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MALABIKA
SEN
KATHAK EXPONENT
At
a time when Kumudini Kakhia, Rohini Bhate, Munna Shukla
& Daksha Seth are scaling new heights with their
innovative styles, Malabika Sen has been trying to revive
the old tradition of Kathokatha. It was amazing to see her
on stage, because in the tradition of a true Kathokatha,
she sang excellently.
She is able to hold the attention of a raputurous audience
by the sheer beauty and iridenscence of her presentation -
Sandhya Sen & Sunita Chowdhury (Statesman)
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PROFILE
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Malabika Sen is
a well know exponent of Kathak Dance. She has received
her formal training from gurus Sri Prahalad Das
and Pandit Vijay Shankar in the Lucknow Gharana and
attended several workshops in kathak conducted by
Pandit Birju Maharaj and Smt Saswati Sen.
Selected to perform in Pandit Birju Maharaj's gorgeous
production "Shristi" at Radisson fort,
Malabika was aptly felicitated on stage for her
contributions to Kathak.
A first class Nritya Prabhakar Degree-holder from
Prayag University and a graduate of the Calcutta
University, Malabika was awarded Silver Nataraj
in the Bengal Gitika Sangeet Competition and she
also bagged the first prize in the sixth Youth Festival
held in honour of World Youth Festival, Algiers
for her visually graceful dance performance.
Major national music
conferences such as All India Tansen Sangeet
Sammelan,
Serampur Sangeet Samaj and Uttarpara Sangit Chakra
have staged Malabika's Kathak programmes.
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| The Indo-Soviet
Friendship
and Cultural Society, German Embassy, Bharat Nepal
Moitree Parishad and Indian Museum have invited
Malabika Sen to present Kathak, Ramayankatha, Durga,
as well as Tagore's ballets "Kaal Mrigaya",
"Shyama". These presentations were a spontaneous
overflow of skill, dexterity of exquisite footwork
and choreagraphy which enthralled and encaptivated
the audience.
Leading dance critics Sunil Kothari (Statesman)
and N K Shiv Sankaran (Telegraph) have discovered
in Malabika's Kathak "an old world charm"
and "a pleasing stage presence" respectively.
The ICCR and Eastern Zonal cultural centre, the
cultural wings of Govt. of India have presented
Malabika's dance in major national and international
cultural exchanges.
In the United Kingdom (England), the Camden Community
Centre, Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan and Liverpool &
Leeds Puja
Committee have staged Malabika's programmes, work-shops
and lecture-demonstrations. The Deutsch Indische
Tanzschule, Nataraj organised her shows at the Berlin
Museum in November 1999. Malabika's exposition of
Kathak with intricate style, complex footwork and
delicate movements, stirred the spectators deeply.
In recognition of her versatile capabilities as
a dancer, singer and choreographer the Institute
in Berlin has offered a teaching assignment to Malabika.
A few European pupils have come to Calcutta to seek
training in Kathak from her.
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PENS
ON MALABIKA SEN
Malabika Sen a disciple of Prahlad Das, danced with
confidence. She executed 27 chakkars in a flawless
manner. Her kathak exposition was a class by itself.
- The Statesman (Sunil Kothari)
Malabika Sen presented Kathak fare with confidence.
Her "Gatnikash" and "Thumri bhav"
(mohe chhedona) were praise-worthy.
- The Telegraph (Nandita Sinha)
Possessing a pleasing stage presence and considerable
command over tala and laya, Malabika Sen was able
to establish a rapport with the audience.
- The Telegraph (N. Shivsankaran)
Malabika Sen's recent reportoire on the great epic,
"The Ramayana" with a mix of Kathak and
Kathakatha enamoured the audience.
- S K Chakravarti (Director, Indian Museum)
Eminent kathak dancer Malabika Sen has just given
a highly successful performance and workshop in
Berlin.
-Malaya Mishra, Minister & Director
Intian Cultural Center, Berlin.
Committed to the idiom of Kathak as her pivot, Malabika
brings to light her versatility and choreographic
finesse.... she left the audience asking for more.
- Hindustan Times (Kathakali Jana)
"Superb performance of Kathak dance"
- Girish Karnad
(Director, The Nehru Centre, London)
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