Shalini Shivashankar

🪔 About

Shalini Shivashankar is a prominent Indian classical dancer, teacher, choreographer, and the Artistic Director of Upahaar School of Dance, a premier institution in the UK. She commenced her Bharatanatyam training in her early years under the late Guru Smt Padmini Ramachandran in Bangalore. As a teenager, she was awarded the National Talent Search Scholarship for advanced studies in Natyam and received the 'Kalathilakam' award during her university years. She further honed her Bharatanatyam skills under the tutelage of Smt. Shyamala Surendran and Smt. Radhika Shurajit, both senior disciples of the renowned Natyacharyas, The Dhananjayans, with whom she continues her training. Simultaneously, Shalini pursued Mohiniyattam, initially with Smt. Kalamandalam Saraswati of Calicut, and then delved deeper into the art form with Smt. Sreedevi Rajan, daughter of the legendary Guru Smt Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. Shalini has performed both dance forms extensively in India and internationally, including Bahrain, Canada, and Europe. She taught dance in India and Bahrain for several years before moving to the UK in 2002. In 2003, she founded Upahaar School of Dance in Croydon, South London, which has since grown to include multiple branches across greater London, offering training in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathak, Carnatic Vocal, and Mridangam. Shalini is dedicated to preserving the authenticity of Mohiniyattam and actively works to establish and spread the dance style in the UK. Her school also curates the international classical dance festival, Nrithya-Upahaar. Awards & Honours: Nrithya Aacharya Ratna (2019), Vidushi or Nrithya Rathnakara, National Talent Search Scholarship, Kalathilakam.