VINEETHA MENON
Vineetha’s introductions to the classical Indian dance forms, began at the age of four learning Mohiniyatam from Tara Rajkumar in Melbourne. Moving to Sydney in 1991, she came under the tutelage of Anandavalli and her initiation to Bharatha Natyam and (further down the track), Kuchipudi dance styles. Her first season with the Lingalayam Dance Company was in the 2004 restaging of Serpent Woman in Canberra and Sydney. She completed her Arangetram (solo graduation performance) in 2007 and has since, performed in several of the Company productions. Vineetha is one of the main dancers of the Lingalayam/Taikoz collaboration Chi Udaka, having been involved in the work since its initial creative development period. Notably, in Chi Udaka’s premiere season at the 2014 Sydney Festival; Vineetha performed the only solo piece within the work. The last few years has seen Vineetha grow considerably as a dancer and performer bringing an articulation to her movement vocabulary that gives an earthiness and depth to her deliverance. 2015 highlights include performing an excerpt of Chi Udaka together with Taikoz, for the opening of the Sydney TEDx at the Opera House and Dances of Divinity, the collaboration with Apsaras Arts Singapore.