|
Balasaraswati
Tanjore Balasaraswati, also known as Balasaraswati (13 May 1918 – 9 February 1984), was an Indian dancer, and her rendering of Bharatanatyam, a classical dance style originated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, made this style of dancing well known in different parts of India and many parts of the world. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1957 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1977, the third and the second highest civilian honours given by the Government of India. In 1981 she was awarded the ''Sangeetha Kalasikhamani'' award of The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai. Early life and background Balasaraswati was a seventh generation representative of a traditional matrilineal family of temple musicians and dancers (devadasis, who traditionally enjoyed high social status), who have been described as the greatest single repository of the traditional performing arts of music and dance of the southern region of India. Her ancestor, Papammal, was a musician and dancer patroniz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bala (1976 Film)
''Bala'' is a 1976 documentary film made by Satyajit Ray, about a Bharatanatyam dancer, Balasaraswati, fondly known as "Bala". The film was jointly produced by National Centre for the Performing Arts and Government of Tamil Nadu. The thirty-three-minute documentary features the life and some of the works by Balasaraswati in the form of narration and dance, starring herself. At the age of fourteen, Ray had seen a performance of Balasaraswati in Kolkata, then known as "Calcutta", in 1935, when she was seventeen years old. Ray had initially planned to make a film on Bala in 1966, when she was in her prime, however he could not start filming until 1976. Though Bala was often called "a revolutionary Bharatanatyam dancer", she had never been filmed till she was 58 years old, in spite of having a career spanned over four decades. Ray decided to make the film on Bala, "the greatest Bharatanatyam dancer ever" according to him, to document her art for future generations with the "main ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aniruddha Knight
Aniruddha Knight (November 13, 1980) is an artist of the Indian classical dance and music known as Bharatanatyam. He is a 9th-generation descendant of a 200-year-old family of dancers and musicians from southern India. The dances are traditionally performed by women - Knight is unusually the first male of his family to take up this style of dance. His grandmother Balasaraswati was a celebrated and prolific dancer, ''Newsweek'' said she has been "recognized as the greatest Indian dancer of all time". Early life and family Born on November 13, 1980, Aniruddha Knight spent his growing years both in India and the United States of America. His father is an American, Douglas Knight, who married into the family when he studied classical drumming on a South Indian mridangam at Wesleyan University, where Aniruddha's late grandmother T. Balasaraswati and her two musician brothers had taught since 1962.Vibhuti Patel"Dance, Indian Style" ''Newsweek'', April 2008 Aniruddha's childhood was an e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of Shaivism and in general of Hinduism.Bharata-natyam ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2007 A description of Bharatanatyam from the 2nd century CE can be found in the ancient Tamil epic ''Silappatikaram'', while temple sculptures of the 6th to 9th century CE suggest it was a highly refined performance art by the mid-1st millennium CE. Bharatanatyam is the oldest classical dance tradition in India. Bharatanatyam is the state dance form of Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam contains different types of ''baanis''. ''Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devadasi
In India, a devadasi was a female artist who was dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication took place in a ceremony that was somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony. In addition to taking care of the temple and performing rituals, these women also learned and practiced classical Indian artistic traditions such as Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. Their social status was high as dance and music were an essential part of temple worship. Between the sixth and thirteenth centuries, Devadasis had a high rank and dignity in society and were exceptionally affluent as they were seen as the protectors of the arts. During this period royal patrons provided them with gifts of land, property, and jewellery. After becoming Devadasis, the women would spend their time learning religious rites, rituals, and dances. Devadasis were expected to live a life of celibacy, however, there have been instances of exceptions. D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Veenai Dhanammal
Veenai Dhanammal ( ta, வீணை தனம்மாள்) (1867–1938) was a highly accomplished Carnatic musician, and the torchbearer of the school of Carnatic music that goes by her name. She was both a vocalist and a performer on the Saraswati veena. The prefix "Veenai" in her name is an indicator of her exceptional mastery of that instrument. Early life and background Dhanammal was born in George Town, Madras (now Chennai), into a family of professional musicians and dancers. Her grandmother Kamakshi was a reputed dancer, and her mother was a vocalist who trained under Subbaraya Sastri, the son of Syama Sastri of the Carnatic music composer trinity. In addition to training by her family members, Dhanammal also learned from Walajapet Balakrishna Das ("Padam Baladas"), a blind musician who was a repository of the ''padams'' of Kshetrayya, and Satanur Pancanatha Iyer. Career "Regarding the veenai as an instrument complete and perfect in itself, she played it without p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sangita Kalanidhi
Sangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangeeta Kalanidhi (Tamil: சங்கீத கலாநிதி, Sanskrit : संगीत-कला-निधि) (''sangeetha'' = music, ''kala'' = art, ''nidhi'' = treasure or ocean) is the title awarded yearly to a Carnatic musician by the Madras Music Academy. From 1929 to 1941, the award did not exist. The idea of the award was conceived in 1942 by the then Academy President KV Krishnaswami Iyer; and on 1 January 1943, all musicians who had presided over the annual conferences between 1929 and 1942 were awarded the title. This included 2 or 3 past presidents - Palamarneri Swaminatha Iyer (1931), probably Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer (1936) and Mangudi Chidambara Bhagavatar (1937) - who were no more, but no posthumous award has been presented since then. Some sources cite 1946 as the year of death for Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer, in which case he might have received Sangeet Kalanighi award in his lifetime only. Sangeetha Kalanidhis Source(s): ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sangeetha Kalasikhamani
Sangeetha Kalasikhamani or Sangita Kalasikhamani (Sanskrit: saṅgītakalāśikhāmaṇi) (sangeetha = music, kala = art, sikhamaṇi = A gem of a diadem or crest) is the title awarded yearly to an expert Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...ian by the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai. List of Sangeetha Kalasikhamanis References {{reflist External links AWARDEES OF SANGEETHA KALASIKHAMANI Indian music awards Carnatic music Year of establishment missing Tamil Nadu awards ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merce Cunningham
Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other disciplines, including musicians John Cage, David Tudor, Brian Eno, and graphic artists Robert Rauschenberg, Bruce Nauman, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, and Jasper Johns; and fashion designer Rei Kawakubo. Works that he produced with these artists had a profound impact on avant-garde art beyond the world of dance. As a choreographer, teacher, and leader of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Cunningham had a profound influence on modern dance. Many dancers who trained with Cunningham formed their own companies. They include Paul Taylor, Remy Charlip, Viola Farber, Charles Moulton, Karole Armitage, Deborah Hay, Robert Kovich, Foofwa d'Imobilité, Kimberly Bartosik, Flo Ankah, Jan Van Dyke, Jonah Bokaer, and Alice Reyes. In 2009 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India. History It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and became functional the following year, with the appointment of its first chairman, Dr. P. V. Rajamannar. Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, inaugurated it on 28 January 1953 in a special function held in the Parliament House. The academy's Fellowship and Award are considered very prestigious. Functions The academy functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country to preserve and promote the vast cultural heritage of India expressed in music, dance and drama. It also works with governments and art academies in states and territories of the country. SNA established several institutions over the years: * Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal * Sattriya Centre * Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance), New ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madras Music Academy
Madras Music Academy is one of the earliest established music academies in South India. Before the concept of infrastructure was introduced to India in the early 1920s, it was a gathering for elite musicians simply called (and is still more commonly referred to as) Music Academy () It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music Indian art form. It played a vital role in the revival of the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam in the 1930s when it faced near extinction due to a negative connotation caused by conservative societal standards. They also run a music school called the Teachers college of Carnatic Music which has many eminent musicians on its faculty. Musicians such as Tiger Varadachariar, Appa Iyer, Valadi Krishnaiyer and Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer adorned the chair of Principal of the Teacher's College. History In 1927, the Indian National Congress held the All India Music Conference in Madras. At the end of the con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias DBE (''née'' Hookham; 18 May 191921 February 1991), known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet (formerly the Sadler's Wells Theatre Company), eventually being appointed ''prima ballerina assoluta'' of the company by Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning ballet lessons at the age of four, she studied in England and China, where her father was transferred for his work. Her training in Shanghai was with Russian expatriate dancer Georgy Goncharov, contributing to her continuing interest in Russian ballet. Returning to London at the age of 14, she was invited to join the Vic-Wells Ballet School by Ninette de Valois. She succeeded Alicia Markova as prima ballerina of the company in 1935. The Vic-Wells choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton, wrote numerous parts for Fonteyn and her partner, Robert Helpmann, with whom she danced from the 1930s to the 1940s. In 1946, the company ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anna Kisselgoff
Anna Kisselgoff (born 12 January 1938) is a dance critic and cultural news reporter for ''The New York Times''. She began at the ''Times'' as a dance critic and cultural news reporter in 1968, and became its Chief Dance Critic in 1977, a role she held until 2005. She left the ''Times'' as an employee at the end of 2006, but still contributes to the paper. Biography She was born on 12 January 1938 in Paris. Kisselgoff began studying ballet at the age of four in New York City with Valentina Belova, and later for nine years with Jean Yazvinsky. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College, and then studied French History at the Sorbonne and Russian at the School of Oriental Languages in Paris. Later, she received an M.A. in European History and an M.A. in journalism at Columbia University. Before joining ''The New York Times'', she wrote features and dance reviews as a freelancer for the New York Times International Edition and worked at the English desk of Agence France-Presse in Paris. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Bharatanatyam")
-crop.jpg "Click for more on -> Margot Fonteyn")