WOMAD

Pallavi Saran Mathur

From India

The lustrous and exotically beautiful Pallavi Saran Mathur is undoubtedly one of the highly talented and fastest rising stars to have come out of the Indian classical dance circuit in recent years. Pallavi is gifted with beauty, an agile figure and talent and that's not all. She is polite and attentive, highly creative and very hardworking. She is in possession of all the right elements to make her a potential superstar and a dancing legend. Pallavi is destined to be an important new force in the making if she continues to pursue her career at this pace with sheer dedication and determination. From eastern India to the east coast of America, the audiences everywhere have already began to feel a fresh wave of graceful (dance which conveys an emotion) and ' ' (conveyance of an idea which create a feeling). Pallavi's 'ghungroos' (clutch of bells tied to the ankles of a dancer), will surely create wave after wave whenever she takes to the stage under the spotlights. Pallavi has been trained by the legend Sonal Mansingh for over 14 years. She has also had the privilege to perform with her on innumerable occasions. In 2003 Pallavi graduated from Lady Shri Ram College in India, in World Literature. This course of study has provided Pallavi with an innate sensitivity and appreciation of world cultures, and therefore the special ability to present her art in that perspective. Whilst studying, Pallavi constantly won numerous inter- college dance competitions. In 2000 and 2001 she won the first prize at the Indian Institute of Technology Festivals. It inspired her to turn professional but Pallavi maintains that it takes years of' (dedication and practise) to become a true artiste. In August 2004, Pallavi was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi National Award for Dance. When Pandit Ravi Shankar attended Pallavi's ' ' (maiden public solo performance with guru's blessing) in 2001, he was full of praise for the new dancing sensation. He commented: She is such a wonderful upcoming artist she is beautiful, she has all the correct guidance and possibility and we all feel she is going to be a wonderful dancer. India's leading women's periodical has recently featured Pallavi in its 45 anniversary issue and rated her among India's top 45 women from all disciplines who are 'on the fast track' to stardom.Pallavi is also committed to make better understood and appreciated by those who are unfamiliar with its lyrics and Indian mythology. To this end, Pallavi has started a series of presentations entitled “ In search of the Essence of India Journeys with a Dancer”. Her very first such presentation at the Lighthouse Centre, New York City was performed before a full house and was highly acclaimed by the audience.