Monica de la Fuente

🪔 About

Mónica de la Fuente is a renowned Spanish dancer, choreographer, and researcher specializing in Indian performing arts, with a career spanning over two decades. She began her journey in Indian classical dance at the age of 19, after being captivated by a Bharatanatyam performance by Alarmel Valli at the Khajuraho Dance Festival in 1994. She underwent extensive training in India from 1994 to 2000, studying Bharatanatyam for six years at Kalakshetra in Chennai under the tutelage of Meena Raman. De la Fuente also trained in Kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam and Margi in Kerala, and in the martial art of Kalaripayattu at CVN Kalari in Trivandrum. Returning to Spain in 2001, Mónica de la Fuente founded her own dance theatre company in 2000 and has been dedicated to the creation and dissemination of classical and contemporary Indian dances. She has been teaching Indian classical performing arts techniques, including lecture demonstrations, at various theatres, dance schools, and universities across Spain since 2000. She is also a teacher at the Performing Arts Kalasangam at Casa de la India in Valladolid and directs LAB-INDIA, the Laboratory for Performing Arts at Casa de la India, a foundation promoting Indian culture in Spain. Her work often explores the fusion of Indian dance forms with contemporary and Spanish elements, such as Flamenco. She was the artistic coordinator, choreographer, and performer for the live show "Flamenco India," directed by Carlos Saura, which premiered in 2015. Awards & Honours: Nrtya Nivedita Award (2017), ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award (2019).