Malini Srinivasan

Malini is a Teaching Artist with City Lore, an NYC-based organization. City Lore is unique amongst New York City’s many excellent arts education programs in that they specialize in placing traditional and folk artists in schools to share their expertise with students and teachers. They also facilitate school assembly shows, like the one described below.

School assembly show: MALINI SRINIVASAN & FRIENDS: Bharatanatyam Dance & Carnatic Music

Malini Srinivasan and Friends bring their audience on a journey to the beautiful and colorful world of Indian classical dance and music. The company presents Bharatanatyam dance and its sister art form, Carnatic music. The dance grew in the courts and temples of South India, and combines percussive and rhythmic footwork with dynamic movement and intricate story-telling. Dancers use storytelling techniques including hand gestures and facial expressions to tell stories from Indian mythology. Through the performance students learn popular Indian stories, try hand gestures and clap with the rhythms. Students are also introduced to the idea of the oral tradition, which is how classical arts in India are passed down from generation to generation. Performances conclude with interactive sessions in which students get on stage and learn the basic steps and hand gestures of the dance and/or try out musical instruments like the kanjira