Dr. Madhavi Menon has been trained in the Thanjavoor bani/style of the classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam by Padmashri Guru Smt. Geeta Chandran at 'Natya Vriksha' New Delhi, India. Madhavi was initiated into the art of Bharatanatyam at the age of six by Smt. Sudhamahi Regunathan a disciple of Kalaimamani Guru K.N. Dakshinamurthy. Guru Geeta Chandran presented Madhavi and her sister Meenakshi in NatyaVriksha's first Arangetram (debut performance) at the Triveni Chamber Theater, New Delhi, in 1999.
Madhavi has to her credit numerous performances-both as a solo artiste and as a member of the Natya Vriksha dance company. Notable performances in India include the 13th Konark Dance Festival in Orissa, ‘Seeking Vishnu’ presented at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Chinmaya Mission in Delhi, ‘Her Voice’ a unique collaboration of puppetry and Bharatanatyam, and ‘Sivam’ presented at the First National Festival of New Choreographies in New Delhi.
Significant performances in the United States of America include the inauguration of the Carnival Center of the Performing Arts, Miami, the Florida Renaissance Festival (under the aegis of the Association of Performing Arts of India, APAI), Florida Atlantic University’s Sundance festival, and the Women’s Arts and Culture Festival at Miami Beach.
Madhavi has also frequently collaborated with other South Florida based classical dancers to present group choreographic productions. In 2007, Madhavi collaborated with three other classical dancers of South Florida to present ‘A Woman Speaks’ for SAHARA. She recently collaborated with four other dancers to form the ‘KALANVAY’ dance company, to produce and choreograph ‘PanchaNidhi- the Enigma of Five’ that premiered at the Miniaci Center for the Performing Arts in September 2011 and was again presented as a part of APAI’s ‘Unity through Diversity’ performance showcase at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in March 2014. In January 2016, Madhavi was invited to participate in dancer/choreographer Ranjana Warier's collaborative production titled "Surya: The Eternal Rhythm" that premiered at the Miramar Cultural Center. Madhavi’s solo, duet (with her sister Dr. Meenakshi Menon), as well as group productions have always met with very high critical acclaim.
Madhavi is frequently invited to present workshops and lecture demonstrations on Indian classical dance for varied audiences, ranging from university students to the corporate sector, as well as the Miami-Dade and Broward county public library systems. Additionally, Madhavi has served as a judge in world dance for the National Foundation for Advancement in Arts (NFAA Young Arts Awards) from 2003-2012.
Madhavi has also trained in Carnatic classical vocal music under Smt. Visalam Venkatachalam, and was a regular performer for All India Radio's Yuva-Vani Station.
Madhavi has a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Florida Atlantic University, and is a Professor of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. Madhavi has resided in South Florida since 2001, and founded the Natya Mārga School of Dance in 2016, where she conducts dance classes for adults and children.
Madhavi has to her credit numerous performances-both as a solo artiste and as a member of the Natya Vriksha dance company. Notable performances in India include the 13th Konark Dance Festival in Orissa, ‘Seeking Vishnu’ presented at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Chinmaya Mission in Delhi, ‘Her Voice’ a unique collaboration of puppetry and Bharatanatyam, and ‘Sivam’ presented at the First National Festival of New Choreographies in New Delhi.
Significant performances in the United States of America include the inauguration of the Carnival Center of the Performing Arts, Miami, the Florida Renaissance Festival (under the aegis of the Association of Performing Arts of India, APAI), Florida Atlantic University’s Sundance festival, and the Women’s Arts and Culture Festival at Miami Beach.
Madhavi has also frequently collaborated with other South Florida based classical dancers to present group choreographic productions. In 2007, Madhavi collaborated with three other classical dancers of South Florida to present ‘A Woman Speaks’ for SAHARA. She recently collaborated with four other dancers to form the ‘KALANVAY’ dance company, to produce and choreograph ‘PanchaNidhi- the Enigma of Five’ that premiered at the Miniaci Center for the Performing Arts in September 2011 and was again presented as a part of APAI’s ‘Unity through Diversity’ performance showcase at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in March 2014. In January 2016, Madhavi was invited to participate in dancer/choreographer Ranjana Warier's collaborative production titled "Surya: The Eternal Rhythm" that premiered at the Miramar Cultural Center. Madhavi’s solo, duet (with her sister Dr. Meenakshi Menon), as well as group productions have always met with very high critical acclaim.
Madhavi is frequently invited to present workshops and lecture demonstrations on Indian classical dance for varied audiences, ranging from university students to the corporate sector, as well as the Miami-Dade and Broward county public library systems. Additionally, Madhavi has served as a judge in world dance for the National Foundation for Advancement in Arts (NFAA Young Arts Awards) from 2003-2012.
Madhavi has also trained in Carnatic classical vocal music under Smt. Visalam Venkatachalam, and was a regular performer for All India Radio's Yuva-Vani Station.
Madhavi has a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Florida Atlantic University, and is a Professor of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. Madhavi has resided in South Florida since 2001, and founded the Natya Mārga School of Dance in 2016, where she conducts dance classes for adults and children.
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