Alarmel Valli
Trained by great masters, Pandanainallur Sri Chokkalingam Pillai and his son Sri Subbaraya Pillai, she has extended the frontiers of her dance tradition. She has been lauded for creating an international awareness of Bharatanatyam as a dynamic, continuously evolving dance form and her work.
Alarmel Valli’s perception of dance has also been enriched by her study of Odissi, under renowned Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Ramani Ranjan Jena. She also studied Padams and Javalis under the eminent classical musician Smt.T.Muktha.
Recipient of numerous awards, in 1991, Alarmel Valli was the youngest dancer to be conferred the President’s award of "Padmasri". In 2004 she was awarded one of India’s highest civilian awards - the ‘Padma Bhushan’, conferred by the President of India. In the same year, the Government of France conferred on her, one of its highest distinctions - the award of Chevalier des Arts at des Lettres. She was honoured by the State Government with the award of Kalaimamani and by being made the State Artist of Tamilnadu. She has received the title of Nritya Choodamani from the Krishna Gana Sabha in Madras, the ‘Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris’ from the City of Paris and the Award of the Sangeet Natak Akademy- the apex body for Music, Dance and Drama in India.
She founded ‘Dipashikha’, a Centre for Fine Arts and has choreographed works for her students that have been presented in Japan and the US. A film on Alarmel Valli was made for the Omnibus series, on BBC 2, by producer Michael Macintyre. Alarmel Valli has also been featured in dance documentaries by noted Indian producers.
Alarmel Valli’s performances at India’s prestigious cultural venues and landmark opera houses, theatres and festivals around the world have received wide acclaim.
Contact details
ALARMEL VALLI "Lavanya", 236 Garden Road,
Kilpauk Chennai - 600 010,
Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Phone: 91 - 44 - 26411348 and 26412026
Fax: 91 - 44 - 26411348
E-mail: alarmel14@yahoo.co.uk
Website: http://www.alarmelvalli.org
