Mónica de la Fuente

🪔 About

Mónica de la Fuente is a renowned Spanish dancer, choreographer, and researcher specializing in Indian classical performing arts, particularly Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. She has dedicated over two decades to the creation, dissemination, and research of Indian dance forms, bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions. Her journey into Indian dance began in 1994 after witnessing Alarmel Valli's Bharatanatyam performance at the Khajuraho Dance Festival, an experience that profoundly altered her life's trajectory. From 1994 to 2000, Mónica de la Fuente underwent rigorous training in India. She studied Bharatanatyam for six years at Kalakshetra, Chennai, under the tutelage of Meena Raman. Subsequently, she trained in Kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam and Margi in Kerala, under Kalamandalam Krishnakumar. Her comprehensive training also includes Kalaripayattu, an Indian martial art. Since 2000, Mónica de la Fuente has been actively teaching and conducting lecture-demonstrations on Indian classical performing arts techniques at various theatres, dance schools, and universities across Spain. She is the Artistic Director of LAB-India, the Performing Arts Laboratory at Casa de la India in Valladolid, a foundation dedicated to promoting Indian culture in Spain. She also teaches at the Performing Arts Kalasangam at Casa de la India. Through LAB-India, she fosters intercultural artistic creation, research, and training, developing a unique artistic language that resonates with European audiences. Her choreographic work spans operatic productions, Indo-flamenco creations, and dance-theatre pieces, often collaborating with notable artists. She founded her own Dance-Theatre Company Mónica de la Fuente in 2000 to create intercultural spectacles. Mónica de la Fuente is also a published author and speaker on Indian performing arts. Awards & Honours: ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award (2019), Nrtya Nivedita Award (2017).