Vijayalakshmi Shivaji

🪔 About

Vijayalakshmi is a world-renowned Indian classical dancer and an acclaimed exponent of Mohiniyattam, the graceful classical dance form from South India. She is also recognized as a choreographer, speaker, feminist, actress, writer, and singer. The daughter and disciple of Mohiniyattam doyenne Bharati Shivaji, Vijayalakshmi has played a significant role in evolving and expanding the traditional boundaries of Mohiniyattam. She also honed her Bharatanatyam skills under Guru V. Krishnamurthy. Vijayalakshmi holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English Literature from Lady Shriram College, Delhi University. Her career spans over four decades, with performances at prestigious venues in more than thirty countries, including the Bolshoi Theatre, the Edinburgh International Festival, and the Lincoln Centre. She is known for her innovative choreography, which blends Indian and worldwide cultures, as seen in productions like "Unniarcha," inspired by Kalaripayattu; "Swan Lake," set to Tchaikovsky's music; and "Paryapti," drawing from Bengali cultural ethos. Vijayalakshmi co-authored a book on Mohiniyattam with her mother, Bharati Shivaji. She is the Artistic-Director of the Centre For Mohiniyattam in New Delhi and the Founder-Director of The Mohiniyattam Institute in Los Angeles, through which she continues her teaching legacy and promotes the dance form globally. She has also lectured at various universities, including UCLA and CSU Long Beach. Awards & Honours: Regents' Professor & Lecturers Program at UCLA (2020), Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2014), Women Achievers Award for Excellence in the Arts by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) (2012), 'Top Cultural Ambassador' award from the Indian Institute of Marketing & Management (IMM) (2003), Rashtriya Ekta award from the All India Unity Conference (2003), Fellowship from the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) (2002), Fellowship from the Department of Culture, Government of India (2001), 'Outstanding Dancer of the Year' award from Keli (2001), 'Sanskriti Nritya Puraskar' (1993).