| Date of Birth/Age | May 21, 1954 |
| Education | Masters (Theatre and Television) from University of New Orleans, USA |
| Field of expertise | Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Dancer/Choreographer/Cultural Activist |
| Academic/Professional activities |
- As Artistic Director of Arangham Dance Theatre conducts research and documentation of a tenth century dance tradition – Arayer Sevai and an ancient thirteenth century ritual theatre tradition – Kaisiki Natakam.
- Co-produces and Co-Artistic Director of India’s only annual avant-garde arts Festival in Chennai, THE OTHER FESTIVAL
- Founder & Consulting Editor of www.narthaki.com
- An active board member on many Indian and international dance and theatre companies
- Currently a Ph.D candidate in women’s studies, doing research on the role of ancient ritual theatre in a contemporary context.
- Trained in Bharatanatyam (1969–1978) and the Kerala dance-theatre traditions of Mohiniattam (1968–1978) and Kathakali (1968–1978).
- Anita as a performer and choreographer, embraces both the traditional and contemporary streams of Indian dance which she has presented widely in India and abroad. She is also a respected and sought-after cultural commentator on dance and Indian culture.
- She has been invited to chair seminars and dance conferences around the world. In 2002, she was invited as an observer to the Post Modern Dance Festival at Leipzig, Germany (2002)
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| Name of the institution(s) you associated with |
- Sree Bharathalaya , Chennai.
- Sri Krishna Gana Sabha,Chennai.
- RASA, Chennai.
- Prakriti Foundation ,Chennai.
- Alliance Francaise de Madras.
- The British Council.
- US Office of Public Affairs.
- Max Mueller Bhavan.
- Committee for Endowments to Cultural Institutions, Govt. of India (1996-98).
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| Honours/Awards/Fellowships,etc. |
- NATYA KIREETA RATNAM AWARD for services to the field of dance and ritual performances, (2005)
- SAHRUDAYA RANJAKA Bharat Vikas Parishad, Chennai, presented by Srimad Azhagiyasingar, the 45th Seer of Sri Ahobila Mutt, (2004) Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, (2004)
- PRICE AWARDShakespeare Millennium Club, Chennai (2004)
- WEB AWARDS 2004 – GOLD Amsterdam, Holland For www.anitaratnam.com (2004)
- ALTERNATIVE POETRY WORLD COMPETITION – FIRST PRIZE
Aberdeen, Scotland
For www.anitaratnam.com(2004)
- INDEPENDENT ART HOUSE WEBSITE FESTIVAL –FIRST PRIZE
Stockholm,Sweden
For www.anitaratnam.com 2004
- LALITHAKALA RATNA
Sri Lalithakala Academy Foundation Trust (Inc.), Mysore, (2003)
- NATYA RATNA
Sri Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Sabha, New Delhi, (2003)
- VIBRANT INDIAN AWARD
Developers’ India, Chennai (2002)
- BHARATHA KALA RATHINAM
presented by Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadhipathi Jagathguru Sri Sankaracharya Swamigal, Kancheepuram, (2001)
- WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2000
Citation awarded to 200 best women professionals by the American Biographical Institute, North Carolina, USA
- KALAIMANI
(For Dance Research) Government of Tamilnadu, Chennai, (1998)
- UGADI PURASKAR
Telugu Academy, Chennai, (1997)
- NRITYA CHOODAMANI
Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, (1996)
- SENIOR FELLOWSHIP
from Department of Culture, Govt. of India for research in the Tamil Vaishnavite Temple dance tradition of Arayer Sevai, (1996)
- BHARATA KALA RATNA
Chennai, (1995)
- MEDIA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
New York by National Organization of Women (1991)
- OUTSTANDING TV AMBASSADOR
Cleveland, USA by Federation of Indian Associations (1988)
- MAHATMA GANDHI AWARD
for Cultural Understanding, New York, (1986)
- SINGARMANI
Mumbai, (1975)
- ARUT KALAI SELVI
Government of Tamilnadu, (1974)
- SUR SINGAR SANSAD
Mumbai, (1971)
- NRITYAKALA SHIROMANI
UNESCO Award for Outstanding Young Artiste, (1970)
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| Books/Articles authored | Natya Brahman (1979) Her first Book on the comparative drama traditions of India and Greece,
Narthaki (1992 & 1996) – a directory of classical Indian dance
Several articles on dance and theatre in publications in India and abroad. |
| Any association with foreign institution(s) |
- Dance Alloy (Pittsburgh, USA)
- Pangea World Theatre (Minneapolis, USA)
- Everett Dance Theatre (Rhode Island, USA)
- Lotus Music & Dance (New York, USA)
- Anjali School of Performing Arts (Houston, USA)
- Sampradaya Dance Creations (Ontario, Canada)
- Freeman Repertory Theatre (New York, USA)
- Apsara Arts (Singapore)
MEMBER:- International Advisory Board, Pangea World Theatre, Minneapolis, USA,
– International Advisory Board, Preaksha Dance, Toronto, Canada
– Dance Critics Association – USA, (1987)
OBSERVER – Post Modern Dance Festival, Leipzig, Germany (2002)
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