Ragamala Dance Company

Ragamala Dance Company Ranee Ramaswamy & Aparna Ramaswamy’s Bharatanatyam dance ensemble

What a beautiful celebration of our students, families, and community at this year's student recital!We are especially p...
06/05/2026

What a beautiful celebration of our students, families, and community at this year's student recital!

We are especially proud to have presented the inaugural Dr. Dash Cultural Heritage Award, recognizing dedication to the preservation and advancement of our artistic traditions. It was a tremendous honor to have Dr. S.K. Dash (Dr. Dash Foundation) with us in person to present the award and celebrate the next generation of artists. Congratulations once again to our inaugural recipient, Nandana Nambiar!

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all of our students and their families for the countless hours, dedication, encouragement, and support that make this journey possible. Your commitment to your children's artistic and cultural education helps ensure that these traditions continue to thrive for generations to come.

A special thank you to Ram Gada and Nithya Balakrishnan Mathad for their generosity and support. We are deeply grateful to have you as part of our community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. We look forward to continuing this journey together!

Led by Aparna Ramaswamy (), this 5-day Bharatanatyam intensive offers an immersive experience grounded in the values of ...
05/19/2026

Led by Aparna Ramaswamy (), this 5-day Bharatanatyam intensive offers an immersive experience grounded in the values of Smt. Alarmél Valli’s Pandanallur lineage. Through technique classes and new repertoire, participants will engage deeply with the principles and concepts that shape this tradition. 

Balancing rigorous physical practice with reflection and dialogue, this intensive invites experienced Bharatanatyam students and dancers to explore how lineage informs artistic voice and creativity, and how culturally rooted forms continue to evolve with clarity and relevance today. 

Reserve your spot using the link in our bio!

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Every day is Mother’s Day for the Ramaswamys! As mother/daughter creators, their work is informed by lineage and the pow...
05/10/2026

Every day is Mother’s Day for the Ramaswamys! As mother/daughter creators, their work is informed by lineage and the power of female relationships as vital transmitters of knowledge. Their next project, The Liminal Museum, centers the bodies of women as archive, altar, and living vessels of cultural memory.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Photos from this past year at the Ragamala studio in Minneapolis, in Chennai, India, Charlotte, NC, and Los Angeles, CA






Fondly Remembering The Kennedy Center , Alicia Adams and the reputed, adored presenting organizers and friends on Intern...
04/30/2026

Fondly Remembering The Kennedy Center , Alicia Adams and the reputed, adored presenting organizers and friends on International Dance Day. photo: Arun Kumar

04/29/2026

Ragamala’s work doesn’t just reach audiences, it transforms the artists within it. Read what company dancer Jothika Gorur () has to say about her own journey:

“Ever since I was a child, all I ever wanted was to dance, but there was no clear path to touring at this level. Being here now feels like the greatest gift of my life; to connect so deeply with an art form rooted in my identity as a South Asian American and share it with audiences across the country. Two years ago, I got to see ‘Sacred Earth’ in my home city, Pittsburgh—and I never would have imagined that I’d one day be on the other side of it as a dancer. That moment was the beginning of something I couldn’t yet name. ‘Sacred Earth’ changed my life—it made my dream of becoming a touring professional a reality and expanded what I thought was possible through this art. If you had told six-year-old me that this would be her life, I think she would be very happy.”

Since first experiencing ‘Sacred Earth’, Jothika is now a full-time company member with Ragamala, where she trains under the direction of Ranee Ramaswamy (), Aparna Ramaswamy (), Ashwini Ramaswamy (), and performs with the company.

Our first show at the Luminary Arts Center () is tomorrow at 7:30pm! Ticket link in bio.

04/27/2026

A glimpse inside the rehearsal process for ‘Sacred Earth,’ returning to this performance through practice, precision, and continued discovery.

Join us April 30 & May 2 at Luminary Arts Center (). Ticket link in bio.

04/22/2026

Nature in all its vastness—its beauty, power, and fragility continually reminds us of our responsibility to honor and protect it. This Earth Day, we invite you to reflect on your own experiences in nature and the sense of wonder it brings.

As we prepare to present one of our signature works, ‘Sacred Earth’, next week, we’re sharing archival footage from its creation in 2011. This moment offers a glimpse into its early development and how it has continued to grow and evolve over time.

As we mark 33 years of Ragamala, ‘Sacred Earth’ remains a central part of our artistic journey—rooted in tradition and shaped through collaboration. In 2026, the work will be presented again, carried forward by a new generation of artists.

Join us April 30 & May 2 at Luminary Arts Center () in Minneapolis. Ticket link in bio.

Co-created by Ranee Ramaswamy () and Aparna Ramaswamy ().

Ragamala’s artistic journey is one of lineage, individuality, and shared vision.“Each woman brings a specific set of tal...
04/19/2026

Ragamala’s artistic journey is one of lineage, individuality, and shared vision.

“Each woman brings a specific set of talents to the family business. If Aparna is the head of the company and Ranee is its soul, then Ashwini is perhaps, its heart.” -NPR

Thank you to NPR (, ) for this wonderful feature on the Ramaswamy family (, , )

A new generation of Bharatanatyam artist, Ashwini blends tradition with a distinct contemporary sensibility. As a dancer...
04/15/2026

A new generation of Bharatanatyam artist, Ashwini blends tradition with a distinct contemporary sensibility. As a dancer, choreographer, and composer, she is redefining what the form can be.

—

ASHWINI RAMASWAMY is committed to maintaining the rigor, physicality, humanity, and authenticity embedded in her Bharatanatyam lineage while forming a personal vision for collaborative, multidisciplinary performance experiences. Ashwini’s upbringing in both India and the U.S. has encouraged an aesthetic perspective with a hybrid compass. She has spent over 30 years studying Bharatanatyam from award-winning artists Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy (her mother and sister), and their guru, the legendary Smt. Alarmél Valli of Chennai, India since 2011.

As a founding member, Choreographic Associate, and Principal Dancer of Ragamala, she has toured extensively, performing throughout the U.S. and internationally, including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, American Dance Festival, and the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi. Her choreographic work has been presented by the Baryshnikov Arts Center (New York, NY), Broadstage (Santa Monica, CA), The Yard (Martha’s Vineyard, MA), Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (Scottsdale, AZ), and The Just Festival (Edinburgh, U.K), among others.

Ashwini has received commissions from the Liquid Music Series, Great Northern Festival, Santa Monica College, Northrop, Perelman Center, and Bates Dance Festival; residencies at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, UNC Chapel Hill, Kohler Arts Center, the National Center for Choreography, the Bogliasco Foundation (Bogliasco, Italy) and Camargo Foundation (Cassis, France); support from the National Dance Project, MAP Fund, USArtists International, National Performance Network, Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund, a Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowships for Dance and Choreography, and a Creative Capital Award. Her work has been listed among the ‘Best of the Year’ in The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnpost, and as a critic’s pick in The New York Times.

Address

3754 Pleasant Avenue Ste 405W
Minneapolis, MN
55408

Telephone

(612)8241968

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