Moumita Pal, daughter of Mahima Ranjan Pal (father), was born on 2nd February 1994 in Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India.

From childhood, she was always been inclined towards dance. She entered the world of dance at the age of five and performed in various school-level competitions. Since then, she has learnt various dance forms and her journey has begun as a Mohiniyattam dancer in Monisha Arts under the tutelage of, Karnataka Kalashree Guru Smt. Sreedevi Unni in 2013. Presently she is pursuing a professional dance career and as a teacher at a renowned school.

Guru Smt. Sreedevi Unni has nurtured her talent since 2013. With the advanced and detailed learning under her Guru, her love for Mohiniyattam grew further. She has been embraced by several opportunities to perform on prestigious stages which helped her to develop confidence & hunger for such profound dance art “Mohiniyattam” further. Apart from this, she is also very keen on exploring other forms of dance, she performed and choreographed semi-classical, Bengali folk dance, Rabindra Nritya and creative dance.

She finds dance a true healing and happiness.

She has done her Ranga Prabesham in Mohiniyattam in Apr 2019 under the guidance of Karnataka Kalashri Guru Smt. Sreedevi Unni.

Her Journey edit

Her Initial lessons in dance in Bharatanatyam began in 2000 in West Bengal under the Late Sandhya Pal, a disciple of Guru Thankamani Kutty.

She learned Rabindra Nritya from Nita Chakraborty in Kharagpur, West Bengal at the age of 8. After 12th standard, she continued her Bharatanatyam study at Kalai Kaveri College of Fine Arts.

She has learned Seraikella Chhau under the guidance of Padmashree Pandit Gopal Prasad Dubey.

Currently, she is pursuing a diploma in Mohiniyattam under the guidance of Mohiniyattam exponent Guru Dr. Neena Prasad from Sougandhika Centre for Mohiniyattam.

She is also learning Seraikella Chhau under the guidance of Guru Pandit Tapan Kumar Pattanayak.

Participation & Performance edit

She has given several performances in Mohiniyattam, Seraikella Chhau and Rabindra Nritya dance to date.

Mohiniyattam edit

  • Performed Mohiniyattam for Youth Empowerment Cultural Programme, Sep 2023 at Thanjavur organized by South Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India
  • Conducted lecture demonstration as Guest Speaker on Mohiniyattam at BGS National Public School, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru on Jun 2023
  • Performed Mohiniyattam at Chhau Mahotsav (Chaitra Parva), May 2023 organized by Tourism, Art Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Saraikela, Jharkhand
  • Performed Mohiniyattam at Karthvya Path during the Republic Day parade, 2023 organized by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Defence (Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata, @ezcckolkata, ezcckolkata)
  • Performed Mohiniyattam on DD Port Blair Kerala Foundation Day programme, Nov 2022 (Doordarshan Kendra Port Blair)
  • Conducted Mohiniyattam workshop at Andaman & Nicobar Islands organized by EZCC in Sep 2022 (Andaman Chronicle [1], Andaman Sheekha, @ANICultureDept)
  • Conducted 5 days long Mohiniyattam workshop organized by Bolpur Chaturanga in Jul 2022 (Doordarshan Santiniketan)
  • Performed Mohiniyattam Every Sunday Entertainment Program organized by Shilparamam, Vizag in May 2022
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in the Online National Cultural Festival organized by Avantika Academy of Cultural and Social Welfare, Bhubaneshwar in Nov 2020
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in an Online Live Performance organized by IPAF, Delhi in Oct 2020 (IPAF Official)
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in an Online Live Performance organized by IIDF, Bangalore in 2020
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in Sabha (A Platform for Performing Arts) in Kuwait in Oct 2019
  • Performed a solo recital on Mohiniyattam in an event organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Bangalore on 23rd August 2019
  • Performed a solo recital on Mohiniyattam at Pavitrangana Shimoga program organised by Dr. K. S. Pavithra 2018
  • Ranga Prabesham in Mohiniyattam on Apr 2019 under the guidance of Karnataka Kalashri Guru Smt. Sreedevi Unni
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in DANCE JATHRE 2018, Bangalore
  • Performed Mohiniyattam Parinithi National Dance Festival, Shivamogga
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in Bhathukamma and Dasara festival, Shilparamam
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in Cuttack Mahotsav, Cuttack
  • Performed Mohiniyattam and portrayed one important character in “Mandodari Sita” produced by Guru. Smt. Sreedevi Unni's Production
  • Performed Mohiniyattam in "Apoorva Bharata” a dance production by Guru Rathna Supriya Sridharan and Guru Dr. Madhura Sanjaya

Seraikella Chhau edit

  • Performed Seraikella Chhau with Guru Pandit Tapan Kumar Pattanayak at Chhau Dance Festival, Apr 2023 organized by Shreshtha Heritage Foundation, Bangalore
  • Performed Seraikella Chhau at the Kolkata Science Conference in Nov 2019 along with Pandit Gopal Prasad Dubey
  • Performed in Seraikella Chhau in ICCR, Hyderabad in 2019 along with Pandit Gopal Prasad Dubey
  • Performed Seraikella Chhau in Vijayawada Festival in 2018 along with Pandit Gopal Prasad Dubey

Rabindra Nritya edit

  • Performed Rabindra Nritya in the Global Organization for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Bangalore
  • Performed Rabindra Nritya in IISc, Bharat Nritta Sanje, international conference of surface engineering
  • Performed Rabindra Nritya and portrayed one of the main characters of the famous Rabindra dance drama production named “Chandalika” produced by Ananda Samagame Bangalore.

Recognition edit

  • Organized “Chhau Dance Festival 2023”[2][3] in memory of my guru Padma Shri Pandit Gopal Prasad Dubey, as founder member (Secretary) of Shreshtha Heritage Foundation, Bangalore (Udayavani)
  • Winner of Vande Bharatam Nritya Utsav 2023[4] organized by the Ministry of Culture (NCZCC Social)
  • Awarded “Vysakhi Yuva Naatyasri Award” in Vysakhi Nrithyotsav, 2022 organized by Nataraj Music & Dance Academy
  • Awarded Bharat Gaurav Samman 2021 by Sanskriti Bharat, Patna
  • Awarded National “NRITYA – MANI” in Cuttack Mahotsav, 2016 organised by Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh
  • Performed Rabindra Nritya in a Malayalam TV channel named Kappa TV and the program name is “Footloose”
  • Won Third Place in the National dance competition at Brahama Sadhana organised by Brahmnaad Academy, Mumbai, in Mohiniyattam

References edit

  1. ^ Denis, Giles (24 September 2022). "Five-Day Workshop on Mohiniyattam by EZCC Concludes". Andaman Chronicle.
  2. ^ "Bengaluru to host Chhau dance festival on April 30". Deccan Herald. www.deccanherald.com. 28 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Bengaluru to host Chhau dance festival on Apr 30". www.udayavani.com. Udayavani.
  4. ^ "Winner Announcement for Vande Bharatam Nritya Utsav 2023". blog.mygov.in.