Leda Shantala (Leda Seitanidis)

🪔 About

Leda Shantala, born Leda Seitanidis in Athens, Greece, is a distinguished choreographer, dancer, guru, and teacher of Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, as well as a yoga teacher and dance therapist. Her early dance training included ten years of ballet and contemporary dance in Athens. Shantala pursued higher education in French Literature at the Sorbonne University in Paris, where she also delved into modern dance, ethnology, and humanistic psychology. Her profound interest in Indian philosophy was sparked by her maternal uncle, Kostas Stefanidis, a translator of Indian epics and philosophical texts. Leda Shantala spent four years in India, immersing herself in classical Indian dance. She graduated from the esteemed Bharata Kalanjali dance academy and also studied at Abhinaya Sudha in Chennai. During this period, she received rigorous training in Bharatanatyam from eminent gurus such as Sri Adyar Lakshman, V. P. Dhananjayan, Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan, and Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan. Concurrently, she studied Carnatic music, including song, rhythm (tallams), rhythmic syllables (sholus), and the execution of rhythms on the “tata-kari”. Her arangetram, or first public performance, took place on April 24, 1983, at the Anantapadmanabha Swami temple in Adyar, Chennai. It was during her time in India that she adopted the name Shantala, signifying a new artistic identity distinct from her social persona, Leda Seitanidis. Upon returning to Greece, Shantala became instrumental in introducing and popularizing Bharatanatyam to Greek audiences. In 1985, she founded the Mandiram Cultural Centre, which served as Greece's sole professional school for Indian dance. She also established the Leda Shantala Dance Theatre in 1983, which has since produced numerous acclaimed intercultural performances blending Bharatanatyam with contemporary dance, ancient Greek art forms, and theatrical elements. In 2003, the activities of the Mandiram Centre transitioned to the newly established Shantom House of Culture in Chalandri, Athens, which continues to host the only professional Bharatanatyam Academy in Greece. Shantala's theoretical research explores the connections between ancient Greek “Musike” and Bharatanatyam, and the historical roots of dance movement therapy in both cultures. She has authored a book on Bharatanatyam and is currently working on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. In recognition of her significant contributions to cultural exchange, she was honored in 2022 by the EICBI as one of the “60 Legends” for her pivotal role in fostering EU-India relations. Awards & Honours: EICBI 60 Legends (2022).