Murugashankari Leo

Murugashankari Leo

Murugashankari Leo, Bharatanatyam Danseuse
Born Murugashankari.L
1983 Chennai, India
Occupation Bharatanatyam Danseuse, Research Scholar & Theater Actor
Years active 2000–present
Spouse(s) Vivekh Kumar
Parent(s) 'Kalaimamani' Leo Prabu, Usha Prabu
Website kalaikoodam.org

Murugashankari Leo is an accomplished Bharatanatyam artiste, teacher of Bharatantyam, theatre actor and research scholar. Bharatantyam is an ancient Indian classical dance form which is known for its beauty, grace and uniqueness. Murugashankari performs this world-renowned art form Bharatanatyam and has given many recitals across India and in other countries. She runs an instituition Kalai Koodam - Academy of Performing Arts in Chennai where training in Bharatanatyam is imparted. She is also trained in Carnatic music and Nattuvangam.

Murugashankari is one of those rarely found, uniquely talented dance teachers who have the capacity to conduct their students' dance recitals by both singing and doing the nattuvangam simultaneously. Equipped in various aspects necessary to be a wholesome artiste and teacher, Shankari is also a trained Yoga Teacher of the Sivananda Tradition at the Meenakshi Ashram, Madurai.

Early life

Murugashankari hails from a family of artistes. Her father Leo Prabu is a veteran dramatist, Television Personality and a yesteryear actor in Tamil movies who has played pivotal roles in a number of Tamil films like Rendum Rendum Anju, Naan Mahaan Alla, Annae Annae, Paer Sollum Pillai etc. He is the recipient of ‘Kalaimamani’, the highest state award by the government of Tamil Nadu for Tamil Theater. His achievements as an actor is well known in Tamil Nadu, India.

Murugashankari is an alumnus of Adarsh Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai and went on to do her Chemical Engineering from Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering.

Dance career

Performance in Bangalore

According to the Guru-Shishya Parampara Murugashankari started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 5 from the legendary dance teacher ‘Kalaimamani’ K.J.Sarasa. Later she completed her Arangetram (debut performance) under the guidance of the illustrious teacher ‘Kalaimamani’ Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala. A Chemical Engineer by education, Murugashankari made the conscious decision of pursuing her passion and following her dreams of becoming a full time artiste. She completed her Masters in Bharatanatyam from the Bharathidasan University and is now a Research scholar.

Concert tours

Murugashankari has performed in all major sabhas and prestigious dance festivals all over India and has presented her concerts in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. A list of a few select concerts

During Performance at Naada Neerajanam, Tirumala Tirupathi
At Navarathri Festival at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple

Awards and Credentials

In Hyderabad

Theater Actor

Murugashankari played the lead in Stage Image's latest Tamil Drama Neruppu Kolangal. This play was very well received in Chennai, with articles in the press commending the play and Murugashankari's acting in it. This play incorporates in it, the classical dance and a song both rendered by Murugashankari which is its unique attraction.

During a performance at Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple

References

    1. http://www.kalaikoodam.org/ Official website
    2. http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/review-of-l-murugashankaris-dance-recital/article7180882.ece. Friday Review, The Hindu, Bangalore, May 8, 2015
    3. http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/A-Visually-Scintillating-Performance/2014/01/13/article1996996.ece. City Express, Supplement of The New Indian Express, Chennai, Jan 13th, 2014
    4. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-arts/chen-dance/rhythmic-tribute-to-swati-tirunal/article4054156.ece. Friday Review, The Hindu, Chennai
    5. http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/kaleidoscope-of-art-forms/article2795707.ece. Friday Review, The Hindu, Tiruchirapalli
    6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY79gWhO1sE. Performance Glimpse
    7. https://afternoondc.in/culture/a-sparkling-dance-festival/article_97497
      Afternoon D&C, Mumbai
    8. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/celebration-of-dance/article5531273.ece. Friday Review, The Hindu, Andhra Pradesh, Jan 3rd 2014
    9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzDiSdGLlFs. TedX Talk Video of Murugashankari
    10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtreP4M_3UM. Interview of Murugashankari in Kalaignar Television
    11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBrgV0d8yZ0. Murugashankari featured in the News segment in Vasantham Television, Singapore
    12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsR3YT04CDE. Murugashankari featured in the show 'Talam-Indian Beat' in Vasantham Television, Singapore
    13. http://www.carnaticdarbar.com/review/2011/review_99.asp. Review/Report of one of Murugashankari's recitals.
    14. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/visually-pleasing/article6246365.ece. Murugashankari's performance review in Friday Review of THE HINDU, 25 July 2014.
    15. http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/review-of-l-murugashankaris-dance-recital/article7180882.ece. Murugashankari's performance review in Friday Review of THE HINDU, 7 May 2015.
    16. http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/The-Kuravanci-Key-to-Mass-Appeal/2015/05/12/article2809233.ece. A Report about Tamizharasi Kuravanci by Murugashankari and her disciple (students of Kalai Koodam) in the Indian Express on 12 May 2015.
    17. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/vasant-utsav-dance-festival/article7206987.ece. A Report about Tamizharasi Kuravanci by Murugashankari and her disciple (students of Kalai Koodam) in the FRIDAY REVIEW, THE HINDU, on 15 May 2015.
    18. http://epaper.tamilmirror.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=899:20150814&catid=35:epaper. Interview on Page 16.
    19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0gYUSikIE&hd=1. Interview on Woman's Day for Dinamalar.com, a leading Web TV of the popular daily newspaper of Tamil Nadu Dinamalar.

    Further reading

    http://www.artindia.net/murugashankari.html. Website featuring leading exponents of Bharatanatyam
    http://features.kalaparva.com/2013/12/dance-like-thyself-murugashankari-leo.html. Interview in a Website which contains information of Indian classical dancers.

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