Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
I am so excited to introduce you to my guest today, Vijayalakshmi, a renowned Mohiniyattam dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. Her unique interpretation of the dance form resonates with contemporary universal relevance, destroying stereotypes to delve deeply into femininity and beyond. She trained under Guru Bharati Shivaji and has endeavored to take Mohiniyattam to higher levels by constantly exploring unchartered territories and expanding traditional boundaries through innovative choreographies inspired from a pan-Indian and global perspective. Her prominent productions include Unniarcha, inspired from Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art form; Swan Lake, inspired from the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky's music; and Paryapti, which draws upon the rich cultural ethos and music of Bengal. Vijayalakshmi has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in India and around the globe including the Bolshoi Theatre, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Lincoln Centre. She has a Bachelors & Masters in English Literature from Lady Shriram College, Delhi University. She is the founder-Director of The Mohiniyattam Institute in Los Angeles & Artistic-Director, Centre For Mohiniyattam New Delhi - teaching, pursuing speaking and writing engagements, and developing new stage productions while continually traveling the world to present Mohiniyattam. She was recently selected to be a UCLA Regents Lecturer. Vijayalakshmi is the recipient of several prestigious honors and awards, including the Sanskriti Nritya Puraskar, Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Rashtriya Ekta Award. She has co-authored a book along with Guru Bharati Shivaji entitled ’Mohiniyattam’, and has received Fellowships from the Department Of Culture, Government of India, and Indira Gandhi National Centre for The Arts (IGNCA) to pursue research in Mohiniyattam. In 2003, Vijayalakshmi was profiled by the Week magazine as one of 50 Emerging Stars of India to watch over the next decade.
www.instagram.com/ishika.muchhal
https://open.spotify.com/show/5pAgLDc...
REMEMBER TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!
