Dance, the Odissi way

An epitome of elegance and an even more beautiful Odissi dancer, Padmashri Madhavi mudgal will be in the ciy on August 9, to demonstrate and lecture students on the dance form and also teach a few techniques on it. Madhavi Mudgal was born into a family actively involved in propagating classical art forms, as a result of which Mudgal was immersed in music and dance from a very young age. Trained in Bharata Natyam and Kathak, under great gurus after which she turned to Odissi which she adopted as her preferred medium. She learnt fundamnetal Odissi under guru Hare Krishna Bahera and later, she came under the tutelage of the renowned Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra.She has great command over the ornamental aspect of Odissi and her delicate postures and rhythmic footwork combine and portray an appealing flow of sculpturesque movements.  She has been teaching, performing and conducting workshops, and is also actively involved in propagating Odissi across the country as well as the world. She has trained a number of accomplished students who have been recognised as great performers. In 1985, she organized a seminar and festival, Angahaar, a first of its kind event in New Delhi when gurus, scholars and dancers met to revisit the origins of Odissi and think about the future trends of the dance form. She also directed and produced a short audio-visual documentary that was screened at the festival.Madhavi’s father, the late Professor Vinay Chandra Maudgalya was the founder of the famous Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi’s first and most highly reputed institution for the teaching of Hindustani music and classical dance. Madhavi has been teaching Odissi at this institute for many years.For her contribution to the art, Madhavi Mudgal received the Sanskriti Award and the President of India’s award, the Padmashri besides the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to the world of Indian Dance.