With nearly 36K followers on Instagram, Lalithambika Geethu Jayadev, freshman, is oftentimes treated like a celebrity. She is recognized as a Bharatanatyam dancer.

“Other people I don’t know know me because they know me from Instagram and my dance and public events I perform in,” Lalithambika said.

Bharatanatyam is a famous Indian classical dance form.

“It is a combination of expressions, footwork and eye movements, and it’s very graceful,” Lalithambika said.

Lalithambika said she has taken Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattom, Kathakali and Kuchipudi dance lessons since she was 4 years old. When she moved from India to St. Louis at 13, she switched from in-person lessons to virtual.

Over the years, Lalithambika has grown as a dancer by competing as frequently as she can, such as at the American Natya Idol, where she received first place.

She attends classes throughout the week from four different dance teachers and records Instagram reels over the weekends.

Lalithambika and her family decided to create her Instagram account in 2020, when she wasn’t able to attend performances and competitions because of COVID-19, and wanted another way to showcase her talent.

She said she started consistently posting reels when she began gaining popularity in 2022. Her dances are choreographed completely on her own and recorded by her father.

Jayadev Nair, Lalithambika’s father, finds scheduling to be the most challenging part of Lalithambika’s dance journey.

“I often ask myself, ‘along with her studies and other commitments, how can we make sure she gets all the opportunities?’” Jayadev said.

Jayadev said he supports her from the technical side, while Geethu Jayadev, Lalithambika’s mother, helps Lalithambika run her Instagram account, find competitions and stitch costumes.

So far, Jayadev said all of this work has not given Lalithambika’s family much monetary benefit.

“It’s a lot of expenses, and if you look at the returns, as of now, it’s zero,” Jayadev said. “You just spend, but it’s more about supporting her passion and inspiring her.”

Not only is Jayadev proud of the progress Lalithambika has made in her dance skills, but he said he knows her dance journey has helped her gain confidence and improve her character. She also has been able to stay connected to her culture and has learned more about her faith through the stories her dances tell.

Prathibha Mannil, Indian classical dance teacher, is one of Lalithambika’s dance teachers and a close family friend. Her other dance students frequently recognize Lalithambika from her social media success.

Lalithambika’s ability to multitask is what is helping her balance dance and school life so well, Mannil said.

“Multitasking is definitely needed for the future generation,” Mannil said.

Mannil said she has seen Lalithambika become more mature as a result of her dance success.

“She is respectful, and I feel that respect is the one quality that takes students to the next level, so her respect to teachers and drive to learn is what is taking her to all the levels,” Mannil said.

This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on April 22, 2025.