Maya Kulkarni

🪔 About

Maya Kulkarni is a renowned Indian classical dancer, choreographer, teacher, and commentator, celebrated for her contributions to Bharatanatyam and the creation of a unique dance vocabulary called Shilpanatanam. She received extensive training from eminent gurus including Parvati Kumar, Kittappa Pillai, Kalanidhi Narayanan, Jaylaxmi Alva, and Dandayuthpani Pillai. Kulkarni's exceptional technique and storytelling prowess have earned her significant acclaim; Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times hailed her as a "dancer's dancer," and Marg Publications recognized her as a "pre-eminent dancer of her times" in 1979. Having performed extensively across the United States, Europe, and India, Kulkarni has showcased her mastery of traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire while also frequently choreographing her own pieces. She is the visionary behind Shilpanatanam, a new dance vocabulary that expands Indian classical dance by integrating global literary works and focusing on narrative and human conditions rather than solely devotional themes. Through Shilpanatanam, she has choreographed over 40 new works in the past 12 years, blending classical forms with innovative themes. Notable choreographies include “The Allegory of the Cave,” “The 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” in collaboration with Sonali Skandan,” and “Manikarnika”. Kulkarni is the founder and head of the Cultural Center for Movement Arts and Education (CCMAE) in New York City, a non-profit institution dedicated to supporting artists and new dance productions, and mentoring younger dancers. She has also co-produced acclaimed dance films such as “Chinnamasta” and “In the Creator's Gaze”. Her work has been supported by grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Beyond her dance career, Maya Kulkarni (also known as Dr. Maya Chadda Kulkarni) holds an academic position as a professor of political science at William Paterson University of New Jersey and is a research fellow at the Southern Asian Institute, Columbia University. Awards & Honours: Grant, Grant.