Shilpa Shankar

Nrithyanjali, an offering


Shilpa Shankar is an Indian classical dancer trained in Bharatanatyam, a South Asian dance form with a distinct movement language that amalgamates melody, rhythm and expression. Originally from India, where she received initial training in the art, she continues to passionately hone her skills receiving advanced training at the Jai Govinda Dance Academy, a leading school in Canada for the dance style. Shilpa has presented her work for New Works (All Over the Map Series), City of Surrey (Fusion Festival), Abbotsford Arts Council (Celebrate Canada event) among others. Shilpa is also a Chartered Accountant working as an auditor in a Big 4 accounting firm. She serves as Treasurer on the board of Company 605, a dance society.

Nrithyanjali, an offering

"Nrithyanjali", which loosely translates to "an offering of dance" is a collection of dance compositions based on eastern philosophy and poetry. This work aims at showcasing the magnificence of Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form through compositions that explore its three key elements - expression, melody and rhythm.

1. Pushpanjali, an offering of flowers:
The pushpanjali is an invocatory piece involving an offering of flowers. The dance begins with flowers in hands and a focus on footwork. After the offering of flowers, it continues into fast paced abstract dance, forming complex patterns to showcase the aesthetic beauty and movement patterns of bharatanatyam.

2. Gangadeswaram Shankaram, a synthesis of energies:
Combining the expressive element of Bharatanatyam with pure dance, this composition primarily explores the Ardhanarishvara - a form of the Hindu deity Shiva.

3. Sri Ramachandra, a collection of stories
Focusing on the expressive aspect of the dance form, this piece takes the audience through various key episodes from the Indian epic story the Ramayana.

4. Thillana, a celebration:
The thillana is a sharing of joy and devotion by the dancer and is presented as the concluding piece in a bharatanatyam recital. This piece involves intricate, fast paced pure dance and fluid movement patterns.

Performance History

1. STAND 2022 at Presentation House Theatre (November 2022, UPCOMING)
Performing arts festival co-produced by Blackout Art Society and Presentation House Theatre

2. New Works "All Over the Map" presentation series at Ron Basford Amphitheatre (August 2022)
Dance series featuring performances with roots from all over the globe curated by New Performance Works

3. Surrey Fusion Festival, Holland Park (July 2022)
Arts and culture festival co-produced by the City of Surrey and MRG Events

4. Abbotsford Arts Council, Exhibition Park Abbotsford (July 2022)
Cultural festival for Canada Day curated by the Abbotsford arts council

5. Planted Expo, Vancouver Convention Centre (June 2022)
Canada’s largest plant based and vegan expo hosted by Planted Life Co

6. Bridge Festival, Ambleside Park West Vancouver (June 2022)
Festival celebrating BC’s diversity through immersive cultural experiences

Project Details

Project created by: Choreography: Jai Govinda; Dancer: Shilpa Shankar

Key Collaborators:

Dancer: Shilpa Shankar
Choreography: Jai Govinda
Music: Recorded under the direction of Shri Balasubramaniam Sharma and late Shri OS Sridar with an orchestra based in India

Audience: General Audience, open to all ages including children and families

Length in minutes: Roughly 45-50 minutes - Full length work but does have adaptability to be shorter for a mixed program.

Space required: This work is adaptable to theatre, outdoors or alternate venues. It is also suitable for a digital presentation.

General technical requirements: - 1 microphone ideally placed on a mic stand (to briefly introduce the work prior to performing)
- Speakers for sound output (as the performance will be to recorded music)
- No specific requirements regarding the flooring, however as the dance will be performed barefoot, the stage should be free of wires and other debris

Availability: 2023/23 Spring, 2023/24 Season and 2024/25 Season

Number of performers on tour including choreographer: 1

Number of support staff on tour: 1

Community Engagement Activities

- Outreach activities: Lecture-demonstrations and community-level workshops
- Communities to engage with: Communities in Vancouver, the tri-cities area, south-asian audiences, seniors, young audiences.
- Age group(s): Participants aged 7 and above. Prior training in dance is not required.
- Scheduling formats: 30-45 minute duration
- Additional collaborators: Indian classical musicians, choreographers and dancers.

Contact: Shilpa Shankar, shilpashankar.ca@gmail.com

Instagram: Shilpa Shankar