Jump to content

Pali Chandra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pali Chandra - Kathak Lucknow Gharana

Pali Chandra, (born 19 November 1967) is an Indian choreographer, dance educator and artistic director who propagates dance education through various channels.[1][2] She has established several studios specialising in Kathak training programs in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, India and Switzerland. She has directed 14 art festivals in various continents and is the co-founder for the portal Learn Kathak Online[3][4] as well as Course Director of Kathak for Natyasutra Online with Invis Multimedia.[5]

Pali is a committee member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and a graded member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.[6]

Early life and education

[edit]

Chandra was born and raised in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh to Dwarka Nath Srivastava, a retired senior officer of Reserve Bank Of India and NABARD who was based in Lucknow for most of his life; and Usha Srivasatava, a Hindustani classical music singer from Faizabad. She is the sister of Somna Tugnai.

She graduated from Lucknow University in 1991 with a Master's degree in anthropology for her research on the tribal music and dance of the Gaddis.[7] She also graduated from Avadh Girls' Degree College with a Bachelor's degree in arts, economics, and anthropology. She also went to Loreto Convent.

Chandra started dancing at the age of six.[8] She trained under her guru Vikram Singhe,[9] Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Kapila Raj,[10] as well as Ram Mohan Mishra for 13 years at Kathak Kendra Lucknow.[11]

Career

[edit]
Pali Chandra as a digital dance educator

Chandra is a senior member of the British Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and a graded member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She has designed and executed workshops for institutes such as Oxford University, Birmingham University and Bradford University.[12][13]

The first of four gurukul studios was founded in 2008 in Dubai, where Pali Chandra provides instruction to 550 students learning and performing Kathak whilst following the ISTD - UK (Imperial Society for Teachers of Dancing - United Kingdom) syllabus.[14][15] In 2019, she founded the Swiss International Kathak Festival (of which she is the artistic director),[16] organized 11 annual dance festivals called Dancing Divas from 2009 to 2019, and released several productions in the UK, UAE and India.

Under the banner of Pali Peacocks, Chandra has been honored at the House of Commons in London as the Best Art Director for her production In the Shadow of the Hills.[17] Her projects have frequently received funding from the Arts Council of England and London Arts Board and other institutions and organizations.[18][19]

Activism

[edit]

Pali Chandra was involved in awareness programs for people with special needs.[20]

Productions and choreography

[edit]
Title Location Year
Continental Shift London 1994
Ganges to Thames London 1996
In the Shadow of the Hills London 1999
Kamoshi ki Avaaz London 2001
She United Kingdom 2002
Gazal in Retrospect London 2003
Rhythm Shift London 2004
Five Elements Dubai 2010
Sufi Noor Dubai 2012
Across Dubai
Essence of Life India 2013
Naach - Hundred years of Bollywood Dubai 2014
Zinda Dubai
Navinayika Dubai 2015
Taal Mala Dubai 2016
Noor ki Baarish Dubai 2016
Soney ki Chidya Lebanon 2017
Aamad Bangalore 2017
Nehru Centre, London 2018
Lasya Dubai 2018
Kahani Dubai 2019
Play with a Cause - Parkinson Dubai 2019
Thaat Bangalore 2019
Tihai Bangalore 2020
Shyam Piya Zurich 2019
Repertoire London 2018
Aargau 2019
Dance to Empower Switzerland TBA

Awards

[edit]
Title Issued by Country Year
Kathak Ambassador Asian Community Arts & Katha UK House of Lords

London Parliament, England

2018
Best Art Director " Production 'In The Shadow Of The Hills’ Millennium Dome, London House of Commons, London

England

2000
Cultural Ambassador The Indian Consulate, UAE Dubai 2016
Successful Art Business Award ICS  Women's Forum Dubai 2014
International Woman of the Excellence Award Dhwani Abu Dhabi 2013
Gold Medalist Prayag Sangeet Samiti Prayag Sangeet Samiti India 1990
Lacchu Maharaja Award for Abhinaya Kadambari Kala Parishad India 1991

Personal life

[edit]

Pali is married to Vishal Chandra and has twin sons. They live together in Schinznach Bad in Aargau, Switzerland.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Review and described Online Engagement".
  2. ^ "MY JOURNEY FROM DANCER TO PERFORMER TO MENTOR". Education UAE Magazine.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Learn Kathak Online".
  4. ^ "MY JOURNEY FROM DANCER TO PERFORMER TO MENTOR". Education UAE Magazine.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Natyasutra - Insoiration of Pali Chandra".
  6. ^ "Graded Member ICCR" (PDF).
  7. ^ "About Gaddi Community of Himachal Pradesh". Discoveredindia.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Born to dance". The Hindu. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  9. ^ Sunil Kothari (1989). Kathak, Indian Classical Dance Art. Abhinav Publications. p. 32. ISBN 9788170172239. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  10. ^ "Kapila Raj (Sharma) A Legendary Kathak Dancer. - Apni Maati: Personality". Spicmacay.apnimaati.com. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Behance". Behance.net. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  12. ^ "I am a keeper of art". The Hindu.
  13. ^ "Passing the Torch". The National.
  14. ^ "Kathak goes Global". The Hindu.
  15. ^ "Dance like a dream". Khaleej Times.
  16. ^ "Die indische Choreografin Pali Chandra bringt die bunte Welt Indiens mitten in den Aargau". Aargauer Zeitung. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Schools presents classic Hindi Tale". Harrow Times.
  18. ^ "Touring details UK - Production".[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "The eight forms of She". Time of India.
  20. ^ "WHo said the blind cant dance". Khaleej Times.[permanent dead link]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pali_Chandra&oldid=1325993077"