Bharatanatyam & Kuchipudi
Vidushi Smt. Archana Punyesh
Founder and principal guru. Teaches at Rajajinagar, RT Nagar and Vijayanagar. Forty years performing, thirty years teaching.
OF DANCE
Where tradition finds expression
Bharatanatyam·Kuchipudi
The art of
Bharatanatyam
Scroll
tha · thai · thai · tha
A language of line, rhythm and expression
Taught in the Pandanallur bani, as Guru Archana Punyesh received it. Every piece rests on araimandi, the half-seated stance, and moves between pure rhythm and storytelling carried by the eyes, face and hands.
- NrittaPure movement: rhythm, footwork, the geometry of the body
- NrityaMovement joined with expression and meaning
- NatyaDrama: a whole story told through one dancer
Taught at Rajajinagar · Nataraja Ramakrishna and Vempati Chinna Satyam traditions
Kuchipudi
Quicker, more flowing, and rooted in dance-drama, Kuchipudi blends song, gesture and character. Guru Archana Punyesh trained under Smt. Sunanda Devi and Smt. Dharani Kashyap, and performed her Kuchipudi Rangapravesham at Ravindra Kalakshetra in 1996.
2004Founded in Rajajinagar
1000+Students taught
200+Students today
16Rangapraveshams
4Branches in Bengaluru
The academy
A school built around one belief
That classical dance is not only something to perform, but a tradition to learn, to live with, and to pass on.
Jatin Academy of Dance began in 2004 in a room in Rajajinagar, with a handful of students and a guru who had been dancing since the age of five. Vidushi Smt. Archana Punyesh had by then trained under three eminent gurus, performed across India and abroad, and wanted a place where that same training could be handed down intact rather than diluted.
Two decades later the academy teaches more than two hundred students across four branches in Bengaluru, and over a thousand have passed through its classes. Sixteen have completed their Rangapravesham under her guidance, and many more their Gejje Pooje.
What has not changed is how a class runs. Students learn the adavus and the technique, but equally the expression, the meaning and the cultural weight of what they perform. Each student is taught at their own pace, with attention to their growth, their confidence and their presence on stage — so that they become dancers, rather than people who have learned a choreography.
Founder & principal guru
Vidushi Smt. Archana Punyesh
Natya Mayuri. Doordarshan Grade A artist in both Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam. Forty years on stage, thirty years teaching.
She began learning at the age of five and trained under Smt. Sunanda Devi and Smt. Dharani Kashyap in Kuchipudi, and under Dr. Suparna Venkatesh in Bharatanatyam, having first studied under Vidwan Paramesh of Kanakapura. She performed her Kuchipudi Rangapravesham at Ravindra Kalakshetra in August 1996 and her Bharatanatyam Rangapravesha at ADA Rangamandira in February 2006, and completed her Vidwath in 2004–05.
Her Ardhanareeshwara in Kuchipudi is the work she is best known for, and her portrayal in Guru Smt. Dharani Kashyap’s ballet Mandodari Kalyanam is among the roles that established her. She has danced in the productions of leading choreographers in India and abroad, and teaches both forms herself at the academy.
- GurusSmt. Sunanda Devi and Smt. Dharani Kashyap (Kuchipudi) · Dr. Suparna Venkatesh (Bharatanatyam) · Vidwan Paramesh, Kanakapura
- TraditionsPandanallur bani in Bharatanatyam · Nataraja Ramakrishna and Vempati Chinna Satyam traditions in Kuchipudi
- RangapraveshamKuchipudi, August 1996, Ravindra Kalakshetra · Bharatanatyam, February 2006, ADA Rangamandira
- QualificationVidwath completed 2004–05 · Doordarshan auditioned Grade A artist in both forms
Honours
- Shreshta Acharya, Natanam Institute of Dance, for service as dancer, choreographer and guru
- Young Achiever Award, Parinithi Kalakendra, Sagara
- Mysore Dasara — Trishakti in Kuchipudi
- First place, National Level Competition, Mangalore — Ardhanareeshwara in Kuchipudi
- Second place, National Level Competition · selected to represent South India at the International Youth Cultural Exchange Programme, South Korea
- Natya Mayuri, conferred by Kodi Mutt · Best Dancer Award, Sai Arts International, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
Stages
Who teaches
Taught by dancers who perform
Every class at the academy is taken by a trained performer, not an assistant.
Bharatanatyam & Kuchipudi
Bharatanatyam
Dr. Naina Raj
Teaches at Bhartiya City. Trained at the academy under Guru Archana Punyesh and completed her own Rangapravesham in 2018.
Training
How students progress
Classes are grouped by level rather than by age, so a beginner of nine and a beginner of thirty learn the same foundation, properly.
- Starting ageFrom four and a half years. Each level takes roughly two years, though it depends entirely on the student.
- Teens & adultsWelcome, and taught within the regular batches rather than separately.
- ExaminationsStudents are prepared for the Karnataka board dance examinations.
- Online classesOne-to-one online training, for students outside Bengaluru and for those who cannot reach a branch.
- WorkshopsIntensive workshops with visiting masters, including a three-day Varnam workshop with Dr. Sathyanarayana Raju.
