vasundharadoraswamy

Awards & Accolades

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AbhinayaSharade [Tamilnadu]

Sringara Mani – Mumbai

Rajyothsava Award [Govt of India]

Nritya Yogini – UNESCO/ SutturAstan

NrityaVisharadae – Rotary Namana

NrityaSundari – Karnataka

Natyanjali – Chennai

Natyajyothi – Australia

NatyaSaraswathi – Shimoga

NatyaRatna – Chennai

Natya Rani Shanthala – Bangalore

Natya Rani - Rotary Rangson - Mysore

NatyaMayuri – Chennai

NadaLayaPravaha – Kerala

Millenium – Excellence in Performing Arts - USA

Karnataka Kala Tilaka [Youngest recepient – SangeethaNritya Academy]

Darshana – Kerala

AsthanaNrityaRatna – Sri Krishna Mutt, Udupi

Aryabhata

Vasundhara’s Journey

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Born in Moodabidri, in South Canara to Late Shri P. Nagaraj and Smt.Varada Devi, Vasundhara made her acquaintance with Bharatanatyam at the tender age of 4 under the guidance of Muralidhar Rao and has never looked back. She was a gold medalist at the age of 5 at the state level competition, which highlighted her unlimited potential and prompted her parents to seek out the supervision of Late ShriRajaratnamPillai the student of Pandanallur Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, who continued in the role of her Guru. Vasundhara, through her dedicated training claimed 1st rank in Vidwath Examination conducted by Karnataka Secondary Education Board and 3 consecutive gold medals in State Youth Festivals.
Vasundhara’s marriage to Late Sri H.S.Doraswamy brought her to the princely city of Mysore. The support and encouragement of her husband and family helped her achieve new heights in her artistic quest.
Vasundhara in addition to her achievements in Bharatanatyam over the journey has made additional contributions in terms of multiple productions which have won accolades from renowned critics and has also published papers in the below streams.

Yoga and Bharatanatyam – Interdependence [secured a Doctorate]
Folklore impacts on traditional Indian dances

Annual Festivals

VPAC is going to celebrate Twenty fifth year of completion of classical cultural service conducting four festivals in a year continuously for the last twenty four years, by presenting different classical formats in Dance & music and also providing platform for young and upcoming performers alike, The veterans in their respective fields are felicitated and programmes are arranged, thus conducting…

Festival	Description
PALLAVOTHSAVA	For the Young upcoming Artists
NATARAJAOTHSAVA	For the Male and Couple Dancers
PARANGOTHSAVA	For established and renowned Artists of National & International Stature
CHIGURU SANJE	A festival of Classical Dance for the children below twelve years

Till date, we have the privilege of presenting more than Ten Thousand Junior & Senior Artists of National and International repute. Felicitations of Senior Artists is done by offering Gold Logo, with the below Titles:

Srutisagar for Music
Nritya Sundari for Dance
Vidyasagar for Literature.

Productions

Group productions

ManmathaDahana – A Dance Drama detailing the story of the burning of Manmatha.
Ramayana – A dance drama depicting the story of Lord Rama from his birth to his Coronation.
Shakuntala – Narration of Kalidasa’s Shakuntala through Dance
Sapthagireesha Panigrahana – A dance drama unfolding the events leading to the wedding of Vishnu and Padmavathi.
Vasundhara kanda Kaarantha – This was a Group production by students of Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre, involving various facets of Art like music, dance and drama based on the works of Jnanapith Awardee and famous kannada writer Shivarama Karanth.
Krishna Tula Bara – A Dance drama narrating the story of Sri Krishna Tula Bhara performed by Satyabhama and Rukmini.
Rani Kayikeyi – A dance feature based on Sri Ramayana Darshanam by another Jnanapith Awardee and famous kannada poet Kuvempu.
Vidyunmadanika – A Group choreography where the Sculptor Jakkannachari sees his Sculptures come to life and dance with Lord Chennakeshava.
Suryanamaskara – An innovative group choreography combining Yoga and dance in praise of the Sun God, showing the correlation between the two.
Discovery of India – This group production was based on Nehru’s Discovery of India choreographed to commemorate 50 years of Indian Independence.
Shive Shiva Navarasa – A dance drama narrating the events leading to the display of the Navarasas in Lord Shiva and Godess Parvathi
Gaana Nrutyanjali – Dance choreography to the karnatic music from the basics of learning to the complex compositions of a recital.
Hoysala Vaibhava – A dance drama on the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana and his queen Natyarani Shakuntala and their contribution to the development of Dance.
ChalukyaVaibhava – A dance drama narrating the grandeur of the Chalukya dynasty and its ruler King Pulikesi.
Durga – This is a group choreography narrating the story of GodessDurga bringing an end to the terrorizing demon king – Mahishasura.
Gurubhyo Namaha – This is another innovative choreography bringing together Dance, Yoga and the martial art form of Kalaripayattu.

