Pali Chandra

Pali Chandra performing as Navinayika in Dubai, October 2015. Photo Credit: Gurukul Dubai

Pali Chandra (née Srivastava) is an internationally acclaimed Kathak dancer, choreographer, educationist, social activist and the artistic director of Gurukul Dubai.[1] She is trained in classical Kathak by the late Guru Vikram Singh,[2] Pandit Ram Mohan Maharaj,[3] and Smt. Kapila Raj[4] of Lucknow Gharana. As a performing artist of classical and contemporary Kathak, she was recognised for her outstanding performance and was awarded the Lachhu Maharaj Award given to artists who acquire the skill and expertise of Abhinaya – Art of expression. She is a committee member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and a graded member[5] of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Early life and training

Born on 19 November 1967 in Lucknow , Pali started dancing at the age of six following her mother's wishes who herself wanted to be a dancer but was not allowed to take up dance, became a classical singer.[6] She took up formal training under her guru Vikram Singhe,[7] at the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Kathak Kendra Lucknow at the age of eight after she saw her potential as a dancer. Whilst studying there she was also under the tutelage of Pandit Ram Mohan Maharaj[3] and Kapila Raj[4] who believed in Pali's talent.

Pali graduated from Avadh Girls' Degree College, Lucknow in 1987 with a first class honours degree in economics and anthropology. She followed this up with a Master's degree in anthropology from the University of Lucknow and was awarded the Gold Medal for her research on Tribal Music and Dance of the Gaddi Tribe.[8]

Charitable work

Pali Chandra is known for her contribution to the society and environment and has taken several charity initiatives since 1995. From awareness programs on people with special needs to the homeless of Harrow in UK. From giving company to the lonely in old age homes of Belmont Elderly Centre to dancing with the physically challenged of Aspire, Stanmore, England. And now her focus is Rakum, Bangalore where she [conducted workshops[9] - teaching the blind girls of Rakum to experience dance. She has organised fundraisers in Dubai and Chennai to help with cornea transplants for these little girls. Pali has created several projects to help raise awareness towards the environment as well for example - Ganges to Thames and Continental Shift and is now working towards Green Symphony.

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to Gurukul". Gurukuldubai.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  2. ↑ Projesh Banerji (1927-01-22). "Dance in Thumri". Books.google.co.uk. p. 99. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  3. 1 2 "Behance". Behance.net. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  4. 1 2 "Kapila Raj (Sharma) A Legendary Kathak Dancer. - Apni Maati: Personality". Spicmacay.apnimaati.com. 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  5. ↑ "Indian council for cultural relations empanelment unit" (PDF). Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
  6. ↑ "Born to dance". The Hindu. 2012-08-15. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  7. ↑ Sunil Kothari. "Kathak, Indian Classical Dance Art". Books.google.co.uk. p. 32. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  8. ↑ "About Gaddi Community of Himachal Pradesh". Discoveredindia.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  9. ↑ "Why a dance workshop for blind children? Pali Chandra explains". YouTube. 2011-09-05. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
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