Alaknanda, born in a family where education is blended with music, has the inborn talent of music and rhythm. Her advance training is imparted by Guru. Munna Lal Shukla who has infused in her the poetic essence of the dance form. She has also been awarded the National Scholarship by the MINISTRY OF CULTURE. She is an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (lCCR). She is the Founder, Director and Guru of Kathak at Alaknanda Institute of Performing Arts (AIPA). Founded in 1990.
Scholarships & Awards
She has also been awarded the National Scholarship by the MINISTRY OF CULTURE, INDIA .Her advance training is imparted by Guru Munna Shukla, who has infused in her the poetic essence of the dance form. Sur Singar Samsad (Mumbai) has honored her with the title "SINGARMANI" for her excellence in her art.
She is also awarded as the best dancer title by SAHITYAKALA PARISHAD. Her presentation of "DASAVATAR" was widely appreciated in Mumbai at ‘HARIDAS SAMMELAN' in January 2000. "ASIAN WHO'S WHO", a biography book, has published Alaknanda's biography enlisting her achievements and contributions to the society through her art. Alaknanda Pravaha has won the FIRST PRIZE in Group and Solo - All India Classical Dance Competition held at Pune on 28th May 2005.
Performances
She had given many Kathak solo recitals in India International Centre, Sarrachandrika - Kathak Festival, New Delhi, Kala Chhaya - Pune, Impressario India Dance Festival-New Delhi, Kathak Mahotsava - New Delhi, Surya Festival- Trivandram, Yuva Mahotsava - New Delhi. Her performance in Godrej Dance Academy, Mumbai organised by National Centre For Performing Arts won her a standing ovation from the audience. She has also been featured in FEMINA - WOMEN IN NEWS 1st March 1998 for her talents and for working against the barriers of age.
Foreign Trips
Alaknanda was widely appreciated
for her performance in Netherlands, Holland. A lot of foreign audiences
interacted with her to get a detailed knowledge of the Indian Culture
and also to understand the graceful and spiritual styling to Kathak
dance. She has also performed in Maldives on the occasion of "50th
Anniversary of India's Independence" sponsored by Indian Council
for Cultural Relations. She has also conducted successful Kathak workshops
for the Maldivians during the tour. She has also performed at World
Festival For Island Cultures at Jeju, South Korea, (17th May 2001 to
16th June 2001) representing India with her dance style- Kathak. This
was a festival for a month where artists from 32 countries were presenting
their art styles.
Alaknanda's Dance Mesmerises Europe
Alaknanda performed successfully
Europe tour sponsored by Indian Council Culturak Relations from 16th
June to 12th July 2003. She performed at the Czech Republic on the 18th
June at Olomouc, 19th held workshop for 46 Czech students at Praha (the
Capital of Czech) and 21st performed at Praha for the dignitaries of
the embassies and 400 Czech Audience. In Polland on the 21st June, she
performed for an audience to 200 at Warsawa (Capital of Polland) which
the audience thought was mesmerising. Performed a special composition
on Polland rain as it was raining everywhere she went and the Pollish
audience loved it. It was truly a composition inspired by Polland rain.
Next was on the 30th June at Krakow. Here she got alife’s best
compliment from a lady from French Embassy which makes her feel blessed
and truly humble. She said that Alaknanda dance reminded her of the
idols and image of the Indian temple.From Karkow it was Tchew on the
1st July and here the audience went crazy that after a 2hr performance
they wanted more. But it was really touching and emotional for as they
stood in the rain with umbrella’s to see the show on the TV Beam
as no more than 450 audience could be accommodated in the theater. From
here to Stschein (north polland) where the show was for the high dignitaries
and glamorous too. It was a honour for her to be a part of the Silesian
International Dance Festival at Bytom where 17 international artists
were participating and 6 Pollish artists. Alaknanda took kathak workshop
the 23 June to 29th June with 37 students. She selected 7 students who
performed kathak an opening item on the 5th July. The performers were
learning kathak for the first time and they practically got to know
about India for the first time. Its was a special feature as it came
a surprise to the festival.
