Miriam Anderson
Tuscaloosa, AL| Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Program |
| Project Title: | Rhythm of Healing: Understanding the Body through Dance |
| Field of Study: | Dance |
| Home Institution: | The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Host Institution: | Ambedkar University, New Delhi, Delhi |
| Grant Start Month: | September 2025 |
| Duration of Grant: | Nine months |
Brief Bio:
Miriam Anderson is a multimedia artist and graduate of The University of Alabama, where she majored in creative media with a minor in The Blount Scholars Program. Her work bridges the worlds of Bharatanatyam dance and film, reflecting her commitment to both performance and storytelling across disciplines.
After training for five years under Sheila Rubin at Natyananda Dance Company in Birmingham, Alabama, Miriam made her Bharatanatyam arangetram (debut) in June 2024. She has performed in diverse settings, including opening for spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the BJCC and participating in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cultural program. She has also represented Natyananda at the Freeform program with The Dance Foundation. Miriam completed the Warrier Foundation Residency from Coimbatore, India, where she immersed herself in the practice and philosophy of Bharatanatyam. In the spring of 2024, she served as lighting designer and stage manager for the U.S. tour of the renowned Bharatanatyam artist Rama Vaidyanathan, where she was part of productions such as New Dimensions and Ratna Garbha.
Miriam’s interdisciplinary practice allows her to merge cultural research, choreographic exploration, and visual media. Whether behind the camera or on stage, she is drawn to projects that invite reflection, preserve tradition, and build new paths for creative engagement. Her work exemplifies a commitment to honoring classical forms while reimagining how they can speak to contemporary audiences.
For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Miriam is studying Bharatanatyam in Delhi. Her project is exploring the expressive and technical depth of Bharatanatyam, with a focus on breath, alignment, and the creation of original choreography. Drawing from her training and experiences as a non-Indian dancer, she is also involved in producing a series of video essays documenting her artistic process and transformation. These essays attempt to offer a behind-the-scenes look at artistic development, cultural immersion, and the disciplined practice of Bharatanatyam as a living, evolving art form rooted in tradition and personal devotion.