Aparna is a cultural movement artist, arts educator, and holistic practice facilitator. She has trained locally and internationally in dance from around the world, including Bharatanatyam, sabar, yoga, belly dance, West African dance, Indian folk, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, dances of Colombia, and more. She received her master’s in teaching dance and dance certification K-12, graduated from the Regional Arts Commission’s Community Arts Training (CAT) Institute, completed her Bharatanatyam arangetram with Asha Prem and healing-centered education courses with Young Audiences Arts for Learning.
Aparna is particularly interested in the intersections of pedagogy, arts, culture and healing. Her teaching practice focuses on the well-being of the whole person, particularly of children. She taught dance full time with public and private schools for nine years and has performed, choreographed and taught with the St. Louis Art Museum, Festival of Nations, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Upstream Theater, Dances of India, Oasis Dance Beyond the Veil, STL Holi, Afriky Lolo, Spirit of Angela, and many others. Aparna is currently a teaching artist with Springboard to Learning and COCA, dancing with Grupo Atlantico, and teaching and choreographing locally and virtually.