The conflict between good and the bad, truth and falsehood, virtue and vice has been going on since the inception of creation. But since time ever since, the good forces have always tried to annihilate the evil forces and tried to establish peace on Earth. Mahisasur , demon was endowed with great power and strength .He was invincible but for the fact that he could be destroyed only by a woman. Intoxicated by power of the evil, he plundered Vasundhara to create Havoc and destruction. To intimidate him , the Gods approached Parvati who appeared in the form of supreme power, ADI SHAKTI-DURGA.
The various Gods endowed upon her their blessings and embellished her with ten fold power which manifest in 10 hand s of durga. Vishnu gave her the "Chakra" , Shiva gave "Trishul" , Brahma gave the "Kamandal" , Vasuki the Najraja gave the GREAT SERPENT , Varun gave the "CONCH" , Indira gave her "VJRA" and the bell of the celestial elephant,” THE EIRAVAT", Vishwakarma gave her the "SPADE", Vayu gave her the "BOW" and the lord of time "KAAL" gave her the protective "DHAAL". As a pretext, Mahisasur was enamored by the beauty of Parvati , in the hills among flowers and trees. When he proposed the intentions of PARVATI , she was enraged and vicious fight ensued. Mahisasur endowed with many magical powers changed his form into a buffalo. Durga, the mighty and the powerful, slayed the buffalo and put an end to the existence of mahisasur. Among universal chanting praises for Durga, the ultimate victory of good over evil was established. And to this day we celebrate this victory to rejuvenate ourselves with the power of virtue and goodness.
The second phase of the childhood of Krishna is manifested in the episode of "Kalia Daman". Playing with his friends in the waters of the Yamuna .Krishna overpowers the Venemous Snake Kalia .With divine grace he dances on the hood of the snake and saves his friends.
Another event of the life of Krishna is the episode of "Govardhan" which reveals his power and prowess as the superior power. He lifts the mountain on his little finger and allows everybody beneath the huge base.
The ever-engaging beauty of the life of lord is in the celebration of "HOLI", the festival of colours which has been described in many ways by many poets. The present rendering captures the folk culture of Vrindavan.
The most classical aspect is the "RAS LEELA" based mainly on the kathak style. This phase of the youth of Krishna significantly captures the romance and beauty of the divine love of Krishna for Radha and the Gopis.
The good prevails and the evil is vanquished. The episode of "Kans Vadh" begins the revelation of Krishna as the avtaar in true sense. Sri Krishna's life and work are integrated intimately with the events of Mahabharata . The court episode of Draupadi's humiliation and how Krishna saved her modesty is the main episode in this phase. Krishna the saviour, of all mankind, moves all hearts to be one with the mercy and benevolence of the lord.
The life of the eight avtaar of Vishnu takes a new final dimension as the charioteer of Arjun in the battle field of Kurukshetra .Here under the "vatavriksha" , the lord transpires his eternal wisdom to mankind when he says , "I am the almighty and the all prevalent being. You are a part of me and I exist in each one of you. Fear not death because the body has to perish while the soul lives on untarnished in the perpetual existence of the Brahmand". The "GEETA UPDESH" is the final rendering of the magical presence of Shri Krishna in our lives.
Choreographed by ALAKNANDA, KATHAK YATRA- a journey of Kathak, gave the audience the glimpses of the transformation and evolution of Kathak Dance style in different eras starting from Kathak in the temple era, Kathak in Mughal times and Kathak that you see at present.
Kathak during the temple era was mostly about 'Katha Vaachan' - the art of story telling that was prevalent in temples. It talked about the values of life of God and Goddesses, their description and also in praise of the holiness. There was a lot of emphasis on the expressional part - the ABHINAYA, part of the dancer.
Kathak style then gracefully entered the arena of the Mughal court. The swiftness and royalty of the body movement, the perfection of footwork and high technique was added to the dance. There was Jugalbandi of Tabla artist and dancers- a major part of performance during the Mughal period. A lot of compositions like Thumri, Rubai and Tarana were blooming during this era.
Kathak today - is a well - blend style of both temple and Mughal period. It has crossed the boundaries and flown high with its style and thinking. The choreographies take the freedom to find essence of life. Today Kathak in the present time will be showcasing 'SAGAR' (the ocean) as the spread of life -The upheavals of the ocean, the zeal of the waves are depicting the part of our lives.
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