Guru (Teacher)

Guru Smt Padma Sonti is one of the first to establish a Kuchipudi dance school in DFW area. An artist, teacher and a choreographer, she learnt Kuchipudi under the tutelage of Dr.Vempati China Satyam and Smt.Sobha Naidu. Smt.Sonti began Bharatanatyam lessons at the age of ten under Dr.Uma Rama Rao and continued by joining Kuchipudi Art Academy. She received esteemed titles such as “Natya Visharada” in 1983 and “Nritya Ratna” from Vamsee Arts Theater in 1989. She earned her Masters in dance,specializing in Kuchipudi and received the prestigious National Dance Scholarship from the Indian Government.

Smt.Padma Sonti has performed in over 300 solo and dance ballet recitals across the globe,including performances with her gurus in the Hong Kong Festival of Asian Arts and Kuchipudi forums across North America. She played significant roles in classical Kuchipudi ballets like Sri Krishna Parijatham, Kalyana Srinivasam and Vipranarayana. Since 1996, Smt.Sonti’s Kuchipudi Kalakshetra School of Dance has organized recitals and choreographed productions such as Sivananda Lahari, Datta Darshnam, Katha Kelika, Deepavali, Chenchu Lakshmi and Hanumanth Vaibhavam. Over the years, Kalakshetra’s reputation has grown with multiple locations and guiding students from first steps to Rangapravesams (28 to date) and beyond. Smt. Sonti and her students of Kuchipudi Kalakshetra contribute to cultural organizations such as TANA, NATA, NATS, ATA, and TANTEX. In 2007 Smt.Sonti established Mudra Foumdation, a nonprofit organization to promote Indian classical dance. Charity performances organized by Mudra are like Kalamalika, Datta Darshnam and Telugu Kala Vaibhavam benefitted Plano Theater, SOS villages, Lymphoma Research, Haiti Orphans,Vibha, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and many more.

A dedicated and sincere passion for the arts defines Guru Padma Sonti, and her striving for excellence continues to inspire each and every one of her students.