About me
Padmini Ravi
A journey in dance for over four decades — an exponent of the ancient craft of Bharatanatyam in Bangalore, a performer and a teacher who reveals a new dimension to dance.
ravi.padminiravi@gmail.com
+91 98450 48462
The past years of international travel and exposure bring a new approach to dance.
Following her success in the classical arts, Padmini went on to explore allied art forms such as theatre, folk forms, classical music and cinematography. Padmini has trained over 500 students internationally. The relationships shared along the journey exposed the various elements of dance that did not fall as a part of mainstream training. Upon detailed and in-depth research came the clarity that these elements of dance, which are not mainstream, are a core part of the craft as per its origin.
Her students have now branched out into independent schools in choreography, teaching and training, performance, television and cinema. Being the recipient of the Sangeetha Nritya Academy Award as well as the State Rajyotsava Award for her contribution to the field of dance, Padmini's name is synonymous with innovation, integrity and quality.
Padmini Ravi has conducted and participated in seminars, workshops, chamber performances and performance tours around the world, networking with a range of organizations such as universities, sabhas and students' networks. She has also collaborated with theatre and music groups to create new performance texts in the arts.
She received a grant by the Ford Foundation to produce a feature film, “Shringara”, the first of its kind in a classical arts-related film. This film project was the beginning of yet another convergence of the media and the arts that could lead to the generation of new energies and ideas in the world of arts and culture.
Awards
- The State Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy Award
- The State Karnataka Rajyotsava Award
Qualification
- Graduate in Economics, University of Chennai — 1978
- Post Graduate in History, Manasagangotri, Mysore — 1992
Professional profile
Five lives in one practice
A Dancer
- Commenced training in the year 1967.
- Performed over 1000 shows globally. Broke the rigid barriers of the perception of the classical form by collaborating with allied crafts like folk theatre, traditional theatre, yoga, film making, film dance and international styles of folk and classical movement.
- Introducing a fresh dimension into each performance, making the craft relatable and attractive to the urban young.
- The ability to be spontaneous and innovative within the parameter of the craft, hence gaining the versatility to appeal to the niche elite and the common mass.
A Teacher
- Started Pradhan Center for Arts in 1980. Trained more than 500 students who are leading dancers and teachers by their own merit in the city of Bangalore and abroad. The process of training involved not just the technique of the craft but also its desired effect on an individual's personality.
- Constantly redesigned teaching methods and curriculum to keep up to date with the demands and comprehension levels of each generation.
- To inculcate the development of soft skills like determination, mental stamina, creativity and multi-tasking, which are vital for the rigorous nature of the classical craft.
- To identify and nurture talent. In my experience as a teacher, I have come across students with various abilities and talent in different forms. The key to an individual's success, and also to the success of the team, is for its leader to identify that talent and nurture it in the most optimal direction.
- Researched and developed a training module for corporates and students using the process of arts to improve areas such as team building, creativity, visual and verbal communication and spontaneity. The module, In Sync, has been conducted at IIM Bangalore, ITC Infotech, ING Vysya, MetLife, GMRIT, PESIT, Mind Tree and other organizations.
A Choreographer
- Acclaimed as one of the most interesting choreographers, I have used my fullest potential as a teacher and a performer in translating visual movements into group choreographies.
- To be able to translate a vision into reality.
- Being able to score music, and to understand the process of audio and video recording and post production.
- Produced a film (a Ford Foundation project), “Sringara”, based on the ancient Devadasi (temple dancer) system in India. This opened a whole new window into my expertise in choreography, fusing classical and current-day Bollywood movement. The film won national awards for best music, best dance and best cinematography.
- Incorporated western rhythm and music structure into Indian classical choreography, and vice versa, to successfully appeal to today's cosmopolitan audience.
An Organizer
- Have organised chamber concerts featuring renowned performers in order to bring arts awareness to the community.
- Have conceptualised and executed 9 years of the Bengaluru Habba, the country's premium city festival designed on the lines of the Singapore Arts Festival.
- Played multiple roles across fund raising, creative content development, logistics and infrastructure, and corporate, political, bureaucratic and civic body liaison.
- Handled marketing, public relations, finance, vendor negotiation, artist management and negotiation, electronic, print and outdoor media publicity, and total event management.
A Fitness Expert
- Designed and engineered a fitness routine for all age groups using techniques of dance, yoga and martial arts.
- Conducted workshops widely in India and abroad.
- Developed on the basis of the principle that an energetic body will stimulate an energetic mind.