Dance: Keeper Of The Family Jewels

It’s Grandmother, Mother and Son Inc. The fabulous dance tradition of legendary T. Balasaraswati is now being carried on by her grandson, Aniruddha Knight. The only grandson of the world-famous bharat natyam dancer, Aniruddha is a ninth generation performer from one of India’s most

distinguished families of classical musicians and dancers. Growing up in the United States, he learnt music and dance that is unique to their family from his mother Lakshmi Knight. Recently audiences got to see his virtuosity in a 7-week tour, which included performances and workshops in California, Oklahoma, New York and Maine.

His concerts follow the same format established in the early 1800’s in the Royal Court of Thanjavur, where his ancestors were distinguished musicians and dancers. The concert includes a suite of music and dance compositions, some choreographed and some spontaneous.

“Aniruddha Knight has emerged as an eloquent interpreter of his family’s artistic vision, bringing to audiences in India and America his profound understanding of its meaning and value as contemporary art,” says Rachel Cooper, director of performing arts at Asia Society.

For Aniruddha, it’s been a passion unfurled: he began his career as a vocalist for his mother in the 1990’s and was her student right until her death in 2001. Since then he’s been the keeper of the family heritage and has performed all over India including the Brihadiswara Temple in Thanjavur, a World Heritage site, where his ancestors may well have performed hundreds of years ago. The Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram conferred upon him the title of Natya Kalamani. He lives in Connecticut where he is the Artistic Director of Bala Music and Dance. What could be a greater gift to his grandmother?