Leela Samson
Leela received the impulses for her growth as a dancer from Kalakshetra, Chennai, where she was a student. From 1975 to 2005 she taught at the Sriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and privately in Delhi, and choreographed a body of work called ‘Spanda’ known for its innovations in Bharatanatyam. Spanda continues to enthrall audiences around the world.
She was Director, Kalakshetra from 2005 to 2012. She brought to the institute an integrity and dynamism in teaching and performance. Leela has written several books- ‘Rhythm in Joy’ for Lustre Press in 1987, ‘Rukmini Devi – a life’ published by Penguin Viking in 2010, on the life of the legendary founder of Kalakshetra, and ‘Dance of Freedom’ – a short history of Bharata Natyam.
Leela is the recipient of the Sanskriti Award in 1982, the Padmashri Award in 1990, the Nritya Choodamani Award in 1997, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2000 and the Natya Kala Acharya Award from the Music Academy, Chennai in 2015.
From 2010 to 2014 she served as Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. From 2011 to 2015, she served as Chairperson, Central Board of Film Certification. In 2015, she began acting when she was offered a role in Mani Ratnam’s ‘O Kadhal Kanmani’. Since then she has acted in several other films. Over the years, Leela Samson has inspired innumerable students of dance with her teaching, choreography and performances. She lives in Chennai.
All Sessions by Leela Samson
The Way Forward- New Directions in Choreography and Dance Pedagogy
Listen to three national-award winning dancers – Leela Samson, Madhavi Mudgal, and Prerana Shrimali as they share their insights on the way forward, considering their experience of performing, teaching and choreographing dance over many decades. Join us in an intimate conversation with the leading gurus of Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kathak, with Deepthi Sasidharan, on new directions in choreography and dance pedagogy.
Dance - The All-Inclusive Art Form
Celebrated dancer and choreographer Padmashri Leela Samson opens the conclave with her talk ‘Dance- the All Inclusive Art Form’. She will be in conversation with the renowned literary consultant, founder and CEO of Siyahi, Mita Kapur. Two award-winning legends in their fields come together to share insights from their rich experience.
Prakashya (Bharatanatyam)
‘Prakashya’ means to make manifest or to be brought to light. The Spanda dance ensemble is constantly engaged with various kavya (poetry) written in the languages of India, particularly by the Southern vageyakaras who not only penned great verses born of their own bhakti or devotion, as also about love and their observation of life and nature - both human or otherwise, and also gave them life through exquisite music. In this performance, Spanda interprets these poems. ‘Prakashya’ is the light we throw on these compositions that is bright and radiant. Choreography is by Leela Samson