Marie Elangovan is an accomplished Bharatanatyam exponent, a noted choreographer and a teacher. She is the disciple and daughter-in-law of renowned Guru K. J. Govindarajan, one of the most illustrious gurus of the Thanjavur bani.
Born in Quebec, Marie is settled in India since 1993. "As a young adult in University, she attended a dance programme led by Shri Govindarajan who had come to Canada on a cultural exchange programme. The die was cast and there was no looking back. She had to learn this divine dance. Without hesitation, Marie severed her roots and came to India." (Jamuna Rangachari, Life Positive Magazine) Since then, her raison d'être has been the practice of this wonderful dance form. Brought up in Canada and now embracing Indian culture, Marie embodies both identities seamlessly, calling herself a Can-Indian.
“Dancing, a sacred experience…”
An empanelled artiste with the ICCR, Marie has performed extensively in India and abroad at prestigious venues and taken part in many well-known festivals. A widely acclaimed artiste, she won the appreciation of art-lovers and critics for her immaculate technique, flawless rhythm and evocative abhinaya. To her distinction, Marie is an M.A. gold medalist in Bharatanatyam from Bangiya Sangeet Parishad, Rabindra Bharati University. She is an ‘A’ grade artiste of Doordarshan and has featured in a large number of dance programmes and biographical stories on television. She is a graduate in Religious Studies from Université de Montréal.
“When absorbed into dancing, a feeling of pure joy arises from within…”
A recipient of several awards and titles, Marie teaches Bharatanatyam at Parampara Centre for Indian Classical Music and Dance and gives lecture-demonstrations on dance. As the Artistic Director of Parampara, she has presented numerous thematic programmes with a strict adherence to the traditional idiom. She has also expanded the vocabulary of the tradition by creating new pieces on the themes of childhood, climate change, peace, women empowerment, social harmony and environmental conservation. Her artistic excellence reflects in these choreographies, which are a blend of meaningful poetry and expressive dancing. Marie has been involved in pioneer work on art integration in school and has presented numerous sessions at various venues on the subject. In 2020, she was invited to present a session at the 47th NPSC Annual Conference which was attended by over 300 eminent educationists from all over India. Aiming to master the finest aspects of her chosen dance form, Marie has also trained in Carnatic music and nattuvangam.
© Marie Elangovan
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