Chitrakala Arts, a premier institution for Bharatanatyam and Odissi training in Singapore was started in 1998. Starting from a modest one student, the school has now trained over 400 artistes including students from multiple nationalities, races, and religious backgrounds, in classical Indian Dance.
The Artistic Director, Ms. Chitra Shankar, is a well-known dancer, choreographer and teacher in Bharatanatyam and Odissi. Trained in India by renowned Gurus in both these styles, Chitra has excelled in creating many original choreographies and in reinterpreting existing works to suit the modern audience.
Chitrakala Arts vision is to be the preferred choice for students, practitioners and organizers of Indian Classical dance- Odissi and Bharatanatyam- in the SEA region.
Among the important events in the Chitrakala Arts Annual calendar are “NrityaSangamam”- a dance showcase by the students of the school, and exclusive workshops and master class in Odissi and Bharatanatyam by renowned teachers and visiting faculty from India.
Chitrakala Arts maintains a successful balance between being relevant to the cultural ethos and ecosystem and creating an equal opportunity for students from all strata of society to learn, participate and experience Indian classical dance through Bharatanatyam and Odissi. Students from Singapore, India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, SriLanka, UK, USA and Australia come together- in pursuit of their passion for Indian Classical Dance at Chitrakala Arts. Over the last many years, students and trainees from Chitrakala Arts have performed widely within Singapore and the region- from community centers and temples to the very prestigious venues. Key among these are performances at the Esplanade Theater of Arts- Singapore, the Opening Ceremony of the India Heritage Center-Singapore, The Indian High Commission events in Singapore and Laos, the Bali Arts Festival and the Cervantino Dance Festival- Mexico, as well as multiple performances for Mediacorp Vasantham- a premier TV channel in Singapore.
With over 120 active students and four training centers, Chitrakala Arts is looking forward to expand its creative footprint in Asia and beyond.
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