Preeti Vinayak, great grand-daughter of the famous composer Andavan Pichai is a 5th generation professional Bharatanatyam dancer in Atlanta. Her great, great grandfather, Sri Tandalam Sankaranarayana Shastry was a great philosopher and scholar. He is the author of The Age of Shankara and Bhoja Charitram. He has also composed ‘Vande Mantaram, Ambikaam Bhagavateem’ which is sung as a prayer song in schools across India.
In 2021, 2022 and 2023, Preeti was invited by Southern Methodist University and Texas State University to give a lecture demonstrations for a theme titled, “Konnakol to Kritis” for students of Ethnomusicology.
For the year of 2023-2024, Preeti will be serving on the Board for the Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture.
Preeti was initiated into the art of Bharatanatyam at Padma Vibhooshan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan’s school, Abhinaya Sudha. She received training under Smt. Ambika Buch and Smt. Lalitha Sastry. Under Gurus. Shri Narasimhachari and Smt. Vasanthalakshmi, Preeti completed her Arangetram and her advanced training.
Preeti’s area of expertise lies in fast paced footwork, intense facial expressions and the art of Nattuvangam (verbal incantations of the rhythmical patterns of footwork). She has received the rarest of reviews from the harshest of critics in India and the U.S. She has performed at major Cultural Organizations in India during the December Dance Festival. Her notable performances have been at Sri Kapali Fine Arts, Indian Fine Arts, Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, Kartik Fine Arts, Bharat Kalachar and many more.
Preeti was specially invited to perform for the Cultural Secretary of France, Jack Lang, at the Alliance D’Francaise. In 1992 she was rated at one of the top ten upcoming dancers in South India by the Indian Fine Arts Academy. Preeti’s strong command over rhythm and her flawless footwork have captivated audiences everywhere.
Preeti moved to the United States in 1993, and obtained a Master of Science degree in Neuro-endocrinology. Preeti represented The Florida State University at the International Conferences of Musicians and Dancers held at Wakulla Springs, Florida in 1994. Preeti gave the inaugural concert at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta for the Mahakumbhabhishekam.
Every year she puts forth a unique production; some of which have been solo thematic shows and others large group collaborations. “Miya”, "Om Pranava Shabdam" and "Durga" were staged at The Florida State University and debuted to a packed house in Tallahassee, Florida.
“Tapasya”, was choreographed and directed by Preeti for Ekal Vidyalaya. The tickets to this show sold out weeks in advance and went on to raise funds to create more than 100 schools in rural India. In 2012, “Chapters of her life,” debuted to a full house and generated a sizable amount of money for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital.
On October 20th, 2018, Preeti and her daughter, Nethra Valli Shah, debuted their duet “The Curious Curators” at the prestigious Opperman Music Hall, in FSU.
Besides being an accomplished dancer, Preeti is also a gifted vocalist. She received her initial classical training in Carnatic Music from Shri. Seerghazhi Jayaraman. She later continued her training under Shri Sundaresan, senior disciple of Shri. D.K. Jayaraman. Preeti has to her credit an album titled "Omkar" and “Soothing Embers”, both composed by her mother, Smt. Nalini Vinayak.
This rare combination of choreographer, singer and nattuvangist have helped Preeti in directing several successful productions and in making complete artists out of her students.
In 2017, Preeti’s first book titled “Just Like That”, an anthology of poems was published by Next Century Publishing.
Preeti founded Natyam Arts Academy where she imparts training to students of all ages. She has conducted concerts for her students and their Arangetram or the debut performances.
With Gurus Sri Narasimchari and Smt. Vasanthalaksmi