Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala (born 7 April 1961) is an Indian

Bharatanatyam ''Bharatanatyam'' is a Indian classical dance form that came from Tamil Nadu, India. It is a classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas of Hinduism and Jainism.< ...

dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She founded the Kalasri School of Performing Arts in

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

and is known for her ballets inspired by the legacy of her father-in-law, the musician Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, and the saint-poet

Annamayya Tallapaka Annamacharya () (09 May 1408 – 23 February 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a Telugu musician, composer, and a Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called '' samkirtanas.'' His devoti ...

Early life and background

Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala was born on 7 April 1961. She is the daughter-in-law of the

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

musician and composer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao. Her exposure to music and arts through her family background led her to pursue

. She trained under gurus in

, including Subramaniya Bharatyar, Thirumoolar Thirumanthiram, and Ananda Natana Prakasam. She holds a

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

degree.

Career

Parvathi established the Kalasri School of Performing Arts in

, where she teaches

. She also serves as the Managing Director of Kala Pradarshini in Chennai and has choreographed dance sequences for television. She performed at venues in India and abroad, such as Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharatyar and Thyagaraja, and represented India as a Cultural Ambassador in Europe in 1998. In 2012, she presented a dance production titled ''Panchali Sapatham'' at the Narada Gana Sabha in Chennai, which received positive reviews for its choreography. She created the ''Annamayya'' Ballet, a dance production about the 15th-century saint-poet

, using

to depict his devotional songs. The production received positive reviews for its choreography. Another work, the ''Tribute to Ghantasala'', honored her father-in-law Ghantasala and was performed in cities like

Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...

. Her production ''Devi – The Divine Power'' portrayed mythological and historical female figures. She also choreographed ''Krishna Leela'', a ballet about Lord

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

, ''The Wheel Turns'', which explored themes of life and spirituality, and ''Postcard for Each Season'', which depicted seasonal changes through dance. Parvathi has performed at festivals like the Margazhi festival in Chennai, organized by the Krishna Gana Sabha. Her work is associated with Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan in Chennai.

Awards and recognition

Parvathi received the Natya Kala Ratna from the Krishna Gana Sabha for her excellence in classical dance, the

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...

for Young Artistes for her choreography, and the

Kalaimamani The Kalaimamani is the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. These awards are given by the ''Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram'' (literature, music and theatre), a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government ...

Tamil Nadu State Award for her contributions to the arts.

Legacy

Through her Kalasri School of Performing Arts, Parvathi has trained many students in

. Her productions focus on themes related to Ghantasala and

Personal life

Parvathi is married to the son of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao. She resides in

, where she teaches and performs.

References

External links

Profile on Centre for Cultural Resources and Training
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghantasala, Parvathi Ravi Indian choreographers Indian dance teachers Recipients of the Kalaimamani Award 1961 births Living people