ANITA RATNAM (Artistic Director,
Arangham Dance Theatre), as dancer, choreographer, cultural commentator,
actor-producer and publisher, reinforces an exciting and vigorous vocabulary
in her art and life. Her foundational training is in Bharatanatyam
in the Kalakshetra style, supplemented by the Kerala traditions of Kathakali
and Mohiniattam. Ratnam holds a Master's degree in Theatre and Television
from the University of New Orleans. After 10 years as a New York television
producer (1980-90) including a weekly talk show, the highly acclaimed "Festival
of India" television series, and two Emmy nominations, she returned to
India. Based in Chennai, she founded Arangham Trust in 1992, a foundation
for the promotion and international collaboration of dance and allied performance
disciplines. She co-founded and directed The Other Festival (1998 - 2006)
- India's only annual contemporary arts festival. In 2000 she created www.narthaki.com,
the award-winning Indian dance portal with over 300,000 hits each month.
A cultural activist, an articulate advocate for women's rights and a compelling
speaker, Ratnam addresses diverse forums and constantly innovates new roles
for community participation in the arts. One of India's most celebrated
dance icons, she uses the arts as a proactive tool for change and visits
many educational institutions around India and abroad to conduct contact
workshops, write, speak and share her innovative ideas on dance and 'physical
theatre'. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Ancient Tamil Theatre
Studies.
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