April 2026
ANITA SAYS.....
Behind all these manifestations,
Is the one radiance
Which shines through all things
The function of art is to reveal this radiance
Through the created object
- American mythologist Joseph Campbell
In the TV series THE POWER OF MYTH
In
the shadow of a brutal war still continuing in the Middle East and its
consequences spreading across the globe, I share my monthly musings. To
be honest, it feels strange to talk about "dance", "performance",
"culture" and the Arts when all we see and read is more and more
bloodshed and devastation in the news cycles. And to think that I
transited through the now damaged Dubai airport on my way home from
South America barely 4 days before the mayhem began!
My personal thoughts about the value of the live arts in the current
"theatre of war" seem almost puerile against the bombardment of
heritage buildings and precious architecture that we are seeing
crumble before our eyes. Perhaps this is the very contradiction that
should be a sobering reminder of what really matters in our lives.
March started with a flood of dance performances. It felt like a wave of
excess after my sabbatical in February. For eyes like mine, who have
seen so many performances across the world for 50 years, it needs
something very special to make me focus and sit up.
Fortunately, some dancers did make me smile in admiration.
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Bharata Kalanjali and Kaladham presented JHARNA festival's 5th
edition on Feb 21, 22, 28 and March 1, 2026 at Teach auditorium,
Chennai.Photos: Iyappan / A4medias
TAKITATOM
Celebrating 50 years
of artistry and innovation, a special exhibition (installed in the lobby
studio of the Dance Center of Colombia College) created in partnership
with Chicago Dance History Project honors Hema Rajagopalan's NATYA DANCE THEATRE's
remarkable legacy through rare photographs, archival footage, costumes,
and critical reviews that traces its enduring impact on the cultural
landscape.
DR. ASHWIN MAHESH DALVI takes charge as Director of Western Region Cultural Center (WZCC).
DR. ANURADHA JONNALAGADDA TADAKAMALLA, Kuchipudi exponent and Head of
the Department of Dance, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts &
Communication, University of Hyderabad, has been appointed as the first
woman Vice-Chancellor (in charge) of the University of Hyderabad. She
took charge of the office from March 12, 2026.
'She's Auspicious' by MYTHILI PRAKASH has been nominated for the OLIVIER
AWARD for "best new dance production". The Oliviers are the British
version of the Tonys, broadcasted live on BBC. It is probably the first
time that Indian dance has been nominated.
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AWARDS
 Madras Music Academy announced its dance awardees for 2026.
NRITYA KALANIDHI: G Narendra
NRITYA KALA ACHARYA: A Janardhanan
DANCE MUSICIAN AWARD: S Rajeswari and TK Padmanabhan
Dance awardees will receive the awards at the inauguration of The Music Academy's 20th Annual Dance Festival on January 3, 2027.
SOHINI RAY is the first woman recipient of TAGORE SCHOLARSHIP in all of
Manipuri arts (including literature, cinema, theatre, music, dance and
visual arts) and only the third recipient.
ARAVINTH KUMARASAMY, Artistic Director of Apsaras Dance Company, was
honoured with the ARTS EXCELLENCE AWARD 2026 by Pravasi Express on 1
March 2026. The award was presented by Dinesh Vasu Dash, Minister of
State for Culture, Community and Youth & Manpower, Singapore.
Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai, presented the RAJALAKSHMI
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Bharatanatyam Guru SHANTA DHANANJAYAN on
March 4, 2026.
Mohiniattam artiste and scholar Guru NIRMALA PANICKER was conferred the
SHATKALA GOVINDA MARAR PURASKARAM by Kalasamithy on March 8, 2026 at
Natanakairali, Irinjalakuda, in recognition of her outstanding
contribution and extensive research in the field of classical performing
arts. The award honours her dedicated efforts in enriching and
revitalizing three significant traditional art forms of Kerala -
Mohiniattam, Nangiar Koothu and Thiruvathirakali.
UK Leeds-based, artistic director BALBIR SINGH, a disciple of Kathak
Guru Pratap Pawar, received his MBE (Member of the Order of the British
Empire) at Windsor Castle on 10 March 2026 from Her Royal Highness The
Princess Royal for services to dance, marking a significant moment for
the Indian classical tradition in the United Kingdom.
On March 14, 2026 the GURU DURGA CHARAN RANBIR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD was conferred upon veteran Odissi exponent ALOKA KANUNGO, while
the GURU DURGA CHARAN RANBIR YUVA PURASKAR was presented to Kuchipudi
dancer AVIJIT DAS at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar.
Alliance University bestowed the ALLIANCE MAHILA SPANDANA AWARD 2026 on VYJAYANTHI KASHI on 14th March 2026 at Bangalore.
 SNEHA MUKHERJEE, a 21-year-old MBA student, has secured the 1st Position
at the 39th AIU Inter-University National Youth Festival (Kalai
Saaral), hosted by Sathyabama IST Chennai from March 10-14, 2026. A
former Darpana Academy of Performing Arts scholar, Sneha competed
against the top talent from eight zones of India to claim the national
title.
 Nandalala Seva Samiti Trust conferred NANDA DEEPAM title on
Bharatanatyam dancer PRIYAMVADA MURALI for being a "cultural visionary
and torchbearer of tradition" on March 21, 2026 at Bangalore.
 At the 5th Nayika Odissi Dance Festival, Angaraga presented the NAYIKA
SAMMAN to Guru GEETA MAHALIK, and the NAYIKA KALA SADHAKA SAMMAN to Guru
SATYABAN PASCHIMAKABATA, on March 28, 2026 at Jayadev Bhawan,
Bhubaneswar.
 Kalasangam 2026 presented LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to the
DHANANJAYANS, SAVITRI JAGANNATH RAO and AMBIKA BUCH on March 30, 2026 at
Chennai.
 LATA PADA has been recognized by the Ontario Arts Foundation for the
prestigious ELDRED FAMILY DANCE AWARD. Administered by the Ontario Arts
Council, this annual award recognizes exceptional achievement and
creative ability in dance by an established Ontario choreographer.
 The Kerala Government's top national cultural award with a cash prize of
Rs.3 lakhs in the name of legendary Guru Gopinath, will be given to the
Bharatanatyam couple V.P. DHANANJAYAN and SHANTA DHANANJAYAN and Kerala
Natanam artiste AMBIKA MOHAN. This Puraskar is organized by Guru
Gopinath Natana Gramam on behalf of the cultural department. The awards
will be given shortly by the Chief Minister of the State.
 Astikya Foundation presents the MARGI SATHI SMRITHI PURASKARAM to
KALAMANDALAM GOPI and CHITRA VISWESWARAN on April 4, 2026 at
Thiruvananthapuram.
The title of NRITHYA RATHNAKARA is being bestowed upon ROJA KANNAN and
NRITHYA SEVA MANI upon SUNANDA NARAYANAN by Cleveland Thyagaraja
Festival, for their contribution to classical dance, on April 4, 2026 at
Cleveland. The title KALA RATHNA goes to BHAVYA KUMARAN. The following artistes received NALANDA NRITYA NIPUNA AWARD for 2026
from Nalanda Nrityakala Mahavidyalaya in the second week of January in
Mumbai - Ayana Mukherjee and Vempati Lakshmi Kameswari (Kuchipudi),
Disha Desai, Maitreyee Ingle, Tejashree Vaidya Rane and Gauri Jathe
(Kathak), Dipjoy Sarkar (Odissi), Preshit Meher (Bharatanatyam), Ratri
Manik (Manipuri). |
ATMA SHANTI
Guru S. P. SRINIVASAN,
a revered Bharatanatyam Guru whose life was a shining example of
simplicity, discipline, and boundless knowledge, passed away on March
12, 2026 at Mumbai. He was 71. Through his dedication, he nurtured not
only dancers but also thoughtful and humble individuals who carry his
teachings in their hearts. He believed in the purity of the art and
its aesthetics. His guidance instilled values of humility,
perseverance, devotion, and respect for tradition. He was not just a
Bharatanatyam Guru, but a guiding light whose wisdom shaped lives both
on and off the stage. He has worked with well-known artistes like Lata
Surendra, Deepak Mazumdar and Sucheta Chapekar and has accompanied
artistes from abroad too. Some of his illustrious disciples include
Mausam Mahendra, Revathi Srinivasaraghavan, Devika Venkat, Shamal Pawar,
Samidha Shinde, Vidya Sriram, Revati K, Manjula Manoj, and many others.
Carnatic and Kuchipudi vocalist D.V. KANAKADURGA passed away in
third week of March 2026 in Chennai. She was 84. She was best known for
providing the soul-stirring voice for Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam's dance
productions for Kuchipudi Art Academy. Since joining under the guidance
of Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam in 1969, and as a constant vocal presence
from 1973, she became an inseparable part of the Kuchipudi Art Academy.
Her music gave life to countless solo compositions and timeless
productions like Srinivasa Kalyanam, Rukmini Kalyanam, Chandalika,
Haravilasam, and Sakuntalam, touching audiences across the world. She
was affectionately called the "Golden voice of classical Kuchipudi." Not
just Kuchipudi, but she has lent vocal support to Bharatanatyam dancers
as well like KJ Sarasa and the Dhananjayans among others. She was
conferred with the title 'Kuchipudi Gayani' by the Music Academy in
Chennai in 1980. She also received the K.J. Sarasa Memorial Award in
2022.
A dancer's musician
- Veena Mani
The voice behind Kuchipudi exponent Vempati Chinna Satyam's
choreographies, DV Kanakadurga found her unique voice beside rhythmic
footsteps.
Guru VASANT KUMAR, Director of Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala
Mandir passed away peacefully on 24th March 2026 in Mumbai. He was
78. He was the son of Guru Govindraj Pillai and Guru Karunambal.
He was the grandson of illustrious Guru Kuppiah Pillai and nephew of
Gurus T. K. Mahalingam Pillai and Kalyanasundaram Pillai, the present
principal of the institution. Guru Vasant Kumar dedicated his life to
upholding the values, discipline and artistic excellence of the Sri
Rajarajeswari tradition. He was one of the strong pillars of the dance
school. He will be remembered for his humility, dedication and
unwavering commitment to the art of Bharatanatyam. He will be deeply
missed by one and all. He is survived by two daughters, Sangeetha and
Savita, and son Shivakumar.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
The non-traditional Traditionalist
- Padmini Ravi
Summer of 65. My father had just died. I was 9 years old, scared and
sad. I joined Sarasalaya mainly to overcome my sadness. Thus started my
journey with Teacher, K.J Sarasa.
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