Arun was first exposed to dance by watching his older sister in Bharatanatyam class. Upon returning home he would often imitate the moves he saw her doing in class, using the coffee table as his stage. Encouraged by his parents, he started studying Bharatanatyam when he was seven years old, enrolling at Kala Vandana Dance Center, based in San Jose, California. Under the rigorous but loving guidance of his guru, Smt. Sundara Swaminathan, Arun trained in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam, and completed his arangetram (solo dance debut) in 2000.
Arun moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California and, while there, began exploring other styles of dance, including Bhangra, Bollywood, Garba/Raas, Hip Hop, Tap, and Jazz. After obtaining his B.S. in Business Administration he joined Los Angeles-based Blue13 Dance Company, the premiere contemporary Indian dance company in the U.S., and soon became a principal dancer with the company.
Through it all, Bharatanatyam remained a focus for Arun. He often returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area to rehearse and perform with his guru and classmates. He also eventually began traveling abroad, both to study with respected teachers and to perform. Some of the renowned instructors Arun studied with include: Smt. K.P. Yasodha, Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan, Smt. Bragha Bessell, Sri Hari Padman, and Smt. Viji Prakash.
Arun moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California and, while there, began exploring other styles of dance, including Bhangra, Bollywood, Garba/Raas, Hip Hop, Tap, and Jazz. After obtaining his B.S. in Business Administration he joined Los Angeles-based Blue13 Dance Company, the premiere contemporary Indian dance company in the U.S., and soon became a principal dancer with the company.
Through it all, Bharatanatyam remained a focus for Arun. He often returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area to rehearse and perform with his guru and classmates. He also eventually began traveling abroad, both to study with respected teachers and to perform. Some of the renowned instructors Arun studied with include: Smt. K.P. Yasodha, Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan, Smt. Bragha Bessell, Sri Hari Padman, and Smt. Viji Prakash.