October 12-14, 2005 Mallika
Sarabhai: Hot Talas, Cool Rasas
Mallika
Sarabhai (M.BA, Ph.D)
Director, Darpana Academy
Mallika
Sarabhai is a performer and creator of many talents. Her
career has developed from being a young, internationally
acclaimed, classical dancer and film personality, to being
an activist and commentator on social issues. As an artist
she celebrates positives reaffirmation of images of womanhood
through dance, theater and writing. As dancer, actress,
choreographer, writer, and instigator of community projects
she challenges audiences to sit up and think, to realign
themselves to questions of ecology, the role of women,
gender awareness, cultural atrophy and the very place
of the arts in our society.
K.
Jayan
Musician, composer
K.
Jayan trained in vocal music from early childhood, and
is Darpana's lead vocalist. He also plays a variety of
instruments and is involved in composing for many of Darpana's
new performance pieces. He has toured in India and abroad
with the Darpana Performance Group, teaching workshops
in leading Universities.
Sonal
Solanki
Dancer, teacher
Sonal
joined Darpana as a student of Bharatanatyam in 1985.
She graduated in 1992 and started apprenticing with the
professional company. She also studied folk dancing with
Janavak and started performing. She has been part of the
Darpana Performing Group since 1998`. As a member of this
core group she is trained in Kalaripayettu, contemporary
dance and dance theater. She played the lead in Darpana's
musical threatre production. Ashwamedha, and has started
choreographing with her first short solo "Bonsai".
She has acted in a variety of TV serials with D.Com and
has taught dance workshops in several countries. She continues
touring extensively with Darpana.
Arundhati Singha
Dancer
Arundhati
started her training in Manipuri and Bharatanatyam at
the age of 7 in Guwahati and continued for 5 years. She
then joined Kalakshetra and completed her diploma and
post diploma there. She has a received scholarship for
advanced training in Bharatanatyam from the Ministry of
Culture, Government of India. She has performed extensively
with the Kalakshetra dance group including in a year long
performance series during the Centenary Celebration of
Rukmini Devi Arundale. She has been performing with Darpana
since 2004.
Manoj Bagga
Dancer, Teacher
Manoj
Bagga joined Darpana in 1992. He has completed his graduation
in Bharatanatyam. He is also a folk and contemporary dancer
and has performed all over India and the world with the
Darpana Performing Group.
Akshay Patel
Dancer, Teacher
Akshay
Patel joined Darpana in 1989 and learnt folk dancing.
He later also learnt Bharatnatyam. Today he is one of
the group's lead dancers in classical, contemporary and
folk styles and has toured the world with the group since
1994. He has toured in India and abroad with Darpana.
D. Padmakumar
Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, Martial Artist
D.
Padmakumar is a trained martial artist in the Kalaripayettu
form of Kerala, a Bharata Natyam dancer and a contemporary
choreographer. He has trained many dancers in the use
of martial arts for dance and has choreographed many pieces.
He has performed and taught all over India and the world
with Darpana.
Yadavan Chandran
(B.Sc. Visual Communications)
Film maker, Technical Expert
Yadavan
has been Co-ordinator of Darpana's visual communications
department since 2001. Under him the department has produced
over 1000 hours of development oriented broadcast programming
on issues of gender, empowerment, health, hugiene, communal
and religious violence and human rights. He also designs
lights and videoscapes for performances and is a graphic
designer
Minakshi Baria
Dancer
Minakshi
joined Darpana as a student of Bharatanatyam in 2000.
She also studied folk dancing with Janavak and started
performing. She has started touring with Darpana since
earlier this year.
Mallika
Sarabhai is a performer and creator of many talents. Her
career has developed from being a young, internationally
acclaimed, classical dancer and film personality, to being
an activist and commentator on social issues. As an artist
she celebrates positives reaffirmation of images of womanhood
through dance, theater and writing. As dancer, actress,
choreographer, writer, and instigator of community projects
she challenges audiences to sit up and think, to realign
themselves to questions of ecology, the role of women,
gender awareness, cultural atrophy and the very place
of the arts in our society.
K.
Jayan trained in vocal music from early childhood, and
is Darpana's lead vocalist. He also plays a variety of
instruments and is involved in composing for many of Darpana's
new performance pieces. He has toured in India and abroad
with the Darpana Performance Group, teaching workshops
in leading Universities.
Sonal
joined Darpana as a student of Bharatanatyam in 1985.
She graduated in 1992 and started apprenticing with the
professional company. She also studied folk dancing with
Janavak and started performing. She has been part of the
Darpana Performing Group since 1998`. As a member of this
core group she is trained in Kalaripayettu, contemporary
dance and dance theater. She played the lead in Darpana's
musical threatre production. Ashwamedha, and has started
choreographing with her first short solo "Bonsai".
She has acted in a variety of TV serials with D.Com and
has taught dance workshops in several countries. She continues
touring extensively with Darpana.
Arundhati
started her training in Manipuri and Bharatanatyam at
the age of 7 in Guwahati and continued for 5 years. She
then joined Kalakshetra and completed her diploma and
post diploma there. She has a received scholarship for
advanced training in Bharatanatyam from the Ministry of
Culture, Government of India. She has performed extensively
with the Kalakshetra dance group including in a year long
performance series during the Centenary Celebration of
Rukmini Devi Arundale. She has been performing with Darpana
since 2004.
Manoj
Bagga joined Darpana in 1992. He has completed his graduation
in Bharatanatyam. He is also a folk and contemporary dancer
and has performed all over India and the world with the
Darpana Performing Group. 
Akshay
Patel joined Darpana in 1989 and learnt folk dancing.
He later also learnt Bharatnatyam. Today he is one of
the group's lead dancers in classical, contemporary and
folk styles and has toured the world with the group since
1994. He has toured in India and abroad with Darpana.
D.
Padmakumar is a trained martial artist in the Kalaripayettu
form of Kerala, a Bharata Natyam dancer and a contemporary
choreographer. He has trained many dancers in the use
of martial arts for dance and has choreographed many pieces.
He has performed and taught all over India and the world
with Darpana.
Yadavan
has been Co-ordinator of Darpana's visual communications
department since 2001. Under him the department has produced
over 1000 hours of development oriented broadcast programming
on issues of gender, empowerment, health, hugiene, communal
and religious violence and human rights. He also designs
lights and videoscapes for performances and is a graphic
designer