Radha Dutta is considered to be amongst the first exponents and teachers of Mohiniattam who resides outside India. She was the very first teacher of Mohiniattam around the Washington, DC area. Radha is also well known performer cum teacher of Bharatanatyam and folkdances, in the Washington, DC area. Radha`s movements, which has been compared a number of times with that of the hushed mumble of the tender palm leaves, transports the viewers to the land of eternity.
Radha Dutta has a passion and love for Mohiniattam since her childhood. This took her to Kerala, the home of Mohiniattam. In Kerala she studied Mohiniattam at the home of doyenne Kalyanikutti Amma and her daughter Shreedevi. Later on she under went the training in the dance form of Bharatnatyam under the skillful guidance of the Dhananjayans and Kalanidhi Narayanan. They are regarded as the geniuses in Bharatanatyam and they used to live in Madras, India. She got the training in Nazrul Geeti (Bengali songs by poet Nazrul) from the famous Purabi Datta, in Calcutta apart from her training in Carnatic vocal music. At the University of Maryland, USA she followed up on her university studies in cultural anthropology. Radha, in dance holds the title of "Nritya Praveen" degree.
Radha Dutta has been reckoned as a world performer. Radha Dutta has given recitals at "Mandapa" in Paris, in the Maharaja`s Palace at the Nishagandhi Dance Festival. The dance festival was organized by the Kerala Department of Tourism. She has playacted in several television telecasts.
She was attached with the renowned Ananda Shankar`s (son of Uday Shankar & nephew of Ravi Shankar) Contemporary Dance Troup, in India.
Throughout her professional dancing career she has given many performances in and outside India. Some of the noted performances in India are: International Dance Alliance (at the Music Academy, Madras); Shankarabharanam Dance Fest (at Mylapore Fine Arts, Madras); Nishagandhi Dance Fest (at Kanakakunnu Palace, Trivandrum); performances at Rabindra Sadan, Calcutta; performances at Kala Mandir, Calcutta; performances at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Calcutta; Padatik--Calcutta`s leading dance venue, Calcutta; India International Centre, New Delhi; Bandish, at Lakshmi Kreeda Mandir, Pune; Science Conference, Bhubaneswar.
To name a few her dance performances in the important centres at U.S are: The Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian, Washington DC; Wolftrap, Internat`l Children`s Festival, Washington DC; Dance Place, Washington DC; Embassy of India, Washington DC; Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple, Washington DC; Univ. of CA: Berkeley, California; Himalayan Fair, San Francisco; University of Los Angeles, LA; Bengali Convention of North America (Banga Sanmelan), New York; Nazrul Conference, New York; Bangladesh Conference of America, New Jersey; Kerala Convention of NAmerica, Wash. DC; Telugu Convention of NA (TANA), Wash. DC; Asian Pacific Heritage events; Murugan Temple of North America; Darpana Dance Fest, Lisner Auditorium, Washington DC. She has been presented to the World Bank by the Embassy of India, Washington DC. Radha Dutta has also performed in other nations also.
Radha Dutta has established her dance and music academy "Kalalayam". At the academy she teaches Bharata Natyam, Mohiniattam, folk dances (including Bangladeshi and South Indian folk styles) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA (near Washington DC, northern Virginia, and Baltimore).
She also gives lessons in Carnatic music and Nazrul Geeti at the academy. Radha Dutta apart from giving training in dancing and music, has also been involved in constituting and initiating the following groups: IDEA--Indian Dance Educators Association (where Radha Dutta was a founder and former director), Sangam (San Francisco), Treasures from Antiquity (Washington, DC), Jukta (Canada & USA), and Trishakha (Washington, DC). Radha Dutta is also an eminent dance critic.
