Nandini Mandal

🪔 About

Nandini Mandal is a renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and cultural ambassador based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. She commenced her formal dance training at the age of seven. In 1983, at the age of 14, she achieved her Junior Diploma in Hindustani Classical music and simultaneously completed her Senior Diploma (Sangeet Prabhakar) in Bharatanatyam with distinction from Allahabad University, also performing her Arangetram in the same year. [2] Her Bharatanatyam training is rooted in the Tanjavoor School (Gharana). [2] Mandal received guidance from esteemed teachers including Guru Snigdha Pal, Kalamandalam Venkitt, and Preetha Venkitt, and further specialized in Abhinaya (expressions) under the tutelage of the legendary Guru Sonal Mansingh. [3, 4] She also trained at Kala Mandalam, focusing on Bharatanatyam and Nava-Nritya. [2] Beyond Bharatanatyam, Mandal has received training in Kathakali, Manipuri, and Nava-Nritya, and her teaching encompasses Bharatanatyam, Nava-Nritya, Folk, and contemporary dance forms. [2] She relocated to Pittsburgh, USA, in 1995. [2] In 1998, she established the Nandanik Dance Academy and Nandanik Dance Troupe, where she has served as director since its inception. [2] She is an Adjunct Faculty at Point Park University, imparting knowledge on the history, culture, and technique of Bharatanatyam. [3, 5] Mandal is recognized for her role as a cultural ambassador of India in Pittsburgh, actively participating in numerous cultural and philanthropic endeavors. [2, 3, 4] A leukemia survivor, she is also a dance activist, utilizing dance for fundraising events to support organizations such as the Leukemia Lymphoma Foundation and the American Cancer Society. [3, 4] Her choreographic repertoire includes notable dance dramas like "Chitrangada - In Quest of Truth," "Shyama - The Royal Courtesan," and "Prakriti- Matrika Mrittika." [3] She frequently collaborates with local and international artists and conducts interactive lecture demonstrations on Indian art and culture at various educational institutions. [3] Awards & Honours: Artist Opportunity Grant (2016), Recognition by the Pittsburgh Art Council (2018), Grant for Vilaya production.