Indian Classical Dancers are the torch bearers' of Classicism who have had forayed into self chosen ways of traditional upswings to become the dancers they have become. Some of the well know2n Classical Dancers are Alokananda Roy, Swami Haridas, Amita Dutt, Chitra Vishweswaran, Padma Subramanyam, Madhavi Mudgal, Mahua Mukherjee and many other exponents.Sonal Mansingh
Sonal Mansingh is one of the finest classical dancers of the country, who has made her mark in the field of Odissi Dance. She was born on 1st May 1943 to a devout mother Poornima Pakvasa who had a love for creative art. Sonal Mansingh took up dance as profession at a time when it still had not gained respectability as a profession. Prejudices still exist in order that a dancer was called names like 'nautch girl', she did not pay heed to such snide remarks. She grew up in a family, which emphasized through their living, the values of the free Indian spirit. Her grand father Mangaldas Pakvasa, a freedom fighter was a man who believed in equality of gender. He instilled in her, timeless values that she still cherishes today and encouraged her artistic talents, which she wanted to use to serve the cause of culture with dignity through dance. So the support from grandfather and mother to learn dance raised the great dancer. To her dance is a part of the environment and dance forms should reflect issues of the society and she firmly believes that art forms have the power to bring even countries closer. Some of her choreographic works reflects issues concerning women and environment.
Yamini Krishnamurthy
Yamini Krishnamurthy is an exponent of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi and has dedicated her life to Indian classical dance for decades. This eminent dancer of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi, Yamini Krishnamurthy was born into a Telugu family on a full moon night in 1940 at Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Yamini's father, M. Krishnamurthy, was a Sanskrit scholar and grandfather was an expert in Urdu poetry. Her grandfather named her 'Yamini Poornatilaka', that means "a beautiful mark on the brow of light". Her charisma and stage presence were recognized when she gave her debut in 1957 in Chennai. She became one of the most admired dancers in the country by 1960. Her performances brought about national and international recognition to the classical styles of Bharat Natyam and Kuchipudi. Yamini's played significant role in popularizing Kuchipudi that was then emerging as a solo dance form of Andhra Pradesh in southern India.
Mallika Sarabhai
Mallika Sarabhai is one of the most renowned Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancers in India today. This performer and creator of many talents developed from being a young, internationally acclaimed classical dancer and film personality, to being an activist and commentator on social issues. Positive reassertion of images of womanhood has been reflected through her dance, theatre and writing. She exercises the vocabularies of Indian traditions as biting tools to carve new reactions in a culture, which favors conservatism. As dancer, actress, choreographer, writer, or instigator of community projects she challenges audiences to sit up and think, realign themselves to questions of ecology, women's place in society, gender awareness, cultural atrophy, the very place of the arts in our society. Dynamic, charming and dry-witted, she is a rare creature in the arts. It is her expertise and deep knowledge of two forms of Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh respectively at the root of Mallika's performance. Mallika received her first award in 1977. Along with many salutations she was the recipient of the "French Palme D'or", the highest civilian award by the French Government and in Paris she was honored as the 'Best Soloist Artist' among 400 dancers from 25 countries among other awards.
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