BRINGING a touch of the East to the West when she performs at Tenby Arts Festival later this month is classical Indian dancer, Jayanthi Eshwarputhi.

Based in Karnataka, Jayanthi, a dedicated Bharathanatyam and Kathak artist of class and grace, is visiting Pembrokeshire thanks to local dance teacher, Olivia Argent and her students.

Olivia, an artist and former dancer herself, first met Jayanthi on a study visit to India at Nrityagram Dance School, Bangalore, where as a resident dancer she immediately impressed Olivia with her talent.

On one of her more recent visits to the East, Olivia stayed with Jayanthi and travelled across India on one of her dance tours with a company of dancers, under the teacher and choreographer Leela Samson, where again Olivia was engaged with her very particular talent.

On returning to Wales and to leading her classes for gentle and dance exercise, Olivia told her students of her wish to help Jayanthi by bringing her to Wales to take workshops and perform.

"Apart from being a professional, she is both open and outward looking in her attitude to dance," Olivia said.

"I was somewhat daunted, but my students set out with verve to raise money for Jayanthi's ticket," she explained.

"With all their help, encouragement and support we managed to raise almost all the airfare and it was at this point that the Welsh Arts Council stepped in and enabled us to complete the project," she added.

Jayanthi, who brings with her to West Wales many years of experience in teaching Indian Classical Dance, has worked with the Expression Dance Company of Australia and the Sutra Dance Company of Malaysia. She has also taken part in several festivals in India and has been to the USA and Denmark for dance performances and lectures.

Jayanthi, who has been undertaking some of her dance practice at the Penally end of the South Beach on the soft wet sand, which she says is particularly good for the footwork in her dance style of Kathak, is looking forward to performing and taking workshops in the area over the next couple of months.

Yesterday (Thursday), she led a class at Manorbier School, while tomorrow (Saturday) she will be taking a workshop at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven.

After a visit to the Windsor Fringe Arts Festival next Thursday, she will be returning to Tenby to perform at the Royal Gatehouse Hotel at 3 pm on Sunday, September 22, as part of the town's Arts Festival.

The following Tuesday, September 24, she will be at Saundersfoot School, while on Thursday, September 26, she will be leading an afternoon workshop followed by an evening performance at 7.30 pm in conjunction with SPAN at the Queen's Hall in Narberth.

Two days later, her schedule comes to a close with a classical Indian dance workshop for dance practitioners at Tenby Leisure Centre.