Raka Bandyo
Raka Bandyo began study of the Classical Indian Arts as a first-generation child born in the USA to Indian parents. She has been dancing and performing Odissi dance since age 4. Her first teacher, Guru Sangeeta Mohapatra Kar was a student of the great Padma Vibushan Guru Kelucharun Mohapatra. Odissi dance for Raka is an extension of her heritage and practice a spiritual ritual.
While finishing her MS in Mechanical Engineering, she began teaching Odissi dance. In 2005, she moved to Madison, Wi to work full time in Healthcare IT. She started training in Aerial and Modern dance and performing with the Cycropia Aerial Dance Company. During this time, she also continued teaching Odissi in local yoga studios and performing Odissi as a soloist and choreographer, producing several works for her ensemble the Karmic Flower Dance Company.
In the last several years, she cut back her IT work hours to part-time in order to further pursue a more focused study of the Indian Sciences and Arts. In 2017, she became a Certificated Ayurvedic Practitioner and took a very special journey to India where she re-entered dance study with the Kelucharun Parampara. She continues learning and performing in that lineage today with and from a network of international dancers and artists.
She is also a student of Jyotish Vedic Astrology, Bansuri Hindustani Flute, Sanskrit, Vedanta and other Indian Philosophies. She is currently available for consultation, teaching, choreography, and performance.