Chaula Thacker

Chaula Thacker was raised in Gujarat, India by a family of art lovers. She learned vocal classical North Indian music from her mother and studied yoga and meditation with her father. As a child, Thacker was fascinated by the ancient sculptures of dancers found in temples—the intricate hand gestures, the angles of their bodies. She pursued this fascination with Bharat Natyam, one of India’s oldest dance styles, studying with local teachers and earning a bachelor’s degree. Thacker brought her passion to the U.S., founding a dance academy and a nonprofit performing group to share and preserve this art for the next generation.