Gloria Mandelik

🪔 About

Gloria Mandelik, born in Florida, USA, in 1941, is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer, and teacher known for her unique integration of Classical Ballet, Spanish Dance, and Indian classical dance. Her career has been marked by an eclectic approach, delving deeply into the dance languages of these three cultures. Mandelik's early training began at age four with ballet, followed by studies in France. She later moved to Chennai (then Madras), India, where she rigorously studied Bharatanatyam from 1968 to 1972. Her training included time at Rukmini Devi's renowned Kalakshetra academy and with the Dhananjayans at their Bharata Kalanjali academy. Rukmini Devi herself noted Mandelik's ability to master Bharatanatyam postures due to her Classical Ballet background and Indian music's rhythmic *talas* through her Flamenco experience. Returning to Spain, Mandelik focused on combining these diverse forms into a cohesive artistic expression. Her work has been recognized for its catalyzing influence on the dissemination of Indian dance in Spain. She has led the Gloria Mandelik Dance Company, which undertook a "Tour of India" in 2011, presenting programs that blended classical, Spanish, and Indian dance styles in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi. Between 2001 and 2006, Mandelik also served as a regular guest teacher of Classical Ballet at institutions such as the Ballet Hispánico of New York.