VasantaMala Indian
Dance Company
The dancers in the company have been trained under VasantaMala and Shakti. Most of them have been training for 20-30 years in Bharata Natyam (under VasantaMala) and Yoga and contemporarry dance forms (under Shakti).
They have performed in various countries and festivals such as in London, Edinburgh, Avignon, New York, Adelaide, China, Korea, Russia, India and Japan.
The dancers teach as well as perform. The school is based in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Classes of Indian Classical and Folk Dances are given by VasantaMala.
Shakti Studio in Tokyo focuses more on training the body and spirit through disciplined yoga training and comtemporary styles.
Shakti
Lead Dancer / Choreographer / Director
Born in 1957 in Kyoto , Japan to an Indian father and Japanese mother, Shakti grew up with rich cultural heritage of Japan and India . She studied yoga with her father and dance with her mother and with foremost gurus of India .
While earning an M.A. in Indian Philosophy at Columbia University in New York City , Shakti studied modern dance with Martha Graham and jazz with Luigi.
Upon returning to Japan , Shakti developed a unique hybrid form of dance blending an array of Eastern dance traditions and yoga with Western jazz and contemporary rock resulting in an exotic, erotic, and shocking effect.
She has been performing worldwide to great critical acclaim. Her unique and mesmerising performances have touched and tantalised audiences everywhere.
She is called the "Dancing Phoenix"(New York Times), "Camp Asian Vamp" (London Time Out), and "Nymph of Sensuality" (Yomiuri Press).
Shakti was nominated into the top 3 in "100 Japanese the World Respects" by Newsweek Japan .
VasantaMala
Artistic Director
VasantaMala (Yae Yamato) is the founder and director of the VasantaMalaIndian Dance Institute in Kyoto. She is the first Japanese woman to introduce Indian Classical Dance in Japan. She studied at the Uday Shankar Institute in Kolkota and then went on to study Bharata Natyam under the dsicipline of Guru Elappa in Madras (now Chennai). She returned to Kyoto and opened the first Indian Dance School in Japan.
Shakti and the VasantaMala Dance Company have been trained under her. She and Shakti work together to continue to create new artistic and unique pieces.
VasantaMala has received the highest award in Japan for her dedication to her art. She is known as "The Living National Treasure."
She is also a poetess and has published many poems and has also received many awards. In Bharata Natyam & Beethoven she wrote the poetry to go with the dance.
Jorg Hacker
Technical Director
Jorg Hacker is the chief scientist of Airborne Research Australia, Australia's only National Research Aircraft Facility engaged in using and operating aircraft for atmospheric and environmental research.
His research work spans a wide area with special emphasis on the atmospheric boundary layer and the development of innovative instrumentation and measurement strategies using airborne platforms.
Jorg is also the managing director of The Garage International and lighting designer for Shakti's shows.
