Choreographer Mayuri Upadhya's Art Is A Subtle Blend Of Tradition & Transformation

Choreographer Mayuri Upadhya's Art Is A Subtle Blend Of Tradition & Transformation
Mayuri Upadhya

Mayuri Upadhya is an Indian choreographer, dancer, entrepreneur and TV personality based in Bengaluru, India. Known for her rhythmic artistry and ability to transform a simple thought into an experience, she is one of the most sought-after choreographers from India. She got critical acclaim in 2004 with her work ‘Ardhanarishwara’, which talked about the masculinity and the femininity residing within each of us. Oum, Yantra, Footnote, Dwandwa, are a few of her earliest works. Mayuri also choreographed the highly acclaimed and successful ‘Kali’ in the year 2008, which depicts the deepest recesses of our unconsciousness which is wild, raw and untamed.

Mayuri’s career has foraged beyond the traditional dance network. Her canvas of work depicts a fairly wide range. Spanning two decades, it is a beautifully balanced mix of visual interpretations, cultural sensitivity, conditioning future generations, and capacity building. The spectrum of her creativity features cinemascope renditions, experimental works, and emotion-stirring choreography like her contemporary work in Bollywood movies — 'Mirzya', the magnum opus, ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Raunaq and Jassi’ and Harivanshrai Bachchan's ‘Madhushala’, to name a few.

Apart from choreography, she has also been designing and leading the Sublime's Teaching for Arts India initiative, curating the dance portfolio for Serendipity Arts Festival (2019-2020), and actively working in preserving and promoting cultural traditions by presenting it in the modern context. Mayuri is one of the judges for the dancing reality shows Dancing Stars Seasons 2 and 3 (a BBC production), Master Dancer (a Viacom 18 production on Colors Network) and Dancing Champion (Lokesh Productions).

Nritarutya

In 2000, Mayuri founded Nritarutya with her sister, Madhuri. It is one of India’s foremost dance companies creating innovative, visceral and ethereal experiences which widen the perceptions of dance. Their artistic creations celebrate India’s cultural magnificence and weave innovation into tradition. At the same time, their education wing works towards conditioning and providing access to the younger generation of dance enthusiasts through their numerous training and development projects. Nritarutya has become stronger with every passing day under the artistic direction of Mayuri, and its students perform at the biggest platforms in our country and across the world.

"Dance is like a mould of clay that can constantly change shapes — ones I want to play with, break and recreate."
Mayuri Upadhya

Winner of numerous awards, including a Manav Ratna for contributions to the field of Arts and Culture and international competitions for Choreography Concept in South Korea, Mayuri is driven by her passion for bringing innovation to her art. She is redefining the way dance is perceived, appreciated and treated.

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