Exponents of dance

Leading dancers and contributors

• Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904–1986): helped revive Bharatanatyam and give it respect as a stage art. She founded Kalakshetra in Adyar, Madras, in 1936.
• T. Balasaraswati (1918–1984): Bharatanatyam dancer from a hereditary family of musicians and dancers, celebrated for her abhinaya.
• Birju Maharaj (1938–2022): Kathak maestro of the Lucknow gharana, from the family of Kalka Prasad and Bindadin. He was also a singer, drummer and choreographer.
• Sitara Devi: Kathak dancer of great energy, called "Nritya Samragni" (empress of dance).
• Kelucharan Mohapatra: guru who shaped modern Odissi; began as a gotipua dancer.
• Sanjukta Panigrahi: one of the first women from a non-hereditary background to take up Odissi professionally.
• Vempati Chinna Satyam: reshaped Kuchipudi as a solo and group stage form and founded the Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai.
• Yamini Krishnamurti: noted performer of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.
• Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma: called the mother of modern Mohiniyattam; she worked to revive it.
• Guru Bipin Singh: teacher and researcher of Manipuri dance.
• Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair: famous Kathakali actor-dancer.
• Vallathol Narayana Menon: Malayalam poet who founded Kerala Kalamandalam (1930) and revived Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
• Uday Shankar (1900–1977): pioneer of modern Indian creative dance. He toured with Anna Pavlova, founded a cultural centre at Almora and made the dance film Kalpana.
• Mrinalini Sarabhai: Bharatanatyam and Kathakali dancer who founded the Darpana Academy in Ahmedabad.

Key points

• Rukmini Devi: Kalakshetra; Vallathol: Kerala Kalamandalam.
• Birju Maharaj: Lucknow gharana of Kathak.
• Kelucharan Mohapatra: Odissi; Vempati Chinna Satyam: Kuchipudi.
• Uday Shankar: creative dance, Almora centre.

Exam tips

• Match the dancer to the form and the institution; matching questions are common.
• Do not memorise disputed award years; focus on form, gharana and contribution.