Event Details

Dancing Emptiness – Kathak by Gauri Diwakar
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Dakshina Nayaka – Kathakali by Sadanam Balakrishnan & Troupe

Gauri Diwakar is a well-known Kathak dancer and choreographer based in New Delhi. She was trained by eminent gurus, such as Sumita Chowdhary, Birju Maharaj, Jai Kishan Maharaj and Aditi Mangaldas. Diwakar’s production Hari Ho…Gati Meri (Let my Salvation be in You) was presented at the Darbar Festival at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Sydney Dance Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, besides many venues in India. Diwakar forms part of the teaching team at the Akram Khan Company’s intensive programme devoted to Kathak. In recognition of her work, she has been awarded a Senior Fellowship by Kalavaahini Trust, Chennai and Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. She is an ‘A’ grade artiste with Doordarshan and an empanelled artiste with the ICCR.

Performing artiste, teacher, choreographer and director, Sadanam Balakrishnan began his study of Kathakali under Kondiveetil Narayanan Nair Asan under the patronage of the late Brahmashree Kurumathur Narayanan Namboodiripad. At Gandhi Seva Sadanam, a Kathakali academy in Kerala, he studied under the renowned gurus, Ramunni Nair and K. Kumaran Nair.  After completing an eight-year diploma course at Sadanam, Balakrishnan undertook the two-year post diploma course with a Central Government scholarship and earned first class honours. In his illustrious career, Balakrishnan has been part of various institutions viz. the International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, as a senior artiste and teacher; Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, as Senior Visiting Fellow and Head of the Department of Kathakali. He is a ‘top’ graded artiste of Doordarshan, a recipient of the Padma Shri and Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, among others.

Balakrishnan will be presenting Dakshina Nayaka‘, a fictional story of a king who enjoys entertaining more than one wife. Love or romance is the predominant mood with jealousy and truculence leading to humorous situations.

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