Solo Productions

Panchali – A narration of the ordeal of a woman Panchali- This choreography saw the coming together of Yakshagana music and Bharatanatyam.
Soundarya Lahari – This is dance feature based on Shankaracharya’s Soundarya Lahari.
Ganga Lahari – This choreography was a detailed narration of the story of Ganga.
Shakuntakunjana – A solo choreography on the story of Shakuntala.
Ambe – A solo dance feature narrating the story of the Queen Ambe who is seen voicing her opinion in the male dominated world.
Dakshayini – A beautiful narration of the humiliation of Dakshayini who jumps into the holy fire and sacrifices herself. These solo productions are the literary masterpieces of Sri Udyavara Madhva Acharya.

Performances & Lecture Demonstrations

Vasundhara has been extensively preforming and conducting workshops/ lecture demonstrations for the past four decades, she has turned into a phenomenon through her performances both in India and abroad including the prestigious UNESCO world peace conference. She has been travelling to the US for the past 10 years to perform and teach. Dr. Doraswamy is a visiting professor at the Alabama University.

Academic qualifications and other prominent roles

M.A in Folklore – University of Mysore.
Doctorate in Yoga and Bharatanatyam – ICCI, Madras.
A – Grade artist of Doordarshan – India.
First Rank – Vidwat in Bharatanatyam – Karnataka.
Member - Audition Committee of Doordarshan Kendra
Advisor - Mysore University Selection Committee for Dance
Member - Expert Committee for Bharatanatyam, Department of Culture, Govt. of India.

Thesis

In 1990, Vasundhara received a Doctorate for her exclusive study on the correlation between Bharatanatyam and Yoga.

Community Work

In addition to grooming hundreds of young talents into professional dancers, the institute offers scholarships to deserving students.
She has performed for numerous charity organisations regularly in the past and has worked successfully a production for the blind and recently with the physically and mentally challenged kids.

Folk connection

Having majored her Master`s degree in Folklore – Vasundhara has been able to creatively amalgamated Yakshagana folk music into her production ‘Panchali’ and is currently working on publishing a paper on Folk dances of India.

About the Institute

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VPAC was established as early as in 1986. Since its inception it has grown from strength to strength and has succeeded in training and grooming hundreds of young talents into exceptional professional dancers.
All languages are expressive mediums and the dialect and grammar is essential for effective expression. The proper approach to mastering any language is first through the dialect and the mastering of grammar follows. In the terms of Bharatanatyam, the dialect consists of various techniques of expressions and movements. It is only after achieving mastery over the technicalities of basic dance movements like Adavus and Theermanams, the perfection or Angashuddha is attained. Following this the learning of Bharatanatyam enters the next phase of training involving, understanding the complexities of the depiction of a character and intricacies of choreography.
At VPAC, we understand that rigorous training in all aspects of Bharatanatyam, is thus significant to nurture the dancer in every student. The student - teacher ratio is also an important aspect if the training is to be effective and scientific. We also understand the need for an interference-free and serene atmosphere to concentrate on the nuances of Dance.
Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre strives to provide precisely these ideal conditions to all aspiring students. Training will be provided by experienced artists endowed with in-depth knowledge of both the dialect and grammar of the dance/music under the supervision of Dr.Vasundhara Doraswamy herself.
The centre offers coaching in Nattuvanga, Bharatanatyam, and Classical Music. We have been regularly conducting Symposiums, Seminars, Workshops, and Lecture Demonstrations for the benefit of the students of VPAC, and Artists in general. We have recently entered in to M.O.U. with Indira Gandhi National Open University New Delhi.
VPAC is celebrating Twenty five years of its service to the Dance and Music Community during the year 2010-2011.
For the past 25 years, Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre has been successfully conducting 4 National Festivals to preserve and promote our rich cultural heritage.

