Six dancers named Associate Artists of Akademi South Asian Dance UK

Six South Asian dance practitioners have been selected as Associate Artists of Akademi South Asian Dance UK. The UK-based dancers, choreographers and teachers of South Asian dance are:

Nilima Devi (Leicester)
A Kathak dancer, choreographer and teacher, and artistic director of the Centre for Indian Classical Dance.

Pushkala Gopal (Ilford)
A Karnatic vocalist and a Bharathanatyam dancer and chorographer who lectures and teaches extensively. Also a former Director of Akademi.

Nina Rajarani (Harrow)
A Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer, who received the 2006 Place Prize, Europe’s largest choreographic competition.

Sonia Sabri (Birmingham)
A Kathak dancer and artistic director of the Sonia Sabri Company and newly formed youth dance company, Kathakaars.

Urja Desai Thakore (Milton Keynes)
A Kathak dancer and artistic director of Pagrav Dance, will soon be touring her new piece, Baharan-Spring, throughout Britain.

Seeta Patel (Haringey)
A Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and teacher who has performed throughout the UK, Europe and North America.

The Associate Artist scheme is a new Akademi programme funded by the generous support of the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. The scheme is aimed at those who have a history of developing artistic work or teaching in the field of South Asian dance in the UK. It is designed to provide the Associate Artists with strategic, administrative and developmental support to assist them in devising and carrying out a personal career plan during their one year tenure.

“Akademi is pleased that each of these creative people have accepted the role of Associate Artist”, said Mira Kaushik OBE, the Director of Akademi. “I look forward to working with them as we begin to celebrate Akademi’s 30th anniversary of promoting South Asian dance forms in the UK.”

As ambassadors for Akademi, the Associate Artists will use their experience and dance training to assist amateur and emerging dancers in exploring the links between South Asian dance and contemporary dance forms. Akademi will provide each Associate Artist with a bursary for career development and research.

Akademi South Asian Dance UK is a cutting-edge, progressive organisation with an international outlook, based in the heart of London. It works to enhance the practice, understanding and appreciation of South Asian dance across the UK within a contemporary artistic, social and educational context.

The six Associate Artists will serve until October 2009. Information about the application process for the 2009-2010 Associate Artist scheme will appear on the website in the new year.

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