March 2026
ANITA SAYS.....
THE LAUGHING HEART
Your life is your life
Don't let it be clubbed into dark submission
Be on the watch, there are ways out
The Gods will offer you chances
Know them, take them
You can't beat death
But you can beat death in life, sometimes
And the more often you learn to do it
The more light there will be
Your life is your life
Know it while you have it
You are marvellous
The Gods wait to delight
In you
- Charles Bukowski 1820-1994, German-American poet and novelist
February has been a very special month for me personally. A trip of a
lifetime with my favourite sibling, the mountains and rivers singing
into my ears every night, fresh food being harvested before my eyes by
the gentle and spiritual Andean people, the contrasting energies of the
larger than life spectacle of the Rio Carnival - dancing in the streets
and foot tapping rhythms around every corner. What better way to
disengage and recharge than to travel. To savour the lives and rhythms
of people far away from my homeland and yet connected through the
elements of the sun, moon, water and wind. To re-enter my own inner
world by observing the habits and customs of another culture half a
world away. To return feeling chastened by the common threads and
eternally grateful for the magnificent planet we inhabit.
AND
To not wear any make up, Kajal, lipstick or worry about my hair for
weeks. Just moisturiser, sun screen, a hat and a big smile! Only a
dancer will know what a joy that is!
So this month, I will not talk about dance in the expected ways.
Instead, I will share my thoughts of my recent travel and experiences
that were full of colour, movement and energy. To put out there the
ideas of rest, recharge, reboot, review, renew and revisit our lives and
art.
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TAKITATOM
On Feb 19, 2026 Drishti Art Centre,
Bangalore, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Sathya Sai
University of Human Excellence to offer structured academic courses in
Bharatanatyam. The MOU was signed by Revati Ramachandran on behalf of
the University, and by Dr. Anuradha Vikranth and T. M. Vikranth on
behalf of Drishti Art Centre.
The dance film 2M SOLITUDES by Sinha Danse has been selected in the BEST
SHORT DOCUMENTARY category at the Your Way International Film Festival
in Valletta, Malta. The film was screened on February 12, 2026, marking
its 16th screening and highlighting its continued international reach.
Attakkalari celebrated 25 years
on 31 January 2026. This next
chapter will be shaped by the establishment of the CENTRE FOR INNOVATION
IN PERFORMING ARTS (CIPA) on 1.65 acres of scenic lakeside land in Kempegowda Layout, near Bangalore
University and the upcoming Bangalore Sky Deck. This marks a long-term
commitment to research, practice and dialogue across disciplines, based
in the city that has held and shaped the company.
Methil Devika got Filmfare's BEST DEBUT AWARD for the movie 'Kadha Innuvare.'
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AWARDS
 The
following artistes have been selected for TAGORE NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP
and SCHOLARSHIP FOR CULTURAL RESEARCH given by the Ministry of Culture,
Government of India, for 2025. The duration of the
Fellowship/Scholarship will be 2 years.
FELLOWSHIPS
TAPATI CHOWDHURIE (A Research on the contribution of Thankamani Amma, the first student of Mohiniyattam in Kerala Kalamandalam)
DR. P. RAMA DEVI (Performance Narratives: The Transition from Vesakathas
to Kalapam and Yakshagana alongside classical theatre forms)
BHARAT SHARMA (Developing a School of Choreography)
SCHOLARSHIPS
V.V. RAMANI (Abhinaya re-imagined)
LAXMINARAYAN JENA (Deconstructing Ekaharya Lasyanga: A critical analysis
of its components in Kathak as per Shastra, Sampradaya and Shaili)
KEERTHY UNNIKRISHNAN (Study of rare temple dance compositions found in
Palm Leaf Manuscript preserved at TMSSM Library (1650 -1787))
Guru G. VENU has been awarded the KERALA SANGEETHA NATAKA AKADEMI
FELLOWSHIP for 2025 in recognition of his unparalleled and lifelong
contribution to the world of Koodiyattam, Navarasa Sadhana, and The
World Theatre. The fellowship carries a cash award of ₹50,000, citation,
plaque and sculpture.
GURUPUJA PURASKARAM goes to KALANILAYAM GOPI (Kathakali), KALAMANDALAM
SREEKUMAR (Kathakali) and THRISSUR JANARDHANAN (music and dance).
Banaras Hindu University conferred KAUSTUBH KALAA RATNA AWARD on PARWATI
DUTTA on February 4, 2026 for her outstanding contribution in the field
of Indian arts, especially traditional dance forms. Parwati Dutta is
known for research-oriented dance compositions and reconstruction of
ancient dance traditions through deep research on Shastras.
VARSHA VISHWANATH received the NEILA SATHYALINGAM MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT
AWARD 2026 at the Remembering Neila Sathyalingam Festival on February 7,
2026 at Singapore.
VIDHYA SUBRAMANIAN receives the NATYA VIDHA NIDHI (Lifetime Achievement Award) from IFAASD, San Diego on March 28, 2026.
NISHAGANDHI PURASKARAM for Manipuri dancer DARSHANA JHAVERI
was conferred on February 13, 2026 at the inaugural ceremony of the
week-long Nishagandhi Dance Festival organised by Kerala Tourism at
Kanakakunnu Palace grounds, Thiruvananthapuram.
 On the eve of Shivaratri, February 15, 2026, Shrishti Centre of
Performing Arts presented SHRISHTI THANDAVAPRIYA NATIONAL AWARD for male
dancers to DR SANJAY SHANTARAM in Bangalore.
Sarasalaya presented KJ SARASA MEMORIAL AWARD to YOGAM SANTHANAM
(vocalist) and Bharatanatyam dancer URMILA SATHYANARAYANAN on February
21, 2026 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai.  KAPILA VENU received the DEVI AWARD from The New Indian Express group on
February 21, 2026 at Kochi, for taking Kutiyattam all over the world
and keeping alive one of the oldest living theatre traditions across
nations.  Chennai Bharata Kalanjali alumni SEETHA SASHIDHARAN and SHAFEEKUDEEN BK
(Bharatanatyam) are being honoured with KERALA SANGEETHA NATAKA AKADEMI
STATE AWARD for 2025. Other awardees include CHITHRA SUKUMARAN
(Mohiniattam) and JOY KRISHNAN (Kerala Natanam). Rathna Kumar's ANJALI CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS, Houston, has been
recognized as the TOP 5 of 2025 SUGAR LAND AWARD WINNER in the dance
school category - as analyzed and certified by BusinessRate. |
ATMA SHANTI
SHYAMALA SUNDARAM passed away on February 22, 2026. She was a violinist
and accompanied her daughters Padmini Dorairaj and Maya Sundaram and
many Bharatanatyam artistes especially in New Delhi circle.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
Dance: An integral part of human existence
- Sudha Sridhar
Dance and music have always been an integral part of existence of human
life right from time immemorial, probably suggesting that it has
descended along with human beings right from the source itself.
Nayika: The modern woman
- Shruti Patki Many dance treatises have been written by ancient Indian authors (not
dancers) that are popular even today as handbooks and encyclopedias.
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