Shila Mehta is an Indian Classical dance artist, choreographer, teacher, and composer. Her background is firmly rooted in the North Indian form of Kathak, which she has taken to audiences across the globe including touring India, North America, Australia and Europe. Mehta is the founder of Nupur Zankar Academy of Performing Arts and Research Centre in Mumbai India, The Institute is registered with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi.

Early life and training

Shila was born in Kolkata (1 January), from where she attained a Bachelor of Commerce from Calcutta University, and a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...

from Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Maharashtra India. She acquired the title "Nritya Praveen" from the Prayag Sangeet Samithi in Allahbad, India. She has also undertaken an extensive range of professional development through York University, Toronto, Canada including exploring contemporary dance, dance therapy and site-specific dance. Mehta started dancing at the age of five under Nrityacharya Shri Prahlad Das. From the age of sixteen onwards she also spent a considerable amount to time training with Pandit Chitresh Das, Pandit Vijay Shankar and

Pandit Birju Maharaj Pandit Birju Maharaj (born Brijmohan Nath Mishra; 4 February 1938 – 16 January 2022) was an Indian dancer, composer, singer, child molester and exponent of the Lucknow "Kalka-Bindadin" Gharana of Kathak dance in India. He was a descendant o ...

, in addition to exposure to other eminent exponents such as Kumudini Lakhia. Her lay and taal training was under Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar.

References

External links

Interview with Shila Mehta

Shila Mehta Performs Kathak
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Shila 1960 births Living people Indian women choreographers Indian choreographers Indian women composers 20th-century Indian dancers Indian female classical dancers Kathak exponents Artists from Kolkata Performers of Indian classical dance Dancers from West Bengal 20th-century Indian women artists Women artists from West Bengal