Viji Prakash | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Vijaya Lakshmi |
| Occupation | Bharata Natyam dancer |
| Spouse | Prakash (death) |
| Children | Mythili Prakash |
| Awards | Devdasi National Award (2014), Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy Award (2013) |
| Website | Shakti Bharatnatyam official website |
Vijaya Lakshmi Prakash, popularly known as Viji Prakash, is an Indian Bharata Natyam dancer, instructor, choreographer, [1] and founder of the Shakti Dance Company and Shakti School of Bharata Natyam. She has been working in the USA since 1976, with a career spanning over 40 years in practicing, performing, teaching, and choreographing Bharata Natyam.
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Key achievements and background:
- Began studying Bharata Natyam at age 4.
- Trained under the renowned gurus Kalyanasundaram and Mahalingam Pillai of the Sri Raja Rajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir in Bombay.
- Also studied Mohini Attam and Kathakali under Guru Kanak Rele.
- Founded the Shakti School of Bharata Natyam and Shakti Dance Company in Los Angeles in 1977.
- Has trained over 2,000 students, with over 300 students performing their solo debuts (Arangetram).
- The Shakti Dance Company has performed at prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and the LA County Holiday Celebration.
- Recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Best Guru Award from the Music Academy in Chennai and the Soorya LifeTime Achievement Award.
- Served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Bharata Natyam at UCLA from 1999 to 2015.
