8 Timeless Female Indian Classical Dancers & their Legacy

By: Navyasri, Writer, Women Entrepreneur

Fine arts, classical and folk music, and dances have been practised in India for thousands of years. Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, and Odissi are some of the world-famous dance genres that originated and evolved in India. Discover the Indian female classical dancers who have made important contributions to their area in this article. Mrinalini Sarabhai, Rukmini Devi Arundale, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, and Yamini Krishnamurthy are among the many renowned Indian female classical dancers on this list.

Rukmini Devi

Rukmini Devi is regarded as one of Bharatanatyam's most illustrious artists. Her role as an artist was more than just expounding on the subject. But she was a key figure in transforming the dance form into the one we know today. Sadhir was the name given to Bharatanatyam, a vulgar dance form that was actually an extension of Devadasi dance. By removing the erotic elements and introducing instruments, Rukmini Devi revolutionised the dance. Bringing in creative costumes and accessories inspired by temple designs and sculptures, for example. Rukmini Devi and her master E Krishna Iyer owe a great deal to Bharatanatyam as we know it today. Her collaborations with eminent academics and artists resulted in the creation of dance dramas. They were based on epics like the Ramayana and the Gita Govinda, among others.

Mrinalini Sarabhai

Mrinalini Sarabhai was a master of both Bharatanatyam and Kathakali dance. She was the first woman to learn and perform Kathakali, a male-dominated dance style. She also helped to popularise Bharatanatyam outside of temples and establish it as a legitimate dance in other creative circles. She founded and directed the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. Thousands of people have received training at the institute in dance, music, theatre, and puppetry. Her daughter Mallika Sarabhai is a well-known and brilliant dancer, and she was married to renowned physicist Vikram Sarabhai.

Mallika Sarabhai is a Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer who has won awards. She is the current director of the Darpana Academy and a passionate champion for women's empowerment as well as a well-known social activist.

Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma

Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma owes a great deal to Mohiniyattam. She was born in Kerala and fought tirelessly to bring this classical dance form back from the brink of extinction. She has also written works on Mohiniyattam and helped give it a formal structure. Her work Mohiniyattam- History and Dance Structure is the dance form's most accurate record. Mrinalini Sarabhai, as well as her children Sreedevi Rajan and Kala Vijayan, are among her students.

Kalyanikutty Kalamandalam Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, a Kathakali artist, was Amma's husband. She was also in charge of propagating Mohiniyattam to countries outside of India, such as Russia.

Shovana Narayan

Shovana Narayan, a disciple of Birju Maharaj, is a well-known Kathak dancer. Shovana Narayan is well-known as a performer and choreographer for incorporating a wide range of expressions and dimensions. She is a bold experimenter who has enthralled audiences for decades. She has also cooperated with numerous international artists and dancers due to her depth and passion. Shovana Narayan is also the author of numerous dance and performing arts publications. She was given the Padma Shri honour and continues to host traditional dance festivals every year.

Yamini Krishnamurthy

Yamini Krishnamurthy, a renowned Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, began her training at Rukmini Devi's Kalashetra. She is also known as the Kuchipudi torchbearer, as she is skilled in Carnatic music and the Veena. She has been given the Padma Vibhushan and runs a dancing school for budding dancers.

Sonal Mansingh, V. Satyanarayana Sarma, Padma Subrahmanyam, Tanjore Balasaraswati, Kumari Kamala, Alarmel Velli, and many other great classical dancers have left their mark.

Classical dance is, without a doubt, a form of devotion and divinity in and of itself. Those who reach their pinnacles are frequently an extension of it.

Manju Warrier

Manju Warrier is an Indian actress, producer, director, dancer, and singer who is best known for her work in Malayalam cinema. Warrier, one of the most well-known actresses of her generation, has won numerous honours, including the Filmfare Awards South, the Kerala State Film Award, and the National Film Award. She is one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective. Warrier has been a skilled dancer since she was in elementary school and has received numerous accolades. For two years, she was awarded the Kalathilakam at the Kerala Youth Festival. She made her first appearance in the Doordarshan television series Moharavam. She is also a professional Kuchipudi dancer who studied with Geetha Padmakumar.

Aditi Rao Hydari

Aditi Rao Hydari is the great-granddaughter of Akbar Hydari, the colonial Hyderabad Prime Minister. She began her training in Bharatanatyam as a youngster and went on to earn awards for her performances in films like Yeh Saali Zindagi and Padmaavat. She was also secretly married at the age of 21 but later divorced. Hydari began her career as a Bharatanatyam dancer, after becoming interested in the art form as a result of her 11-year friendship with Leela Samson. After seeing her dance performance at a conference, Ramanathan was intrigued with her "vulnerable and fresh face" and likeness to dancer Shobana, he gave her the role in the film sringaram.

Sudha Chandran

Sudha Chandran, a popular Indian dancer and performer, has been a wonderful dancer since she was a child. She was 16 when she lost her right leg to gangrene as a result of an accident. Sudha went on to win a National Award for the film Mayuri despite having to act with a prosthetic leg.