About_Body

Priya Pawar is an enduring light in the international world of classical Indian dance.

She is respected and valued as a vehicle and guardian of the Jaipur style of Kathak. She is also a charming exponent of Odissi. The power, grace and depth of Priya's dance, underpinned by an indomitable spirit, have carried her through a few decades and a great many countries. Priya is a

dancer with enormous natural stage presence who effortlessly establishes a report with her audience.

She was showered with awards for her performances in her childhood and youth, gaining her Nritya Vishard (BA) when she was just 10 from the Bhatkhande Marris Music College, Lucknow. Here she studied under Shombu Maharaj and Mohanroa Kalyanpurkar. In 1967 she was awarded a Government of India scholarship to study Kathak at the Kathak Kendra, Delhi. She gained her Nritya Varadhi (MA) after studying under Guru Sunder Prasad and Kundenlal Gangani

When already an experienced Kathak dancer, Priya branched out into the exquisitely sculptural style of Odissi. She studied intensively under Hare Krishna Behera in Delhi and later, over the years, often invited her guru to London to help her with Odissi projects. Priya also studied under the legendary Kelucharan Mohapatra.

In 1972 Priya was listed as a 'Top Grade' artist by the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) and has been sent abroad to represent India as a member of various delegations.

Priya has been performing virtually all her life but her career began when she took part as a staff artist in a number of dance ballets produced by Birju Maharaj at the Bharatiya Kala Kendra (now Kathak Kendra) in Delhi.

She has received wide acclaim and toured all over the world including in the Far East, USA, South America, West Indies and Europe.


		Please See Events Page for Later Years

	2003	A Night with Priya Pawar at Watermans, Brentford *Kathak Meets Flamenco* at Paul Robeson Theatre, Hounslow *Kathak Meets Flamenco* at The Bull, Barnet *Kathak Meets Flamenco* at Vishwa Hindu Kendra, Southall
	2002	*Danzas Kathak y Odissi* at Suristan, Madrid, Spain *Demonstration and Workshop* at Under Ground Theatre, Eastbourne
	2001	*Chaturang* at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London with her Pushpalata dancers. *Kathak Meets Flamenco* at the Compass Theatre, Ickenham Kathak-Odissi at Dominion Arts & Cultural Centre, Southall *Kathak-Odissi* at Sangam Hall, Edgware for Sindhi Community *Kathak-Flamenco* for Coin Festival, South Bank, London *Kathak* for Respect Festival, Finsbury, London
	2000	*Kathak-Flamenco* at Middlesborough Theatre for the Millennium Festival *Kathak-Flamenco* at the Bonn Summer Festival, Germany
	1999	*Kathak-Odissi* at the National Theatre, Oslo, Norway *Kathak-Jazz* at the Oscar Theatre, Oslo, Norway *Kathak-Odissi* in Genoa, Italy
	1998	*Kathak-Flamenco* with Rosandra Doling at Watermans Arts Centre, Brent
	1997	Fifty years of Independence Celebrations. The government of India sent Priya and three musicians from India for a *Kathak-Flamenco* performance in Oslo, Norway.
	1996	*East Meets West* for the International Youth Festival, Bayreuth, Germany
	1995	*Kathak-Odissi* solo Scandinavian tour
	1993	*The Widow* directed by ballet dancer Stephen Long with Contemporary dancers at Leeds Arts Centre, UK
	1990	*Temple to Palace* in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the opening of the Nehru Gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London
	1985	*Mogli* directed by John Chapman – An Academy of Indian Dance production, UK
	1972	*Kathak-Odissi* at Sapru House Auditorium, New Delhi. A memorable performance, which was choreographed by Guru Hare Krishna Behera, as it was Priya’s debut as an Odissi dancer and she was privileged to be presented by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.
	1971	Priya toured solo in East and West Africa when she performed before Haile Salassie, Emperor of Ethiopia.
	1969- 1970	Priya performed with Pratap Pawar throughout the world, from the Far East to the USA and South America.

Priya was co-founder of Triveni and from 1980 to1992 she was co-director and a key performer.

Triveni pioneered the combining of classical Indian dance with other dance forms. Particularly successful were the Kathak-Flamenco collaborations which toured repeatedly.

Productions often featured the contrasting classical Indian styles of Kathak and Odissi.

Triveni staged elaborate and memorable dance-dramas making imaginative use of advanced Triveni students