Tanushree Shankar Dance Company Tanushree Shankar Dance Company is one of the leading dance academies of Eastern India and the brain child of Tanushree Shankar who follows the foot imprints of her husband Ananda Shankar, the able son of danseuse Uday Shankar. Led by the extensively acclaimed dancer and the prime trainer and also the founder of the Tanushree Shankar; the academy boasts of an aroma of bygone heritage and culture of the ethnic Indians. One of the leading exponents of contemporary dance forms in India; her evolving stairs have been prominent enough after the death of her husband. She has carved an unparallel niche of her own modern expression by amalgamating the grace and beauty of traditional Indian dances with the soul of modern western ballet expressions. Tanushree Shankar Dance Company follows the celebrated lineage as much by the folk and regional dance forms of India. Tanushree Shankar's late father-in-law; the legendary Uday Shankar is regarded as a pioneer of modern Indian Dance who performed with ballet greats as Anna Pavlova. The dance styles of Tanushree Shankar Dance Company are extensively influenced by the rich local Indian traditions such as the "Thangta" (Manipuri Sword dance). The troupe of Tanushree Shankar Dance Company travels extensively around the world and the latest notable productions include "Uddharan" (upliftment of the soul) and "Chirantan" (The eternal) which is based on Rabindranath Tagore's music. The Tanushree Shankar Dance Company brings forth a repertoire of dances and dance theatre works set to the pulsating music of the prophetic artist, Ananda Shankar and other contemporary musicians. Their troupe members are all proficient dancers having performed both in India and abroad. Mamata Shankar Ballet Troupe Mamata Shankar Ballet Troupe is a Kolkata based dance institute, an integral part of Dance Academies of Eastern India that is engaged in the dual role of performing and imparting dance lessons and choreographic presentations on diversified contemporary themes and folk forms of Indian dances. Her dancing institute even attempts at reinventing dance forms and adding layered bricks upon the walls of structured traditional dance. Her dance troupe is known as Udayan. The strategic location of this dance school is in Hindustan Road of South Kolkata named after the illustrious actress and danseuse Mamata Shankar, also daughter of the dancing Guru Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar. Mamata Shankar trains all her students prudently with all kinds of elaborate dance forms, often a fusion of classical and folk dance styles- contemporary and traditional. Mamata Shankar Ballet Troupe follows the style invented by Uday Shankar, incorporating the intrinsic grammar of classical Indian dance and incorporating the stylistic features of contemporary dance. Such is the poise, the grace of the dancers, and the dedication of the troupe to the creative artistry, that success rams home with adroitness! Hardly constraining with the anchors of rigid classicism, this dance has evolved with time and space. The graceful body movements of the dancers are blended with the expression of vibrant folk dances of India to attain a statuesque quality of lyrics and emotions. Orissa Dance Academy Orissa Dance Academy includes persistent classes both for Indian and foreign students to project and opularise Odissi Dance in the country and also abroad. A leading institution in Bhubaneshwar, the dance academy dates the date of establishment in 1975 and invariably aims to foster the Orissan art and cultural heritage through proper and rigorous training. Orissa Dance Academy offers plentiful opportunities for the Odissi dancers to perform on stage. The Academy is divided into two broad sections -one for teaching and other for training. Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, the eminent Odissi Dance exponent and Sj. Dhirendra Nath Patnaik, the eminent scholar had been the catalyst for the establishment of this institution. Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, at the tender age of six, received his training as Gotipua Dancer. After finishing his Natya Acharya in Odissi from Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya under guidance of Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Dr. Minati Mishra and Guru Deb Prasad Das; he also received rigorous training from Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra. Apart from mastering the delicate nuances and the subtleties of Odissi dancing, he is also a maestro of Mardala player. He is also a recipient of the State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1993, the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 and the prestigious Padma shri award from President of India in 2008. This academy has indulged in major contributions in extrapolating and popularising Odissi dance and music, as well as offering intensive training to artistes residing both in India and abroad. Maintaining a close association with several cultural institutions in India and other foreign countries; the academy upholds a rich edifying legacy. The Orissa Dance Academy has moved ahead with its dignified and dynamic mission to hold many artistes into its cultural realm. Through its comprehensive activities, the Orissa Dance Academy aims at international cultural peace and accord. |