Topic: Shakti – The Female Principle
Date: 21st May 2021, Friday, World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
Time: 2:30-4:00 PM IST
Recording link: Click Here to Access the Recording
About the speaker: Padma Menon is a dancer, philosopher and pioneer in reviving the ancient practice of dance contemplation. Born and raised in India, she was a leading dancer in the Kuchipudi style of dance and trained under the guidance of the legendary Guru Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam. She studied Indian philosophy, yoga and martial arts under traditional lineages. She has lived in Australia and in the Netherlands, where her work has been groundbreaking in mainstreaming Indian dance through a practice that eschewed colonial interpretations of contemporary aesthetics for a radical aesthetic that was sourced from the depths of Indian practice. She mentors women to live to their full and sacred presence. Padma’s specific focus is the reclaiming of Goddess traditions as they are embodied in the roots of Indian dance.
Host: Prof Dr Amareswar Galla, UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums and Sustainable Heritage Development; Professor of Inclusive Cultural Leadership, Anant National University, Ahmedabad, India; and Founding Executive Director, International Institute for the Inclusive Museum, Australia/USA.