SUNANDA NAIR

Exponent of Mohiniattam

A leading exponent of Mohini Attam, Sunanda Nair has emerged as one of the few practising luminaries of this style of classical Indian dancing.She is considered to be "the prima ballerina among Mohini attam dancer's" and also one of the outstanding performers of the younger generation in India today. Vastly gifted with an attractive demeanour suitable for this form of dancing, Sunanda indeed casts a spell on her onlookers while performing. She exudes vitality,warmth and endows her dance with an added dimension,and she enchants the initiated and theuninitiated alike. It is her ability to infuse beauty in whatever she creates and give joyousness to her movements and expressions that set her apart from other practitioners. The movements are full of life and endowed with sensitive lyricism.

Sunanda is the disciple of the noted Mohini Attam exponent Padmashree Dr.(Smt.)Kanak Rele.,who is renownedfor her contribution to the revival and popularisation of this classical dance style.She has the proud privilege of being the first student to earn a Master's degree in Mohini Attam from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalay affiliated to the University of Mumbai.Sunanda has prepared for her vocation both as a professional dancer and a teacher of dance,through rich and multifaceted experiences in higher academics, stage performances, classroom instruction and choreography. She is the founder director of Srutilaya Institute of Fine Arts, Mumbai where she imparts intensive training in both Mohini Attam and Bharata Natyam.

She has been trained from the age of 6 in Bharata Natyam under great gurus and also has trained herself in Kathakali from Kalamandalam KrishnanKutty Warrier and presently under Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan.