Kalabharathi School of Dance 15160 Northwest Laidlaw Road, Portland, OR 97229

"Hands down The BEST bharatanatyam dance school in portland! My daughter had been coming here since she was six. The dance teacher is fantastic, caring, inspirational and motivates kids to do their best.This is reflected in their amazing performances thru out the year. I highly recommend Kalabharathi school of dance."

"Shivy is a wonderful Guru and has extensive knowledge of the art form! Constantly strives to enhance dance productions every single time for over 3 decades. We are extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity of being in her prestigious academy. Children get inspired with the passion and dedication. School has grown and so have the families, it is a treasure in the community."

"The 2-star reviewer is generous after what they’ve gone through. that review is 100% accurate. the rest of the 5-star reviewers are either paid faculty, or the dance teacher Shivy’s cronies, or adult students who don’t face the brunt of her insults....... go ahead if you want your children face psychological terror and abuse and that too pay her for that. Will you do such a thing do sake of a noble deed like classical dance full of meaningful cultural and moral stories,.....? Hypocrisy. Discreetly just ask the parents of the kids from the juniors class if she has not hurled insults like “your dance is like vomit”, and you’ll get all the lowdown......, or just ask the kids in private. At least learn better insults! I digress...... it’s no joke. Shivy exploits the 2 parents............ let me just call them S and G, who are her cronies (euphemistically “volunteers”). She plays them against each other and they keep getting more and more desperate for her attention and shivy eats the malai from that churn........ but Shivy keeps those two cronies “fed” by giving their kids the top dance roles. Sad state of affairs, I almost feel like reporting her to child protective services."

"I moved to Oregon from Bangalore five years ago and was determined to continue dancing. Shivy ma'am and Kalabharathi came highly recommended by my seniors and their network of dancers. True to their word, I saw a strong passion for Bharatanatyam and drive to perfection in Mrs. Shivy Vanka. In the five years that I've been her student, Shivy ma'am has come to be more than a guru - she is a friend, a confidante, and a mentor, not just to me, but to every one of her students. Along with dance, we learn about culture, mythology, science, and most importantly, values and morals. We also learn the importance of presentation. Each time we're on stage, all of us strive to give our best and look our best in the gorgeous costumes she patiently designs for us. She goes the extra mile to have it tailored and matches us with the perfect makeup and jewelry. Shivy ma'am is always willing to take extra hours of class without a fee, especially before a performance, to make sure we are comfortable with the item. Even the little kids sometimes ask for that additional hour of practice, and I've never heard her refuse. Her criticism is always constructive. Feedback on performances is given as soon as we get off stage. That way, it is fresh in our minds and we know never to repeat the same mistake. Kalabharathi is indeed a family where students and parents are always supportive of one another."

"I have been a student and performer of the Kalabharthi school of dance for about 14 years. I amongst many others, have the honor of calling Smt. Shivagami Vanka, my Guru. Bharatanatyam is not only a classical dance form it is a discipline that has history spanning over a two-thousand years. This form of dance is not some hobby one takes on light heartedly, if one's desire is to preform at any level above mediocrity. Like ballet and many other forms of dance, to achieve quality performance level is something that can not be completed with out diligence and hard work. That being said My Guru's reputation speaks for itself, by means of the success of her students, the competitions my fellow Kalabharthi members have won, and by the level in which we perform. In all my years performing with Kalabharthi I have never been belittled, I have received constructive criticism which has been the means for my performance improvement . Shivy aunty wants her dancers to reach for more. She encourages all of her dancers to have "grit" and refine their technique until it shines. Presentation is also key in the world of performance, one must dress for ones stage. Tailor made costumes, stage make-up, copies of music to practice to (especially if the music has been re-cut which is always the case) are some of the necessities on a basic level for any dancer in any genre of dance. The above review form "A GOOGLE USER" reads more like a mean spirited character assassination from a person to cowardly and bitter to address their own personal concerns, let alone give their real name. public shaming is wrong!!!! especially when you hide you identity. shame shame, tripple shame on you! then you insult some one by comparing them to Donald Trump who does that???! give valid input stop being mean spirited."