ART · CULTURE · CREATIVE PRACTICE

A world made a little more familiar through what we create together.

01 / THE BEGINNING

A story that began with dance.

Perhaps the most interesting part of my relationship with dance is that it has never asked me to choose between one world and another.

I'm a London-based Kuchipudi dancer. Kuchipudi has grown alongside me through education, professional life and diverse communities — not as a separate part of my life, but as a thread connecting these different worlds.

For me, it has become a meeting point between tradition and curiosity, individuality and community, learning and sharing.

Today, I continue to learn, perform, teach and collaborate — and that curiosity is part of the story of VĀNĪ & I.

Original introduction page from VĀNĪ & I Canva portfolio — From the VĀNĪ & I portfolio · Introduction

Original About Me page, including a Kuchipudi portrait and ochre background — Rooted in tradition, open to new perspectives

02 / THE PERSON

Meet VĀNĪ

I think who I am has been shaped as much by the places I've entered as the place I began.

My foundations in Kuchipudi began under Guru Dr Vakkala Rama Krishna in Telangana. Since 2020, my learning has continued under Guru Dr Padmini Krishnan from Kerala.

Growing up across South India meant being surrounded by different languages, cultures and traditions. In 2024, I moved to the UK for postgraduate education, bringing new people, places and experiences into my life.

Alongside dance, I've worked across community engagement, marketing and communications, people management and public service. Each has taught me more about listening, learning from others and turning ideas into experiences people can share.

03 / THE JOURNEY

Professional education

Different paths of learning have shaped the way I approach art, people and creative work.

2015–2016

St. Gabriel’s High School

Grade: 9.8/10

2018–2021

Bachelor of Business Administration

Grade: 9.12/10

2024–2025

Master of Business Administration

Distinction

04 / THE THREE WORLDS

Different, but never separate.

VĀNĪ & I holds three worlds. They overlap, inform one another and leave room for what happens in between.

YĀDHUM யாதும்

Beyond the familiar

Belonging beyond familiar boundaries — exploring other places, cultures and traditions while carrying where we come from and who we are.

KŪDAL கூடல்

The art of learning together

A space to share what we know, explore what we don't and learn from the experiences and perspectives each of us brings.

IṆAI இணை

Where ideas take shape together

Creative collaboration — where artists, ideas and different creative practices unite to create.

05 / STORIES IN PRACTICE

Projects & performances

A selection of experiences from my portfolio, each bringing art into a different space.

PROJECT 01

Mosaic of Business

MBA Society · Community event

An idea to bring the MBA community together became a shared celebration of culture, knowledge and different perspectives. I led planning, communications, hosting and performance, bringing students, staff and alumni into the same space. What began as one event has since grown into an annual tradition.

Welwyn Hatfield Council Diwali celebration portfolio page with Kuchipudi performance photos

PROJECT 02

Diwali celebrations

Welwyn Hatfield Council · Town centre

Bringing Kuchipudi into the heart of the town alongside a wider celebration of culture and community. The performance offered an opportunity to share tradition and experience different cultures with a diverse local audience.

PROJECT 03

TEDx · Kuchipudi performance

Weston Auditorium

A Kuchipudi performance presented at a TEDx event in the Weston Auditorium. Bringing Indian classical dance into a setting centred on ideas and exchange offered another space for artistic storytelling.

The portfolio's TEDx description is unfinished; this short summary uses the confirmed event and performance details without reproducing placeholder text.

06 / WHAT COMES NEXT

Where might our stories meet?

For artistic collaborations, cultural exchanges, shared learning and creative conversations, you're welcome to get in touch.

hello@vaniandi.com @vani_and_i