P. Praveen Kumar
Dance is a universal medium of creative expression and dedicating himself wholeheartedly to his art is both a service and a pleasure for promising young Bharatanatyam dancer Praveen Kumar.
Art runs in his veins as Praveen hails from a family of artists and it was no wonder that he took to dancing as if born to dance. He honed his skills under Guru Smt.Narmada and continues to learn from Prof. C.V. Chandrashekar.
Praveen is the recipient of “Ustad Bismilla Khan Yuva Purskar 2010” from Central Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi.
Participating in competitions invariably meant Praveen bagging the coveted prizes and awards. For his stunning performances, Praveen has won the first place at the national-level Seventh Yuva Sangeetha Nrithya Mahotsava organized by the South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur.
Recognizing his innate talent, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has empanelled Praveen in its list of performing artists of classical dance for the Indian cultural missions and festivals abroad.
He is also an ‘A’ grade artiste on television.
Praveen is also an accomplished nattuvanar and choreographer. His choreographic skills featured in dance festivals have been well received by art critics and rasikas.
He was honoured with the “Mohan Khokar Award 2010” as a complete artist. He is the first recipient of this award.
Praveen adheres to the traditional classical style of Bharatanatyam and over a decade, he has enthralled audiences throughout the globe, with his stirring performances.
Praveen runs the ‘Chithkala School of Dance’ in Bangalore.
“Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made.”
- Ted Shawn
Some important solo performance
Soorya Festival, Bangalore, 2012
Nada Nritya Vaibhava, Perth, Australia, 2012
Samagama Festival, Chennai, 2011
Teatro teascabile, Bergamo, Italy, 2011
Young Dancer’s Festival, Natya Vriksha, Delhi, 2011
Music Academy, Chennai, 2011
Marga Darshan, Bhubaneshwar, 2010
Nitya Nritya, Bangalore- 2010
Vasant Utsav, Chennai- 2010
India Habitat World, New Delhi, 2009
Brahma Gana Sabha, Chennai- 2009
Karavali Utsava, Mangalore – 2009
India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, 2008
NCPA, Mumbai, 2008
Kalakshetra Annual Arts festival, Chennai, 2007
Delhi International Arts Festival, New Delhi, 2007
Natyarangam Trust, Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, 2012, 2010, 2009,2008, 2007 & 2003
Goa Darpan Academy, Panaji, 2007
Natyanjali in Chidambaram, 2005
Bangalore Habba, 2005, 2012
Natarajotsava Festival in Mysore, 2005 & 1991
Kinkini Mahotsav, 2004, 2006, 2011
Eka Aneka in Bangalore, 2002
Horizon Series by ICCR in Bangalore, 2009 & 2000
Sharad Vaibhav in Bangalore,1997
Overseas performances
Apart from choreographing and performing solo works, Praveen has also rendered stellar performances in productions choreographed by eminent dance gurus.
Rangoli, Los Angeles, for their new choreographic works ‘Gati Pragathi’ (1999), ‘Ramayana’ (2000), ‘Planting a Sequoia’ (2004)
India Dance Wales, UK, for their productions ‘Khalighat Icons,’ ‘Puranic Visions’ and Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ in 1998 , 2000 & 2002
Pallavi School for Performing Arts, Boston, for ‘Krishna’ that toured over 10 cities of USA in 1996.
Natyamani School of Dance, Boston, for guru Rhadha’s dance drama ‘Siva Sakthi,’ which toured USA in 1996.
Payal Dance Academy, North Carolina, for their dance production ‘Meera’ which toured over 18 cities of USA in 1995.
Productions choreographed by Praveen
LOKA BANDHAVYAM (2012)
A Thematic presentation, wherein human relationships are motivated to live in harmony with nature, family & outside world. Accompanying him in this production was Aishwarya Nityananda.
VASUDEVA KEERTHANA MANJARI (2010)
Compositions of Vageyyakara Mysore Vasudevachar-Rare kritis, varna & thillana were choreographed & presented .
CHAITANYA THEERTHA YATRA (2009)
A project commissioned by Iskcon. This dance production gives an insight to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s expositions on philosophy.
PANDHARPUR (2007)
A solo thematic dance production describing the various facets of the holy city Pandharpur, home to the shrine of Lord Panduranga Vittala.
PREMA SWAROOPA (2007)
This production gives us an insight into the life, missions & teachings of Sri Saipadananda Radhakrishna Swamiji, a follower and a great believer of Shirdi Sai Baba, who propagated Sai Spiritual centers all over India.
KRISHNAM VANDE JAGADGURUM (2006)
Important episodes from the life of Lord Krishna right from his birth to Geetopadesha, in classical, folk and drama aspects. About 320 schools children danced in this mega event.
SHRINGARA LAHARI (2005)
The immortal journey of love between Krishna and Radha, wherein their love, anger, separation and reunion are portrayed. This has been performed along with his co-dancer Soundarya Srivatsa.
FABRIC OF LIFE (2005)
A combination of classical, folk, and contemporary, this dance drama portrayed different aspects of “Fabric” in its most entertaining form.
MANONMANEEYAM (2003)
A Tamil epic written by the poet Sundaram Pillai in 1892, this work is based on the legend, The Secret Way, written by The Rt. Hon. Lord Lytton. Love energy can be telepathic and very interestingly, souls can connect with each other without physical proximity. This epic brings out interesting interpretations of love, penance, sacrifice and ethics. Indira Kadambi and Praveen Kumar choreographed this challenging production for the first time ever in the dance drama format.
VIJAYA PURUSHA (1997)
A solo thematic production portraying Arjuna’s romantic interludes with Uloopi, Chitrangadha and Subhadra.
