Mahishasuravadham by Kapila Venu | Kutiyattam | Milap | Online Diwali Festival 2020 | Milap

Goddess Durga slays the demon Mahishasura and acquires the name Mahishasuramarddini. The performance is based on the legend from the Devi Mahatmyam. It has been choreographed using the language of the ancient theatre tradition Kutiyattam especially for this occasion by Guru G Venu and will be performed by Kapila Venu.

Kapila Venu is a renowned Kutiyattam practitioner and one of the foremost disciples of the legendary Kutiyattam maestro Guru Ammannur Madhava Ckakyar. She has also trained in Kutiyattam with renowned masters such as Guru G Venu, Guru Ammannur Kuttan Chakyar, Guru Usha Nangiar and Guru C N Rama Chakyar and in Mohiniyattam dance under Guru Nirmala Paniker for several years.

Kapila has been performing Kutiyattam and Nangiar Koothu, both as a solo performer and together with the ensembles at Natanakairali and Ammannur Gurukulam all over the world since 1997.

Being a practitioner of an ancient ritual theatre, Kapila firmly believes in continuously evolving technically, spiritually, philosophically and politically. She strives to maintain the technical purity and essence of the art form whilst making space for innovation and creativity.

Kapila has trained and worked with world renowned farmer and avant-garde dancer Min Tanaka from Japan from 2005 to 2010 and performed in two of his choreographies – ‘Rite of the Forest’ and a solo dance choreography based on Thottangal for Dance Hakushu. This has been one of the most significant influences in her life.

Kapila has collaborated with eminent international artists such as Swedish theatre director Peter Oskarson, American experimental dancer Wally Cardona and Scottish visual and performanceartist Hanna Tuulikki. She is a visiting faculty at National School of Drama, New Delhi and Intercultural Theatre Institute, Singapore. The film ‘Kapila’ based on her life and work won the National Award for the Best film on Culture in 2014.

Awards and Scholarships:
· Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Samman, Govt of Madhya Pradesh - 2014.
· Sanskriti Award from Sanskriti Foundation – 2010.
· Yuva Kala Bharathi from Bharath Kalachar – 2009.
· Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government if India, New Delhi - 2006.
· Promising Artiste of the year from Keli, Mumbai - 2002.
· CCRT scholarship from Government of India.
· Gurukul Scholarship from Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

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Milap is an Indian arts and culture company operating in the UK. Our aim is to inspire, educate and entertain people of all backgrounds through Indian Arts. We produce festivals, performances and events across the UK, including our annual festival in Liverpool - Indika. Milap has also produced a career pathway in Indian arts, including education events, the National Youth Orchestra for Indian Music, Dance India International Summer School and the UK's National Indian Arts Awards. For further information, visit https://www.milap.co.uk/

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