Staff


​Kasi Aysola - Artistic Director​
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​ Kasi Aysola is a dynamic Kuchipudi artist based in Maryland, known for his compelling work as a performer, choreographer, and teacher. He had his foundational training in Bharatanatyam under Viji and Mythili Prakash, and trained in Kuchipudi under Vempati Ravi Shankar and Yamini Saripalli. As co-founder and Artistic Director of Prakriti Dance, Kasi creates bold, original works that have toured nationally and reached over 65 schools across the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. His work has been featured at premier venues such as The Kennedy Center, Jacob’s Pillow, and World Music Institute, with support from the Maryland State Arts Council, National YoungArts Foundation, and National Academies Keck Futures Initiative. He remains committed to expanding the reach of Kuchipudi and mentoring the next generation of artists. 
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​Archana Raja - Artistic Associate
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Archana Raja discovered Kuchipudi in her late twenties, beginning a personal journey through movement and storytelling that grew into a powerful artistic voice in a traditional form rarely seen on global stages. She trained in Bharatanatyam under Guru Sheela Unnikrishnan and furthered her studies at the Saraswatham Foundation before training under the guidance of Kasi Aysola, Artistic Director of Prakriti Dance. Since 2023, Archana has served as Artistic Associate at Prakriti Dance. She is also the Artistic Director of Laya Dance Company in San Jose, California, a role she has held for three years, where she mentors students to become confident and expressive Kuchipudi artists.
Renowned for her expressive depth and technical skill, Archana has performed at esteemed festivals and venues such as the Kalarasa Dance Festival (Barcelona), Dancing the Gods (NYC), Pongal Dance Festival (Chennai), the New York Kuchipudi Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Nishagandhi Festival. She is currently creating solo projects that blend storytelling and music within the Kuchipudi tradition, pushing its boundaries while honoring its roots. 
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​Madhuvanthi Sundararajan - Programming Lead

Madhuvanthi Sundararajan is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Germantown, Maryland. With over two decades of Bharatanatyam training, she holds a Master’s degree and Gold Medal from the Centre for Performing Arts, Savitribai Phule Pune University. She trained under Guru Uma Tilak, Gurus Shilpa Srinivasan and Prajakta Borse-Bharate, and spent 15 years with Dr. Parimal Phadke. For three years, she has studied Kuchipudi under Kasi Aysola and completed her Rangapravesam in January 2024.
She has performed across India and the U.S., including Jacob’s Pillow, Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, the Indian Embassy, and Cuttack Mahotsav, where she won the “Nrityamani” award. Since 2023, Madhuvanthi has served as Programming and Outreach Lead at Prakriti Dance and volunteers with the Indian Dance Educators Association. She is trained in Nattuvangam, has taught for over a decade, and choreographed works such as Rukmini Kalyanam and Metamorphoses of Medusa. She holds a bachelor’s in Photography and continues to explore portrait and dance imagery.