GURU
Smt. Vrunda Upadhyay
Director and Founder of Mudra Dance Academy
Smt. Vrunda Upadhyay is a young talented Bharatnatyam dancer, Teacher, Choreographer and a Singer of unprecedented & graceful intensity. Despite of being a Computer Engineer by qualification, Vrunda Upadhyay opted to expand our rich cultural heritage through Bharatnatyam.
She began her training at the age of 5 years under the guidance of Guru Shri Kubernath Tanjorkar (Sangeet Natak Academi Awardee), Guru Shri Ramesh Tanjorkar and Guru Smt Leela Tanjaorkar from Vadodara, Gujarat.
She persued her Master of Fine Arts in Bharatnatyam from the Bharata College of Fine Arts & Culture, Mumbai.
She is a member of THE INTERNATIONAL DANCE COUNCIL CID, UNESCO and also the member of the Association of Bharatnatyam Artistes of India(ABHAI).
She has been fortunate to perform in international dance festivals held at Korea, USA, Canada and Greece.
She has also organized classical art festivals under the banner of her own Mudra Dance Academy in collaboration with The Dance India Magazine - An Exclusive magazine to spread our art and culture.
She is a registered examiner at Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya Mandal since 2009.
Recently she was highlighted as an exceptional organizer who helped make the Culture Days Weekend what it is across Canada. She was interviewed for the same which was published in February 2020.
Mudra Dance Academy has spread its wing abroad also which is in Canada in the year 2019.
She is currently teaching the senior students of Noopura Dance School established by the Regina Malayalee Association of Saskechwan, Canada.
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Under the tutelage of her Gurus, she is honoured with various awards such as:
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Felicitated by “Vishisht Shri Gaurav Puraskar 2017” organised by Samast Gujarat, Shri Gaud Samaj,Ahmedabad in October 2017.
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Honoured with “Brij Madhuri Samman 2017” at Mohan’s Rang Mahotsav organised by Mohan’s Abhinaya Sanskrutik Sansthan, Mathura in July 2017.
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Got awarded with “Brahma Gaurav Puraskar medal 2017” organised by Shri Samast Gujarat Brahma Samaj, Ahmedabad in August 2017.
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Privileged to be felicitated with “Girnar Ratna Award” at Girnar Mahotsav 2017, Junagadh organised by Patel Foundation, Mumbai in September 2017.
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Honoured with “Nritya Yuva Pratibha award” organised by Nrithyathi Kalakshetram, Bhilai (CG) in April 2017.
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Honoured with “International world dance day award 2017” organised by Natraj Music and Dance Academy at Vishakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh in April 2017.
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"KalaSudhaShree Samman Apurva Pratibha Award 2016" by PURVAI in association with ICCR Kolkata in May 2016.
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Felicitated by Birla School, Kalyan for the remarkable contribution in the field of Bharatnatyam in February 2016
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"Panchamveda Nrutya Sadhak Award 2016" by the Panchamveda fine arts Academy Ambajogai, Latur, Maharashtra in January 2016.
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"National Nritya Shiromani Award 2016" by the Utkal Seva Sanskrutik Sangh Cuttack, Odisha in January 2016.
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Felicitated with honorarium and selected in the prestigious festival "PALLAVOTSAVA 2015" organised by Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre, Mysore in September 2015.
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"Satyabhama Award" by the Natraj Music and Dance Academy, Vishakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh in the Satyabhama Yuva Nrityotsav which was held in July 2015.
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"Lasya Mohini Award" at Edapally, Kerala in Sept. 2014.
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"Tarang Padma award" by the Takshashila Nrityakala mandir, Thane in Sept. 2014.
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"Nritya Shivali" and "Shivali Shreshth" by the Shivali Cultural Society, Mumbai in Nov-Dec 2014.
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"National Nritya Bhushan Award" by the Utkal Seva Sanskrutik Sangh, Odisha in Sept 2013.
