Event Details

An online dance outreach program for children aimed at building exposure towards the different dance forms through specially curated sessions covering various topics related to Indian folk and classical dance.

Marga Natya Online Lecture Demonstration by Pinki Mondal & Rudra Prasad Roy
Schools: Adarsh Hindi High School, Kolkata & Sanskrit Collegiate School, Kolkata

Telecast live on NCPA YouTube Page

Session is supported by Godrej Agrovet

Pinki Mondal is trained in Mohiniattyam and Bharatanatyam since childhood, a classical dance practitioner, got introduced to Marga Natya in a workshop conducted by Piyal Bhattacharya. The first female student of Piyal Bhattacharya, who assisted him in numerous workshops and lecture-demonstrations of Vakyarthabhinaya and Angikabhinaya. Also, enlisted as the senior student under the Guru-Shishya Parampara sytem of ‘Training Programme in Marga Natya’ by the Drama section, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, India, 2017-18. Presently working as the Dance faculty at an NGO, Ektara and classical physical movement trainer at Sapphire Creations. A multifaceted individual who believes in perfecting her skills in any art form. Though a postgraduate in Political Science, she is proficient in Sanskrit and has been an eager disciple in the research projects for the maiden production of the Rupaka, Padma Prabhritakam – The Lotus Consent in 2019. For a year she has studied Sanskrit and SanskritSahitya under Tanmay Bhattacharya, of the Department of TOL (Traditional Oriental Learning) Sanskrit College and University, Kolkata.

A dedicated senior disciple who has been developing and polishing her language skills by learning Panini under Dr. Rakesh Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Sanskrit Studies, Ramkrishna Mission Vivekananda Research and Educational Institute, Belur, West Bengal. Currently undergoing training of Vachikabhinaya, Sattvikabhinaya and Angikabhinaya of Bharata’s Natyashastraic system under Guru Shri Piyal Bhattacharya. It is a long-term process that has spanned over ten years. Her initiation in dance started with Bharatnatyam and received Nrityaprabha Upadhi in Bharatnattyam from Bengal Music College. Simultaneously she received training in Kathak from Ipshita Pradhan and in Mohiniatyyam from Mohana Iyer & Priyadarshini (Ghosh) Shome. To develop in a complete sense as an art practitioner she has started her training under Guru S. Srinivasan for Carnatic Taala, Vocal & Mridangam and learning Dhrupad of Dagar Tradition from Piyal Bhattacharya and Seuli Chakraborty.

Rudra Prasad Roy, a dedicated Indian Contemporary dancer, trained under Mamata Shankar for 17 years into the ‘Uday Shankar style’, following Uday’s thoughts and movements. But to follow his dreams he stretched his wings and learnt various other dance-expressions such as afro-contemporary, Jazz, Martha-Graham technique, and to understand the Indian roots he learnt Chhau, Kalaripayettu, Thang-ta, Marga Natya and Kandyam dance. After receiving training at Udayan-an institution for ‘Uday Shankar-style of dance’ run by Mamata Shankar, he worked in Mamata Shankar Ballet troop and performed in numerous prestigious festivals in Indian and abroad. This includes his performances at Uday Shankar Dance Festival Kolkata (2003 & 2011), Khajuraho Dance Festival (2004), USA tour for Biswa Banga Sammelan and Singapore tour (2005), Tari Festival Malaysia (2007), Bahrain and Busan International Dance Festival (2008), Muscat (2009), Diamond Jubilee celebration of Doordarshan (2009), Europe tour conducted by ICCR (2010), Russia and Europe tour (2012) and Doha (2014). In 2015, he establishes his own dance institute ‘Kundarali Payel Chakraborty Dance Academy’, dedicated to his dear wife. This saw the daylight with the hope of training tiny-pots and dance enthusiasts in new vistas of Indian Contemporary. Not hinging upon a singular but delving upon multiple thoughts and having an underlying coherence with each other, this institute and its founder Rudra Prasad Roy aspires to take a new glide of improvisation, keeping their roots in the Indian soil, while developing multifarious branches of Indian Contemporary. The main aim here lies in making the students understand what Indian Contemporary is, what Modern Indian dances are and make them realise about the traditions of India, along of with the idea of Contemporary. The founder wishes to continue the training of his students in this was for next five years and then to decide how to proceed further on the basis of the growth of the learners.

Please note: The video will be available for a week post the live lecture/demonstration.