Uma Sharma, born in the year 1942, is noted and well established Indian classical dancer. She is living exponents of the Kathak dance form. She was a considerable amount of time ran a classical dance and music school in Delhi, the Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan, which founded by her father in 1946.
She is a popular name in the Kathak dance form, and is mostly known for stimulating the old classical dance form of Natwari Nritya or the Raslila of Brindavan, which later evolved into the Kathak.
The dance form, Kathak, is mainly based on devotional and spiritual Krishna poetry of the medieval times and the highly educated and refined court poetry of the 18th and 19th centuries which celebrated shringara, the sentiment of love
Early life and Training of Uma Sharma
Uma Sharma was born in the year 1942 in the city of Delhi. She received her early training in dance from Guru Hiralalji and Girvar Dayal of the Jaipur gharana. She then, subsequently became the student of Pandit Sunder Prasad of the Jaipur gharana who categorically emphasised on rhythmic footwork and its permutations. Birju Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj noted gurus if Kathak tradition of Lucknow gharana, popular for art for abhinaya. Later Uma went on to achieve creative juxtaposition of both.
Career of Uma Sharma
After she learnt the presentation of conventional dance items, she has broadened the stock of Kathak by composing new dance forms and full length dance-drama on a diverse theme in dances. Her dance arrangement created the concept of Stree (Woman) and other powerful thematic content. As a one woman show Stree brings a emotive sense in the position of woman.
Uma, in her entire career span, has performed in various shows and functions, of both national and international stature. For dance performances she had to travel the entire world, in places like USSR, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, Middle East, Japan and China.
Uma Sharma runs her own School of Music and Dance in the capital and has trained a whole new generation of younger dancers.
Awards and Achievements for Uma Sharma
* In 1973 she became the youngest dancer be conferred upon with the Padma Shri by Government of India and Padma Bhushan 2001
* She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
* Sahitya Kala Parishad Award