Critics speak
Interview in www.narthaki.com
Praveen Kumar: Art runs in his veins
http://www.narthaki.com/info/intervw/intrvw99.html
Praveen Kumar of Bangalore, one of the best male dancers in Bharatanatyam currently, dances with the most unbelievably perfect nritta. The opening “Mahadeva Shiva Shambho” with Natesa Kavutvan passages strung into the choreography, had stunning impact. The jatis in the Krishnaanjali in Reetigowla had a razor sharp clarity of line and rhythm,………………………..
Leela Venkatraman – The Hindu, Delhi (May 13th 2011)
Tailored to perfection…………… Praveen Kumar's Bharatanatyam, in the style of his guru, was one of the high points of the festival. One of the high points of the Music Academy Dance Festival was the recital by young Praveen Kumar of Bangalore. The uncluttered simplicity and immaculate Bharatanatyam was in the style of his Guru Prof. C.V.Chandrasekhar. Praveen's masterly rendition made it one of the finest presentations of the festival.
Leela Venkatraman – The Hindu, Chennai (February 4th 2011)
in his focus on Mysore Vasudevachar's compositions, after the invocatory ‘Sri Madadi Tyagaraja' in Kalyani, showed his mastery over nritta. The Kamalamanohari ‘Karumai Kushalam' piece depicted Devi's graceful walk with toe/heel/ crossed feet rhythmic gaits. The Khambodi tana varnam “Akhilanda koti brahmam' had its high points in visualising creation in quick flashes.
-Leela Venkatraman- The Hindu, Chennai (Sept., 10th, 2010)
it was Bharatanatyam of an unusual flavour during the week. Praveen Kumar from Bangalore, held the audience at the Habitat enthralled with the Abhogi varnam “Ennai marandanalo ninaindu urugum”, From the starting trikala jati to the nritta passages in the charanam execution by Praveen were praiseworthy. The impeccable dance profile, coupled with enriching bhava, made the centrepiece of the recital memorable.
-Leela Venkatraman – The Hindu, (delhi) May 1 , 2009
Forays into the Unusual…………… clean lines, clear foot work & impeccable finishes. He captured the context with sensitivity especially in the charanam sahithya when described the physical beauty of the nayika..Praveen’s nritta shone with accuracy. The sparkling theermanas set with nadai bedams In some cases with doubling speeds as in the opening trikala jathi were intoned with authority.
-Rupa Srikanth – The Hindu. December 19, 2008
Praveen’s sleek lines and agile footwork combined with a serenity of countenance and gave a pleasing look to his recital. the dancer managed to show the anguish of the sensitive man without losing clarity of mudras.
-Anjana Rajan- The Hindu(delhi), July 18, 2008
“Vibes of Pandharpur, after R. Krishnaswami’s introduction, were well caught in Praveen Kumar’s recital. In a narrative inclusive of dialogue, with the dancer effecting quick changes of head-gear and other little details, donning one role after another, Praveen never lost control over measured aesthetics of both nritta and interpretative dance. ..The dancer’s nritta with its immaculate sarukkai adavus was a delight.”
- Leela Venkataraman (‘Devotion in delightful contours’ - The Hindu, Aug 10, 2007)
“Noteworthy abhinaya and graceful dancing by the young and talented Praveen kept the audience spellbound throughout the show.”
- India Monitor (New York)
“This young dancer has considerable skill coupled with grace and beauty in movements as well as a confident approach in the execution of technique. Neat lines, firm footwork, graceful hasta delineations and a pleasant portrayal of the different narrations by the dancer, created a calm, leisurely atmosphere that is becoming a rare feature in the present dance scene.”
- Nandini Ramani (‘Combines skill and grace’- The Hindu, Feb 21, 2003)
Textbook Bharatanatyam at its best…….. Praveen's selection of items for the NCPA event showed his imagination and ingenuity. His perfect adavus and mudras were straight from the textbook. Endowed with a winsome personality he is a dancer to the manner born.
- A.Seshan (www.narthaki.com)
“Praveen proved to be a sincere student of Bharatanatyam at his Rangapravesha. “Nritta” seemed to be his forte.”
- The Times of India
“That he is an experienced dancer was evident in the manner he went through the numbers. His ‘nritta’ and ‘nrithya’ were a treat to the eyes.”
- The Hindu
“He performed with confidence and revealed good grounding.”
- Deccan Herald
“Praveen Kumar as ‘Purandara Dasa,’ portrayed the characters convincingly. The gestures and expressions registered tellingly on the receptive viewers.”
- The Indian Express
…an impressive show of talent and skill, revealing an innate sense of aesthetics amplified further by rigorous training and single-minded effort. Adavu execution was precise, including the series of ‘mandi adavu’ that featured in a theermanam. In the padam, Praveen made a sensitive sketch of Krishna’s impatience at being taken so lightly by a nayika. The bhakthi laden composition from Muruga’s life was portrayed with involvement & conviction.”
- The Horizons (‘Sincere effort from a young aspirant - P. Praveen Kumar’)
“Bending the gender barrier…… Praveen’s vibrant nritta and expressive abhinaya through which his ability to bring out the beauty of the raga and bhava in music gave a divine lustre to his dance.”
- The Vijay Times
Contact Details:
P. Praveen Kumar
‘Chithkala School of Dance’
13/21, Sri Ranga
Uttaradhimutt Road, Shankarpuram
Bangalore 560 004
Ph: (91 - 80) 22415113 /94498 15114
Email: praveendance@hotmail.com / praveenkumardance@gmail.com
www.chithkala.com
Video links:
1) http://youtu.be/k3dsuGsaVWU
2) http://youtu.be/qxKNxPIXWZc
