Mythrai K. Brahman

🪔 About

Mythili Kumar is a distinguished dancer, teacher, and choreographer, renowned for her expertise in the Indian classical dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. Her extensive training in India included Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Smt. Indra Rajan, Sri T.R. Devanathan, and Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan. For Kuchipudi, she was guided by Sri Vendantam Jagannatha Sharma, and for Odissi, her gurus were Guru Srinath Raut and Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Kumar performed extensively in India before relocating to the United States in 1978, having received a full scholarship from a Rotary Club to attend UC Davis as a "cultural ambassador," where she completed a degree in nutrition. In 1980, Mythili Kumar established the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose, where she continues to serve as its artistic director. Under her leadership, the Abhinaya Dance School has trained over one hundred Bharatanatyam dancers to the point of their arangetram, a significant solo debut marking their professional emergence. The Abhinaya Dance Company, founded in 1986, has achieved national and international recognition through its performances. Beyond her work with Abhinaya, Kumar has contributed significantly to dance education, teaching at various institutions including San Jose State University and Stanford University, and currently holding a position as a lecturer in dance at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her artistic vision is evident in her collaborative performances, such as "The Guru" with Kathak maestro Chitresh Das, "In the Spirit" with San Jose Taiko, and "The Ramayana" with Gamelan Sekar Jaya, showcasing her commitment to cross-cultural artistic dialogue. Awards & Honours: Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime Achievement Award by San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival (2010), Choreographer's fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Teacher's recognition certificate from the National Endowment for the Arts (1998), Honored by the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Committee for outstanding artistry and contribution to world dance (1994), Honored by the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Committee for outstanding artistry and contribution to world dance (2007), Choreography commission for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival (2008), Viswa Kala Bharati by Bharath Kalachar in Chennai (1999), Abhinaya Kala Ratna by Shiva Vishnu Temple (2002), World Arts West Lifetime Achievement Award (2010), Sustained Achievement Award by the Bay Area Isadora Duncan Award Committee (2011), Soorya Performing Arts of St. Louis Lifetime Achievement Award (2011), Silicon Valley Creates Legacy Laureate Award (2015).