Vivek Kinra

🪔 About

Vivek Kinra is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, and teacher of the Indian classical dance form of Bharata-Natyam. His dance journey commenced at a young age under the tutelage of Guru Sridharan Nayar. He pursued advanced studies at Kalakshetra, the esteemed academy in Chennai, India, where he was awarded a Government of India scholarship and earned a prestigious post-graduate Diploma. Kinra also served as a former faculty member at Kalakshetra and gained acclaim for his lead roles in many of the academy's renowned dance-dramas. He expresses deep gratitude to Rukmini Devi, the founder of Kalakshetra, and his teachers. Since relocating to Wellington, New Zealand, in early 1990, Kinra has significantly enriched the country's multicultural arts landscape. In 1992, he established the Mudra Dance Academy, initially known as the New Zealand Academy of Bharata-Natyam. This institution has since become New Zealand's foremost training center for Bharata-Natyam, attracting a large and diverse student body. As the artistic director of the Mudra Dance Company, Kinra is celebrated for his choreography and presentation of numerous thematic dance productions. These works, which blend traditional and innovative concepts, have garnered critical acclaim and drawn substantial audiences across New Zealand. His performances are distinguished by an ecstatic quality of passion and precision. Kinra has also conducted lecture-demonstrations for various organizations, including the New Zealand School of Dance and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His profound contributions to the New Zealand dance scene have been recognized with significant accolades. In 2010, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the Queen's Birthday honours. He further received the Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award in February 2015 for his outstanding work in Indian classical dance. Awards & Honours: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) (2010), Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award (2015).