Rema Shrikant performs Bharatanatyam in Russia  

April 27, 2009 

 
Rema Shrikant led her group to Russia for performing in the opening ceremony of the 'Year of India Festival' held in Moscow on 31st March 2009 which was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dr. Karan Singh, Chairman of ICCR and other dignitaries including the Indian ambassador to Russia. They also performed in St. Petersburg on 2nd April 2009. 
  
Rema presented 'Srushti Tandavam' a Bharatanatyam dance choreography based on Lord Shiva. It was the first opening dance item in the opening ceremony held in Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and also at Conservative Hall in St. Petersburg. 

The theme was based on Shiva as being the god of auspicious beatitude. He bestows on creation all that is beneficent, and richly productive of all-round prosperity. To Nataraja, this universe is His sporting place (nritya-shala). The sun, moon, the stars and the planets dance around their fixed orbits in this vast and incomprehensible universe at His will. His primordial power is at play, creating, preserving, destroying and regenerating. He is the unequaled creator who is the Lord of Shakti (energy) which is the primordial source of this vast manifestation.  

Rema Shrikant performed with her disciples Samvitti Joshi, Parimal Phadke, Yamini Jayaprakash, Upasana Trivedi, Meghal Oza, Gunjan Trivedi and Shivangee Anantani. It was sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Government of India. 

Rema Shrikant, exponent in Bharatanatyam and other south Indian classical styles started learning from the early age of three from her father Guru Krishna Panicker and later from traditional gurus namely Kittappa Pillai. She learnt Mohiniattam from Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma and Kuchipudi from Guru Acharyalu.  
 

Rema joined the MS University, Baroda for graduate and post graduate studies in performing arts with specialization in Bharatanatyam after her marriage to Srikant Nair, son of the legendary Kathakali exponent Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, the first Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam. She did five years course in the university and passed out meritoriously with first positions and university gold medal under the tutelage of eminent scholar and choreographer, Prof. CV Chandrasekhar, the then Dean and Head of Dance, Faculty of Performing Arts. 
 
Rema established her dance school, the Ellora Center for Performing Arts in Vadodra in 1976 and has trained many students in Bharatanatyam and other styles of classical dances. She received the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2000 for her contributions in the field of classical dances. She and her Bharatanatyam troupe are empanelled by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) of the government of India for cultural exchange programs.