In March 2023, Gomathi was recognized as an Outstanding Performer of High Artistic Excellence & awarded the '2023 Individual Artist Fellowship' by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA) & Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. 

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  • Gomathi was recognized as a 'Master Artist' of extraordinary ability as part of the 'New Jersey Folk Apprenticeship Grant' by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA) for 2021-22.

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  • In February 2019, Gomathi was officially invited as Event Judge for 'Dance pe Chance' competition hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) to mark the 70th Republic Day Celebrations of India and FIA's 35th year anniversary.

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  • In December 2018, her performances were featured on Rasa Web Channel under the NRI Dance program schedule. Link available here.

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  • In October 2018, Gomathi was invited as the Featured Performer & as a Judge for Shivam 2018 - a premier Bharatanatyam Competition hosted by Organization of Hindu Malayalees (OHM) at South California. Press Articles are available here - IndiaWest, eMalayalee, India Journal & US Manorama.

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  • In September 2018, she was short-listed in the Talent Hunt & featured in the IndianRaga Princeton chapter’s collaboration video release called Pop Thillana : A Bharatanatyam cover, which was premiered on Facebook & YouTube​

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  • In July 2018, she was invited to present performances & a workshop at the 51st World Congress on Dance Research, representing USA & the beautiful art form of Bharatanatyam at Athens, Greece. The event was conducted under the auspices of the Dora Stratou Performing Arts Theatre & patronage of the Ministry of Culture, the National UNESCO Commission.

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  • In June 2018, Gomathi was invited by Dr. Sharon Bernstein from the Defining Moments Foundation in Englewood, New Jersey to talk about her art form and teach the importance of this art to young kids.

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  • In October 2017, Gomathi was officially invited & admitted to the prestigious membership at the International Dance Council CID - the official world-wide organization of dance. The International Dance Council is the official umbrella organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world & official partner of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

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  • In May 2017, she was awarded the First Prize at the Regional Rounds (held at Edison, New Jersey) & Third Prize at the National Championships of SiliconAndhra Annamayya 609th Jayanthi Utsavam (held at San Jose, California).

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She aims to spread this joyous & divine art form to different kinds of audiences & interested students (both young & adults) in the coming years.

 

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