Festival	Description
PALLAVOTHSAVA	For the Young upcoming Artists
NATARAJAOTHSAVA	For the Male and Couple Dancers
PARANGOTHSAVA	For established and renowned Artists of National & International Stature
CHIGURU SANJE	A festival of Classical Dance for the children below twelve years

Till date, VPAC has the privilege of presenting more than Ten Thousand Junior & Senior Artists of National and International repute. Felicitation of Senior Artists is done by offering Gold Medal and conferring the below titles:

Srutisagar for Music
Nritya Sundari for Dance
Vidyasagar for Literature

About Vasundharadoraswamy

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A Danseuse par excellence, versatile choreographer of repute and a venerated guru of Bharatanatyam.
Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy, who hails from the princely city of Mysore, has turned very much a phenomenon in the Indian Classical dance scenario over the past three decades and more of her career. Vasundhara's artistry is the quintessence of the pristine purity of the much sought-after Pandanallur School of which she is the torchbearer.
While her performances are a manifestation of the profound terpsichorean ingenuity marked by impromptu improvisations, esoteric foot-work and bewitching histrionic propensities, her myriad choreographies encompassing a wide spectrum of spiritual and secular themes are striking paradigm of her inventive brilliance.
Vasundhara is one of the pioneer disciples of renowned Shri Pattabhi Jois from Mysore in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, and has earned a Phd for her research and thesis on the correlation between Yoga and Bharatanatyam. Small wonder that accolades and encomiums have been showered upon Vasundhara from an early age. She is the youngest recipient of the 'Karnataka Kala Tilak’ the prestigious award from the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy. They continue to chase her even now, as ever. Even as her academic background, a post-graduate degree in Folklore and a doctorate for the thesis 'Bharatanatyam & Yoga' vouch for a strong penchant for interdisciplinary approach. 'Panchali' - a choreography noted for its singular adaptation of Yakshagana music [form of folk music] to Bharatanatyam is a standing testimony to this sensibility. She has been the only choreographer in Bharatanatyam who has ventured into a dance production of 'Sama Veda' - the fountain head of Indian Classical music and Bharatanatyam. Vasundhara has turned a consummate exponent of the martial arts of 'Tang-ta' and 'Kalarippayattu'. Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre, Mysore of which she is the founding director, is and institution of excellence that continues to groom young talents in Bharathanatyam and Yoga and her disciples are a legion. Also, the four Annual festivals - 'Pallavothsava', 'Natarajothsava' 'Parangathotsava' and ‘Chiguru Sanje’ - which the institute organises in the premier city, is a vehement demonstration of her sincere pursuits to encourage the upcoming talents and honour the outstanding artists.
Vasundhara Doraswamy is an A-Graded Artist in Doordarshan. She is a member of the Audition Committee for Doordarshan Kendra. She is also a member of Mysore University Selection Committee for Dance. She is presently a member of ten members' expert committee for Bharatanatyam appointed by the Department Of Culture, Govt. of India.
Vasundhara is the one and only Bharatanatyam danseuse to have been invited from India to perform for 'WORLD PEACE' in Paris under AEGIS of UNESCO in the presence of 2500 representatives from 137 countries.
She is the only recipient of Asthana Nritya Ratna from Shri Shri Vishwapriyateertha, Shri Krishna Mutt, Udupi. She has been honoured with State Rajyotsava Award [Karnataka], Natya Jyothi [Australia] and Millennium Award [USA].

International Accreaditions & Relations:

Bharatanatyam: Vasundhara travels around the world conducting workshops in Bharatanatyam and Yoga for anywhere between 3-4 months in a year.
She performed at the festival for the 50th Independence celebrations in Sydney. Vasundhara has a branch in Melbourne, and tours Australia regularly on a yearly basis. She conducts summer camps for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in the UK, the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Germany, UK and Austria representing the ICCR [Indian Council for Cultural Relations]. Vasundhara's current tours are primarily based in the US, Singapore and Australia. Vasundhara will be touring the US during the months of June, July and August every year. She is the visiting Professor at Albama University.
Yoga: Vasundhara has conducted numerous workshops all over the world and an official branch for Bharatanatyam &Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in Melbourne Australia led by her daughter-in-law Meghala Bhat.