Prerana Shrimali

🪔 About

Prerana Shrimali is a distinguished senior dancer of the Jaipur Gharana of Kathak, renowned for her intricate rhythmic play, dynamic footwork, and expressive abhinaya. Born in 1959 in Banswara, Rajasthan, Shrimali was initiated into Kathak dance at a young age by Guru Shri Kundanlal Gangani in Jaipur. She further honed her artistry at Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, under the continued tutelage of Guru Kundanlal Gangani. Her training also included learning Pakhawaj and vocal music. Shrimali's unique style, which blends lyricism with virtuosity and infuses expressiveness with new insights, has established her as a leading Kathak dancer of her generation. Throughout her illustrious career, Prerana Shrimali has performed extensively both nationally and internationally, gracing prestigious stages at events such as the Festival of India in the U.K., the Asian Performing Arts Festival in Japan, the Avignon Festival in France, and the Dance Festival in Switzerland. She has also performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and in countries like Jordan, Syria, and Muscat. Her dance was featured in the BBC film "The Far Pavilions," and she directed the film "Pathrai Ankhon ke Sapne" for Doordarshan. A prolific choreographer, Shrimali has created several productions, including "Doosro Na Koi – Verses of Meera," "Aavartan," "Vistaar," "Vivriti," and "Aaratis," often exploring poetry from diverse sources like Kalidas, Meera, and Ghalib. Beyond performing and choreographing, Shrimali has made significant contributions to Kathak education. She has imparted training to young dancers at esteemed institutions such as Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (for 13 years) and Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. She served as the Repertory Chief of Kathak Kendra, Delhi, from 2007 to 2009, and later as a senior guru there from 2012 to 2017. In 2021, she founded her own institute, 'KALAAVART' Prerana Shrimali Centre of Kathak, in Jaipur, where she is currently based. She is also engaged in research on "Kathak and Abstraction," for which she received a senior fellowship from the Government of India. Awards & Honours: Shringarmani (1981), Kalashri (1986), YuvaRatna (1988), Rajasthan Yuva Ratna (1989), Shrikant Verma Rashtriya Puraskaar (1989), Prashasti Tamrapatra (1990), Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1993), Adhaarshila Puraskaar (1996), Rashtriya Ekta Award (2001), Raza Puraskaar (2004), Keshav Smriti Award (2008), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2009).