Samudra
Founded in 1998, Samudra is directed by Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sajeev who are also the principal dancers and choreographers of the research centre. They are leading figures in the field of contemporary Indian dance theatre. Trained in various classical dance forms, martial art forms and Yoga, Madhu and Sajeev express their creativity through innovative items that go beyond the boundaries of tradition, seeking a powerful, contemporary, yet unique Indian idiom of dance.
They have choreographed two major productions named ‘The Sound of Silence’ & ‘Jalam’ which were well acclaimed both in India and internationally. They have performed in renowned festivals like The International Summer Theatre Festival held in Hamburg, Germany, The Hong Kong Asian Festival (1998), Iddac Dance and Music Festival, Royal Opera House in London in September 2001, Spoleto Festival – Italy 2001 & 2002, Indian Events in Spain, Portugal & France, toured UK for Sampad, Bonn Biennale Festival (2005), Edinburgh Festival – Scotland (2006), Frankfurt Book Festival (2006), Srilankan Indian Community Festival (2007), Soorya Youth Festival in 12 countries, etc. Apart from these they have also performed in many Indian festivals like the Soorya Festival, Attakalari Festival, Uday Sankar Satabdi Samaroh Festival organised by the Sangeeth Natak Akademi in Calcutta, Sangeeth Natak Akademi Festival in Manipur, etc. In 2001, with IFA (Chaali Project), they toured 23 villages of South India, performed, conducted workshops and lecture demonstrations in 60 venues. They have also choreographed and danced in an Indo – French collaborative opera work named ‘The Fakir of Benares’ which was staged in Delhi and Mumbai.
‘The Sound of Silence’, has won the Best Production Award in the Spoleto festival in Italy from among productions from 55 countries. Madhu and Sajeev have also been awarded the Best Choreographers Award by the Government of Kerala and the Film Critics Association for the film – ‘Raathrimazha’ and for the same film, they won the National Award also.
Choreographers, Directors and Principal Dancers Samudra Performing Arts
MADHU GOPINATH
Along with his basic education itself, Madhu had undergone training in Bharathanatyam. In the School Level, he has won many prizes in classical dance competitions and was well acclaimed as a performer in the same. After completing his basic education he opted for a career in the field of dance and music. He also started giving Bharathanatyam lessons to children.
In 1994, Madhu joined the Aarti Dance Company in Trivandrum as a dancer and started performing with the company in India as well as abroad. The major tour performances with Aarti included Hamburg Festival in Germany, Asian Festival in Hong Kong, Finland Dance Festival, etc. and have also danced in an Indo-UK collaborative work named ‘Falling Angels’. Madhu was one of the leading dancers while he was in Aarti. He started learning Kalaripayattu (martial art form of Kerala) from CVN Kalari Sangham in Trivandrum under Govindankutty Gurukkal and from Guru. Smt. V Mydhili of Midhilalaya Dance Academy he continued his Bharathanatyam lessons. Madhu have won acclaims as a good Kalaripayattu, Bharathanatyam and Yoga performer. Under Guru Deshpande, he also learned Rope Mallakhambh and Pole Mallakhambh.
PURUSHOTHAMAN SAJEEV (Vakkom Sajeev)
Sajeev’s initiation into the field of performing arts started with the training in Bharathanatyam under Guru. Smt. Suma Sivanandan. He had undergone training in the percussion instrument – Mridangam from the RLV College, Trippunithura and Sri Swati Tirunal College, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1994, Sajeev joined the Aarti Dance Company in Trivandrum as a dancer and started performing with the company in India as well as abroad. The major tour performances with Aarti include Hamburg Festival in Germany, Asian Festival in Hong Kong, Finland Dance Festival, etc. and have also danced in an Indo-UK collaborative work named ‘Falling Angels’. Sajeev was one of the leading dancers while he was in Aarti. While he was working with Aarti, he joined the CVN Kalari Sangham in Trivandrum and started learning Kalaripayattu (martial art from of Kerala) under Govindankutty Gurukkal and from Guru. Smt. V Mydhili of Midhilalaya Dance Academy he continued his Bharathanatyam lessons. Sajeev have won acclaims as a good Kalaripayattu, Bharathanatyam and Yoga performer. Under Guru Deshpande, he also learned Rope Mallakhambh and Pole Mallakhambh.
Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sajeev are the co – founders of Samudra and presently are the Principal dancers and Choreographers of the institution.