Mahalakshmi Prabhakar

🪔 About

Mahalakshmi Prabhakar is an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, dance history curator, and independent researcher. She received her training in Bharatanatyam under Guru Lavanya Shankar. Prabhakar is actively involved in the contemporary Indian classical dance scene, not only as a performer but also as a scholar and educator. She was awarded a research grant by Parivatan for her contributions to dance education. A significant aspect of her work is her role as a co-coordinator, alongside Aranyani Bhargav, for the "Re-Cognising Dance" project. This initiative, implemented by the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) under its Arts Practice programme, was founded in 2020 during the pandemic. "Re-Cognising Dance" serves as an online platform dedicated to fostering constructive dialogues and critical engagement with the complex history and practice of various Indian dance forms. Through this platform, Prabhakar and Bhargav have curated discussion sessions with scholars and practitioners globally, exploring diverse themes related to Indian dance. Mahalakshmi Prabhakar has shared her expertise on dance through various national and international platforms. In March 2021, she was invited to speak at the First Latin American Congress of Indian Classical Dance, a virtual event organized by the Indian Cultural Center, Güngur, Buenos Aires, with support from the Indian Embassy and Ministry of Culture. During this congress, she delivered a class on dance history, contributing to the education of over 2000 participants worldwide. As a performer, Mahalakshmi Prabhakar has presented Bharatanatyam recitals, with documented performances including one in April 2017. She was also associated with a Bharatanatyam dance production titled "Padaprathishta." Her work underscores a deep interest in the performance history and theoretical underpinnings of Indian classical dance. Awards & Honours: Research Grant.