Biography
Veena Basavarajaiah is an young acclaimed contemporary solo artiste of India. She has also had the privilege of working with renowned Contemporary dance companies and has peformed on various platforms across UK and Europe .A recipient of Special Mention Young Achievers Award in 2007 and also an epanneled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She is also a free lancer working with various dance companies does collaborative work with musicains, theatre and multi media artistes. As an Educationist she has worked with children, teachers & Individuals with special needs across the country and has been working towards incorporating performing arts in the main stream of education.
Training
Bharatnatyam- 15 years – Guru Shubha Dhanajay
Kathak- 2 Years- Natya Institute of Kathak & Choreography
Kalaripayattu- 8 years- Guru Ranjan Mullaratt
Contemporary Dance – 2 years- Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts
Western Classical Ballet- since 3years- Yana Lewis dance Academy
Work Experience with different companies
Natyantharanga- Classical dancer & Choreographer 2000-05
Kalari Academy- Martial Artist , Performer & Choreographer – 2001-09
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts-Dancer & Educationist- 2002-04
Shobana Jeyasingh dance Company( UK) –Company dancer 2004-05
Angika Dance Company ( UK)- Company Dancer 2006-08
Yana Lewis Dance Company – Company Dancer 2007-09
Gati Forum ( Delhi) - Dancer – 2009
Awards and Recognition
Young Achievers Award( Special Mention )- Rotary & Brigade Group- 2007
Empanelled Contemporary and Bharatnatyam Artist for the Indian Council for Cultural relation
'B’ Grade Auditioned artist for the Indian National Television
International Festivals and Performances
Pact Zollverin-International Contemporary Dance festival- Germany-2004
Indian Biennial- Bonn- Germany-2006
Frankfurt Book festival- Germany- 2006
Sziget Dance festival- Budapest- Hungary- 2007
CCBE- Performance- Antwerp- Belgium-2007
Lille festival- France 2007
Oldenburg Arts Festival- Germany- 2007
The Polyzentral Festival- Hamburg- Germany- 2007
Sunera Foundation- Workshop for children with Disability- Sri Lanka-2007
Sammilan-2007
International Womens Festival- Uk-2007
Zaragosa Expo- Spain- 2008
L’oridente L’occident festival- Italy- 2008
Prayog-3-Nritarutya Dance Company- 2008
Swiss Textile College- Switzerland-2009
Attakkalari Bangalore Biennale- 2009
Gati Choreography Residency ( Delhi)– Jul- Aug-2009
Sammilan –International Contemporary Arts Festival-Nov2009
The Park NEw Festival- Chennai - dec 2009
National School of Drama Theatre Festival - JAn-2010
Interface- Kolkotha- Sep- 2010
SOLO WORKS
‘MAYA’- Beyond the illusion of perception- A solo piece created at the Gati Residency Delhi 2009 in collaboration with Musician Suchet Malhotra- July -August -2009
‘SITA’- A movement monologue set to the original verses of Valmiki Ramayana in collaboration with Sanskrit Scholar Sharda Narayan- June 2009
‘KALPA’- A dance film based on the concept of male and female energies of shiva and Shakthi in collaboration with Film maker Swaroop Kanchi- March 2009
‘ESCALATOR CLAUSE’- A site specific work designed on a moving escalator exploring the influence of economy and recession on common man. Presented at the Attakkalari International Arts festival Feb 2009
‘KANDA’ – A live performance in collaboration with Mirra ( Dancer) along with 13 children aged between 3 and 6 years . Exploring the intimate relationship of a mother and a child at Shanthi Road gallery – Feb 2009
‘ Journeys of the Body’ – A series of performances exploring the vachanas of Akkamahadevi in collaboration with Actor- Writer , Arka Mukhopadhyay.
Performed at the Delhi International Arts Festival Dec 2008
‘BLUE’ – A solo choreographed by Mayuri Upadhye ( Director Nritarutya dance Co, Bangalore) ASMI – April 2008
‘Move- mess & Mu- jinx’- A duet with Martial Artist Ranjan Mullaratt exploring the emotion of Humor in Combat- ASMI- April – 2008
Prakruthi – A piece choreographed for Global Warming Awarness programme to bring in awareness in schools and colleges.Feb – 2008
Waves People play – A piece choreographed for Kalari professionals of PKB Kalari Sangam, Guruvayoor exploring the musicality of Ketukari – Sammilan- 2007
Dialogues – A piece choreographed in collaboration with Kalri Academy exploring the emotional quality of Kalaripayattu – Adhyaya – 2006
Finding Ri – A solo in collaboration with Musician – Composer Praveen.D. Rao – Adhyaya - 2006
