Rukmini vijayakumar parents
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Rukmini Vijaykumar
Rukmini’s primary training and rigorous practice of Bharatanatyam was under Guru Padmini Rao, Guru Narmada Rao, and Guru Sundari Santhanam. Her ideas of dance are influenced greatly by the movement philosophy of the Natyashastra, which has been preserved through the research of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. These codified movement structures, known as Karanas, were taught to Rukmini at a very young age by Guru Sundari. Also a student of western forms of dance, she graduated in 2008 with a BFA in Modern dance and Ballet from the Boston Conservatory, USA.
Having had training from the best of both worlds of dance, her choreographies draw from the ancient, retaining tradition even while making them relevant to a contemporary world. She was a recipient of the Jiri Kylian grant for choreography and a resident choreographer at Korzo theater, the Netherlands in 2018. Her productions, Nayani, Prabhavati, Abhimata, Talattu, and The Dark Lord have toured India and the world extensively. Her more recent work, Turiya, MALA, The Muse, and Unrequited were created within the cont
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Photo by Sunny Jagesar
When did you start dancing with TLFCB? When did you leave?
I learnt with Yana from the end of 1999 to 2003. I mainly went to classes as there wasn’t any company or foundation yet, I was one of Yana’s first students when she came to India. After that I went to dance college.
What was your first stage role with TLFCB? Your favourite? And your last?
I danced only twice on stage with Yana, and they were both corporate shows not school shows like you have now. I remember my first stage role, it was a lyrical number called Hero which I really enjoyed dancing along with Elina.
What was your first dance job?
I don’t think I can remember! It must have been a show I did for Indian Institute of Management, I did a Bharatanatyam solo. It must have been around 2000 and was my first real dance job, yes.
What kind of dance do you currently practice?
I currently am primarily a Bharatanatyam soloist, I always was a Bharatanatyam dancer so that is what I do a lot of. I went to study modern ballet as well, so I do practice my barre. I do contemporary as well, I crea
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Sunset fell over the trees of Epping Forest and the London-facing waters of Hollow Pond glimmered in the light of magic hour. As one of the city’s favourite picnic spots became suffused with the rich colours of the English summer, Rukmini Vijayakumar was lost in a realm between earth and air. Her bare feet beat a noiseless rhythm in the vivid green grass as her arms reached up towards the heavens. At that moment, the sun burst through the trees and shrouded her silhouette, crowning her in a mantle of sunlight. As if on cue, a camera snapped, immortalising Vijayakumar’s communion with the sun.
Sunlight frames Vijayakumar’s face as she looks out into the distance mid-dance, the emotion of motion evident on her face. Photographed by Suleika Mueller
The photograph is now a part of the series Salangai, shot by UK-based photographer Suleika Mueller and styled by Tamil-origin stylist Aartthie Mahakuperan, which documents Bengaluru-based dancer, choreographer and actor Vijayakumar’s strikingly contemporary approach to the age-old traditions of Bharatanatyam. The English forest in
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