Senior Fellowship - Minsitry of Culture - Govt of India

“Truth & Knowledge cannot be contained…..” says Prakriti as she gracefully acknowledges the award on her return from Kolkata where she was invited to speak at a seminar on dance & also conduct the 5th session  of her workshop for senior dancers & teachers of the city.
“For me this award is a recognition of the work of a lifetime dedicated to the art by my Guru Talavidwan T. S Kadhirvellu Pillai. I look upon this as an opportunity to popularize his work & contribution amongst serious students of dance across the globe.

The fellowship is for my research on the unique & unusual technique of cross-rhythm which is the hallmark of our style & was propagated by my Guru. Thru this research, a distinct methodology for tala training & nattuvangam (the art of playing the cymbals) will be available to any Bharata Natyam student who wishes to pursue & teach dance.

It is very important to understand that performing & teaching dance are different skills, both of which require specialized study & understanding.  However, it most cases dance training is focused on the performing aspect. Rhythm & tala being intrinsic to dance, the student gains some understanding of it but rarely gets an opportunity to study it in depth. The problem arises when a student usually after completing her arangetram decides to start teaching……& this is a common practice!! With no solid foundation in tala or nattuvangam which is very essential to a Bharata Natyam teacher who is usually the chief conductor or 'nattuvanaar' of a dance recital, the teacher is at a loss on how to proceed after the basic preliminary is over & the student suffers.

Just like in any other skills, you need to apprentice under an expert to learn the art, same is with dance. If you wish to teach, you need to first train under a guru adept in the tala shastras & the technique of playing the talams, choreography, jati recitation etc. Only then will you be capable enough to impart your understanding of this intricate art-form to a student. It is a huge responsibility as students give their time, trust & of course money to say the least.

As teaching dance is a more lucrative preposition, many start teaching for the money & the result is a marked deterioration in the dance …. The student can hardly be blamed for this but can definitely be more awares!!

My whole effort is to make available a 'system' & 'methodology' especially for tala, nattuvangam & rhythmic choreography to all those who wish to teach dance so that they are not just good dancers but responsible teachers as well.”

Prakriti also seeks to popularize the very unusual style of cross-rhythm nattuvangam & intricate jati choreography which is rarely seen in a dance recital today.

Infact, since over 3 years, Prakriti  has been invited by prestigious dance & art institutes across the country, including the world renowned Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, Chennai to conduct  the “Nritta  Nattuvangam” workshop for senior dance students & teachers. The workshop which is divided into 3 modules of 7-10 days each have been widely appreciated by the dance fraternity. Various students from across the globe now train under her guidance regularly as she also holds residential workshops at her institute in Mumbai twice a year in May & October for Mumbai based & outstation students.

Apart from this, NRITYAM- a 2-day performing arts festival is hosted by her institute Shiladhish Art & Research Institute wherein artistes from across the country are presented & it also serves as a platform to create interest & art-awareness amongst the people of the metropolis.