Pali Chandra, (born 19 November 1967) is an Indian choreographer, dance educator and artistic director who propagates dance education through various channels. She has established several studios specialising in Kathak training programs in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, India and Switzerland. She has directed 14 art festivals in various continents and is the co-founder for the portal Learn Kathak Online as well as Course Director of Kathak for Natyasutra Online with Invis Multimedia.
Pali is a committee member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and a graded member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Early life and education Chandra was born and raised in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh to Dwarka Nath Srivastava, a retired senior officer of Reserve Bank Of India and NABARD who was based in Lucknow for most of his life; and Usha Srivasatava, a Hindustani classical music singer from Faizabad. She is the sister of Somna Tugnait. Chandra started dancing at the age of six. She trained under her guru Vikram Singhe, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Kapila Raj, as well as Ram Mohan Mishra for 13 years at Kathak Kendra Lucknow.
She graduated from Lucknow University in 1991 with a Master's degree in anthropology for her research on the tribal music and dance of the Gaddis. She also graduated from Avadh Girls' Degree College with a Bachelor's degree in arts, economics, and anthropology. She also went to Loreto Convent.
Career
Chandra is a senior member of the British Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and a graded member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She has designed and executed workshops for institutes such as Oxford University, Birmingham University and Bradford University.
The first of four gurukul studios was founded in 2008 in Dubai, where Pali Chandra provides instruction to 550 students learning and performing Kathak whilst following the ISTD - UK (Imperial Society for Teachers of Dancing - United Kingdom) syllabus. In 2019, she founded the Swiss International Kathak Festival (of which she is the artistic director), organized 11 annual dance festivals called Dancing Divas from 2009 to 2019, and released several productions in the UK, UAE and India.
Under the banner of Pali Peacocks, Chandra has been honored at the House of Commons in London as the Best Art Director for her production In the Shadow of the Hills. Her projects have frequently received funding from the Arts Council of England and London Arts Board and other institutions and organizations.
Activism Pali Chandra was involved in awareness programs for people with special needs.
Productions and choreography Title Location YearContinental ShiftLondon1994Ganges to ThamesLondon1996In the Shadow of the HillsLondon1999Kamoshi ki AvaazLondon2001SheUnited Kingdom2002Gazal in RetrospectLondon2003Rhythm ShiftLondon2004Five ElementsDubai2010Sufi NoorDubai2012AcrossDubaiEssence of LifeIndia2013Naach - Hundred years of BollywoodDubai2014ZindaDubaiNavinayikaDubai2015Taal MalaDubai2016Noor ki BaarishDubai2016Soney ki ChidyaLebanon2017AamadBangalore2017Nehru Centre, London2018LasyaDubai2018KahaniDubai2019Play with a Cause - ParkinsonDubai2019ThaatBangalore2019TihaiBangalore2020Shyam PiyaZurich2019RepertoireLondon2018Aargau2019Dance to EmpowerSwitzerland
Awards + TitleIssued byCountryYearKathak AmbassadorAsian Community Arts & Katha UK House of Lords London Parliament, England2018Best Art Director " Production 'In The Shadow Of The Hills’Millennium Dome, LondonHouse of Commons, London England2000Cultural AmbassadorThe Indian Consulate, UAEDubai2016Successful Art Business Award ICS Women's ForumDubai2014International Woman of the Excellence AwardDhwaniAbu Dhabi2013Gold Medalist Prayag Sangeet SamitiPrayag Sangeet SamitiIndia1990Lacchu Maharaja Award for AbhinayaKadambari Kala Parishad India1991
Personal life Pali is married to Vishal Chandra and has twin sons. They live together in Schinznach Bad in Aargau, Switzerland.
References
External links Official website Official Gurukul Studios website Online Kathak learning platform (co-founder)