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She is the Director & Founder of Mudra Dance Academy - a Non-profit Organization, dedicated to promote our traditional dance and classical vocal at its best. This academy promotes India’s cultural heritage by teaching and performing with these next generation dancers and strives to expand the tradition’s expressive range through innovative choreography and quality training. Its the one and only bharatnatyam dance academy in Dombivli to attain laurels in very short span of years. Academy students got great opportunities to perform in almost all Mumbai based local festivals like Agri Mahotsav, Utsav festival organised by Dombivli Gymkhana, Vanrai Mahotsav, Navrathri Mahotsavam, Ayyappa Pooja Celebrations organised by Dombivli Shree Ayyappa Samiti, Shree Ponnuguruvayur Ayyappan Bhagavatam Celebrations organised by the Guruvayurayyappan temple committee to name few and several National level Festivals held several states of India. In the year 2019 our academy students got an opportunity to work with The Bollywood Choreographer Ganesh Acharyaji and Actress Rekhaji.
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Some of the Important International Festivals attended are :
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Performed online for "Artists United" Facebook page under "Artists United - Live Music Festival" banner in March 2020 from Canada.
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Performed at “NRITYA NAAD 2019 Dance Festival” organised by Aalaap Studios based in in .
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Organised culture days event on “Mudra - A Symbolic Gesture of Dance" for the Culture Days Canada in Regina, Saskechwan in September 2019.
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Performed at “21st World Congress on Dance Research Organized by the ‘International Dance Council - UNESCO’ held in Greece” in September 2007.
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Performed at “International Youth Festival held in Canada in June-July 2006” organized by UNESCO with a Government Sponsorship.
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Performed at U.S.A.’s Moot Festival, North Carolina (United States of America) organised by UNESCO in July 2001.
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Selected for Government Cultural Tour and gave Dance performance in "International Youth Dance Festival 2000" held in Seoul, South Korea during May,2000.
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Some of the Important national Festivals attended are:
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Conferred with Natyakala Ratnakara Award 2019 by Sugabala Culture Academy based in Navi Mumbai during the Shri Gowri Ganesh Natyotsava in September 2019.
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Perfomed on the World dance day on "An Ode to Empathy" organized by Smt. Lata Surrendra in collaboration with CID, UNESCO at Matunga in May 2019.
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Conferred with Nritya kala Tilakam award 2018 organized by major city, Vashi in November 2018.
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Privileged to perform as an ABHAI artist where Dr. padma Subramaniam was felicitated for Amritmahotsav program organized by Nrityodaya, Mumbai in October 2018.
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Performed at Mookambika temple, Udupi temple and Kateel temple in Karnataka during Navaratri celebration In October 2018.
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Selected to perform in the prestigious Sai Nrityotsava 2018 organized by Sai International arts, Bengaluru in March 2018.
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Felicitated for my contribution in bharatnatyam dance by the Dance India magazine at Thane in August 2018.
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Invited to do the role of kaushalya in the musical dance ballet organized by Bhakti Kala kshetra, Juhu Iskon Temple, Mumbai in December 2017.
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Performed for the Bharatnatyam Reality Show Gurus Special organised by Sri Shankara Tv and Venkifilms in November 2017.
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Very Fortunate to perform at Shirdi Devasthan in their Centenary Celebration organised by the Temple Committee , Shirdi in October 2017.
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Attended a workshop conducted by the legend and queen of Abhinaya Dr. Kanak Rele organised by Takshashila nritya niketan, Thane in September 2017.
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Choreographed a ballet "Sabareeshwara" on Lord Ayyappa, a Malayalam composition written by renowned artist Shri N.N.Shivaprasad and performed by Smt Vrunda Upadhyay and her disciples on the occassion of Ayyappa Pooja Celebration, Dombivli in December 2016.
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She was fortunate enough to present her dance academy students in the well acclaimed Agri Mahotsav 2014 held in December at Dombivali in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
And many more.