Akhila has been exposed to dance in its various forms in brief stints since childhood. She has received intensive training in Bharatanatyam - an Indian classical dance form. Following her Arangetram (debut solo performance) under the guidance of her Guru, Smt Gayatri Subramanian of Takshashila Dance Academy in Navi Mumbai, she has been a part of various productions of this dance academy and has also assisted her Guru in teaching. She has trained in Nattuvangam (the art of teaching dance) under the great stalwart, Guru Smt Rajee Narayan. Also interested in western dance styles, Akhila has been an active member at SDIPA (Shiamak Dhavar Institute of Performing Arts).
A graduate from the Creative Arts in Therapy program, she is now a registered Dance/Movement Therapist in the United States and a practicing Arts Based Therapist. The basic premise of Movement Therapy is the mind-body connection: any mental condition is manifest on the body level. The essence of this modality is to use movement analysis in psychotherapy. She intends to take this new approach to psychotherapy back to India and serve in the field of mental health and social work. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus on child and family therapy.
Dance in itself has a therapeutic effect on me. It is the ultimate means of self expression and raises both the dancer and the beholder to a higher level of awareness, she says. Extremely driven to make dance a way of life, Akhila wishes to further explore the field of Arts Based Psychology and help people help themselves through the arts. Through consistent and persistent training, she continues to grow as a teacher and performer of Bharatanatyam, and aims to increase the awareness of this Indian Classical
