Feedback from Smt Shalini Shivashankar’s Mohiniyattam Workshop

Our Artistic Director and Head Teacher Shalini Shivashankar was happy to conduct a Mohiniyattam workshop in Jaffna, organised by Abhinayakshetra. Shalini Shivashankar along with Niranshana Suresh performed Mohiniyattam and Amiya Kumar did one solo dance in Bharatanatyam, the following day after Shalini conducted a demo for the students of the Bharatanatyam degree programme, members of the faculty and alumni.

The feedback was very positive and many had never seen Mohiniyattam before. Here are some extracts from the feedback received.

Workshop from University of Jaffna

Today, at the Department of Dance, University of Jaffna, I had the rare pleasure of witnessing Mohiniyattam, one of Kerala’s most distinctive classical dance traditions.The performance, together with the eloquent introduction that preceded it, bore testament to the artiste’s erudition and her deep devotion to the art form.

Equally admirable was the manner in which she nurtured her student—encouraging her, guiding her, and placing her in the spotlight—reflecting a spirit of mutual respect and shared growth.

There can be no doubt that the audience, in some measure, left enriched by the experience.

Indeed, when such occasions arise, to welcome them warmly and to participate wholeheartedly is itself the finest tribute we can offer to the arts.

— R. Thaneskumar

Today, I had the opportunity to attend a Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam performance held at the Department of Dance, University of Jaffna.

The program began with an explanation of the basic adavus (dance steps) of Mohiniyattam. This was followed by a performance of Ganapati Stuti, which was a truly remarkable piece of choreography. Next came Rama Sabdam, beautifully adorned with expressive abhinaya that brought out the meaning of the verses.

In between, her daughter and student, Amiya Kumar, performed a Padam set in Kapi rāga, dedicated to Lord Murugan. Though young in age, she portrayed the mood of the sahitya with remarkable grace and simplicity.

The performance concluded with a Tillana, after which came a recitation of Adi Shankaracharya’s shloka, choreographed with depth and encompassing the navarasas—not only a piece of dance, but a divine experience in itself.

My heartfelt thanks to Guru Shalini Sivasankar Amma for presenting this beautiful performance, to Niranshana Sureshkumar Akka for performing and organizing it, and to young Amiya Kumar as well.

Attam Workshop for London Adavu

I thoroughly enjoyed the session and found it to be incredibly insightful. Learning about the intricate details and the depth of Mohiniyattam from someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Shalini ma’am gave me a much clearer understanding of the art form. I was particularly fascinated by the historical background and the specific classifications, as well as how distinct Mohiniyattam is from Bharatanatyam in Nritta and Abhinaya. I also strongly believe that to truly appreciate an art form, it’s important to understand how the artist connects with it, and Shalini ma’am’s perspective on dance as a form of expression and self-discovery made me feel safe, inspired, and motivated to learn more. Shalini ma'am's kindness and expertise created such a warm and encouraging learning environment. I sincerely wish we had an entire day dedicated to exploring more of Mohiniyattam’s beauty. I look forward to more such enriching workshops in the future. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!

Mohiniyattam Workshop for Upadhye School of Dance

I really enjoyed being part of the workshop... It was a wonderful introduction to the form, and the clear explanations made it easier to grasp the basics. I only wish it had been a little longer, as that would have given us more time to practice and absorb the movements more deeply. Overall, it was a valuable and enriching experience, and I’d be glad to join more such sessions in the future :)

I have been learning Bharatanatyam for almost 10 years, and this was my very first experience exploring Mohiniyattam. The workshop was beautifully structured—beginning with its history and notations, gently moving into warm-ups, and then introducing the basic steps of the dance form. It was such an enriching experience that opened up a whole new perspective. I only wished we had little more time to soak in the movements even deeper. Grateful to Shalini ma’am for creating such a warm and thoughtful learning space, and looking forward to many more sessions like this.

I thoroughly enjoyed the session and found it to be incredibly insightful. Learning about the intricate details and the depth of Mohiniyattam from someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Shalini ma’am gave me a much clearer understanding of the art form. I was particularly fascinated by the historical background and the specific classifications, as well as how distinct Mohiniyattam is from Bharatanatyam in Nritta and Abhinaya. I also strongly believe that to truly appreciate an art form, it’s important to understand how the artist connects with it, and Shalini ma’am’s perspective on dance as a form of expression and self-discovery made me feel safe, inspired, and motivated to learn more. Shalini ma'am's kindness and expertise created such a warm and encouraging learning environment. I sincerely wish we had an entire day dedicated to exploring more of Mohiniyattam’s beauty. I look forward to more such enriching workshops in the future. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!