- MilestonesGejje Pooje and, in time, Rangapravesham, guided from choreography through to the stage.
The debut
Rangapravesham
The solo debut a student gives after years of training — a full evening of dance, before an audience, on her own.
- Six to eight years of trainingOnly once the technique, stamina and expression are genuinely ready.
- Six months of preparationDedicated rehearsal for the full repertoire, built around the student.
- The academy handles the restChoreography, orchestra, venue, costume, make-up, invitations and photography.
Sixteen completed so far, including
- Dr. Naina Raj
- Nrithya Karthik
- Prajna P Sharma
- Prerana A S & Surabhi
- Samanvitha R Nandan
- Lakshya Suravi
- Vanitha Basavaraj
- Shravani C
Gallery
Twenty years, in pictures
Annual days, festivals, Rangapraveshams and the quiet minutes before going on stage.
Where we teach
Four branches across Bengaluru
Bharatanatyam is taught at all four. Kuchipudi is taught at Rajajinagar, and is planned at Vijayanagar. New batches are starting soon.
Rajajinagar
Bharatanatyam & Kuchipudi
18th Main Road, 5th Block, Rajajinagar — near Third Wave Coffee.Taught by Guru Archana Punyesh.
| Batch | Days & time |
|---|---|
| Sub-junior & junior | Tue, Thu · 5:00–6:30 pm |
| Sub-junior & junior | Tue, Thu · 6:30–8:00 pm |
| Senior | Sat 4:00–6:00 pm, Sun 11:00–12:30 |
| Kuchipudi | Sat 6:00–7:30 pm, Sun 12:30–2:00 |
Two-wheeler parking, limited car space.
Open in mapsRT Nagar
Bharatanatyam
Aries Sports Arena, Ganesha Block, Sulthanpalya, Hebbal, Bengaluru 560032.Taught by Guru Archana Punyesh.
| Batch | Days & time |
|---|---|
| All levels | Sat 2:00–3:00 pm, Sun 9:00–10:00 am |
Parking available at the arena.
Open in mapsVijayanagar
Bharatanatyam · Kuchipudi planned
Inside Avocado Pre School, NHCS Layout, 8th Main, MC Layout, Vijayanagar, Bengaluru 560040.Taught by Guru Archana Punyesh.
| Batch | Days & time |
|---|---|
| All levels | Wed, Fri · evening |
Two-wheeler parking. Evening timing being confirmed — ask on WhatsApp.
Open in mapsBhartiya City
Bharatanatyam
Nikoo Homes 2, Bhartiya City, Thanisandra Road, Bengaluru 560064.Taught by Dr. Naina Raj.
| Batch | Days & time |
|---|---|
| All levels | Mon, Wed · 5:00–6:00 pm |
| All levels | Mon, Wed · 6:00–7:00 pm |
| All levels | Tue, Thu · 5:00–6:00 pm |
| All levels | Tue, Thu · 6:00–7:00 pm |
| All levels | Tue, Thu · 7:00–8:00 pm |
On stage
Shows and performances
The academy presents its students in full-length productions, and Guru Archana Punyesh performs at festivals across India and abroad. The academy also accepts bookings for temples, festivals and corporate events.
Recently
- PunyarchaneSeva Sadan, Malleshwaram · August
- Annual dayBengaluru · January
What families say
In their words
“She encourages, guides and supports all the children so well, and explains everything lucidly. Each session is a thing of joy, something to look forward to. My daughter is fortunate to have such a teacher.”
Parent of a student
“It’s not just a dance class, it’s a dance university. We get an excellent opportunity to grow here. Heartfelt thanks to our motherly guru.”
Student at the academy
“I searched for a Bharatanatyam class for my daughter for a year, and found the academy through Instagram. Five months in, I am proud to say she is blessed with a guru like Archana ma’am.”
Parent of a student
“The three-day workshop taught me not just about dancing but about the art itself — the smallest details of taal and expression. Forever grateful to Archana ma’am for conducting it.”
Siri S. H. · Varnam workshop
“Felt blessed to have watched a few live performances by the academy. The disciples are flourishing under the guidance of Vidushi Archana Punyesh.”
Audience member
“Sathya sir’s approach to conveying the soul of the varnam was inspiring, and Bharath anna made every jathi clear. It gave me a new perspective on abhinaya.”
Nrithya · Varnam workshop
Find your path
Four questions, and we'll tell you which class to join
Rather than guessing from a timetable, answer these and the academy will point you to the right batch, at the right branch, on the right day.
01Who is joining?
02How much have they learned before?
03Which form?
04Which part of Bengaluru suits you?
Admissions
Come and see a class
Tell us the age of the student, the style and the area that suits you, and we will tell you which batch to join. New batches are starting soon.
- WhatsApp9164062133 — the quickest way to reach us
- Call9164062133 · 9 am to 6 pm
- Emailjatinacademy2022@gmail.com
- LanguagesKannada, Hindi and English
- Instagram@jatin_academy
- PerformancesThe academy accepts bookings for temples, festivals and corporate events.
Working draft
Still to add: the Guru Parampara timeline, location and award photographs, press coverage, and your mother's introduction film.