Mythili Kumar

🪔 About

Mythili Kumar is a highly renowned dancer, teacher, and choreographer specializing in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. She received rigorous training in India, studying Bharatanatyam under Smt. Indra Rajan, Sri T.R. Devanathan, and Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan. Her Kuchipudi training was under Sri Vendantam Jagannatha Sharma, and she learned Odissi from Guru Srinath Raut and Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Kumar performed extensively in India before relocating to the United States in 1978. In 1980, she founded the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose, where she serves as the artistic director. Through her academy, she has trained and presented over one hundred dancers in their solo debuts, nurturing an entire generation of exceptional dancers in Bharatanatyam. Her teaching legacy extends to various academic institutions, including San Jose State University, Stanford University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Kumar is also known for her innovative multicultural collaborations, working with groups such as Japanese drumming corps San Jose Taiko and the Balinese music and dance ensemble Gamelan Sekar Jaya. The Abhinaya Dance Company, under her direction, offers a four-tiered program, providing training to approximately 110 students annually. Awards & Honours: Choreographer's fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Teacher's recognition certificate from the National Endowment for the Arts (1998), Viswa Kala Bharati (1999), Abhinaya Kala Ratna (2002), San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Committee honor for outstanding artistry and contribution to world dance (1994), San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Committee honor for outstanding artistry and contribution to world dance (2007), Choreography commission for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival (2008), Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime Achievement Award by San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival (2010), Lifetime Achievement Award by World Arts West (2010), Sustained Achievement Award by the Bay Area Isadora Duncan Award Committee (2011), Lifetime Achievement Award by Soorya Performing Arts of St. Louis (2011).