About Us

Hari and Chandana are the artistic directors of Laya Nritya academy started in 2012 in the Bay Area, which is a branch of Nrityalaya Trust, Mysore. They believe that Laya Nritya is more than an institution - it is a place where the student's creativity is nurtured through dance, theater, and rhythm.

Chandana Haricharan

Chandana Haricharan started her training in Bharatanatyam at a young age under the tutelage of Guru Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra. She has completed her Vidwat in Bharathanatyam. She has presented many solo performances and also has played lead roles in various dance ballets choreographed by her Guru in India and the U.S. She has also learned Kathak under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Anuradha Nag of 'Tarangini School of Dance' in the Bay Area. She was the dance director for the 'Gangaavatarana' drama production as part of the Bay Area's leading Kannada theater group 'Nataka Chaitra'.

She has written and directed two dance theater productions 'Utthana ' and 'Mayaangi'.

Chandana worked as a banker for 15 years.

Haricharan Ramachandra

 Hari hails from a family deeply rooted in the arts, carrying forward a rich legacy with his passion for percussion instruments and theater. Hari's journey into the world of music began under the guidance of esteemed mridangam artists Vid. Sri B.R. Sridhar and Vid. Sri H.L. Shivshankar Swamy of Mysore. 

Hari's involvement in theater started in his school days and has been a significant part of his artistic expression. He trained in acting under the mentorship of several distinguished theater personalities, including Prof. H.S. Umesh, his mother Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra, Alamelu Iyengar, and Ashok Upadhaya. Hari's acting repertoire includes numerous acclaimed plays, such as:

• Bandavalavillada Badai by Sri T.P. Kailasam, Mysore
• Durgastamana by TaRaSu, Mysore
• Masti Darshana - Short Stories by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, Mysore
• The Leap - An adaptation of Ramayana by Paramesh Gopi, U.S.A
• Churi katte arthath kalyanpura at Nataka Chitra U.S.A
• Ayyo Namagyak Bidi - A Kannada comedy by Alamelu Iyengar, U.S.A

In addition to acting, He has directed the drama segments in both dance theater productions of LayaNritya - 'Utthana' and 'Mayaangi'. In his professional career, Hari is the Vice President of Engineering at Salesforce.