The Diffusion of Indian Dances in Argentina is largely the work laid by the Embassy of India in Argentina to diversify the different types of Indian Dances. It has helped the expansion of different types of dance, bringing forward important Indian Dancers of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, among others. This allowed and motivated Indian Dance Schools to promote, learn and teach Indian Dances to people and spread the joy of various Dances of India and its Culture in general.
Myrta Bravie, was the first Argentinean to dance Indian Classical Dance. She introduced and popularized Indian Classical Dances in Argentina and has instituitionalised Indian Dance tradition by training others. Myrta is the direct disciple of Rukmini Devi, a famous Indian dancer and the revivalist of Bhratanatyam from its original 'Sadhir' style. She started learning ballet at the age of eight and became a professional dancer in the ballet group of the prestigious Colon Theater of Argentina. She trained in Bharatnatyam in Kalakshetra and did her Arangetram there. Later she learnt Odissi from Guru Keluchara Mohapatra and got a Nritya Visharad degree from Kala Vikash Kendra in Orissa. She went on to learn Kuchipudi at the Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai, from Master Vempati Chinnasatyam. Myrta has performed Indian Classical Dances in Argentina and other countries of Latin America as well as in Europe, Asia, Middle East and USA. She has dedicated five decades of her life to indian dances and has become an icon.
She has had an illustrious career as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and writer. introducing and popularising Indian Classical Dances in Argentina Her disciples Natalia Salgado, Silvia Rissi, Indira and Leonara Bonetto have become teachers and established their own schools. Silvia Rissi, is another important dancer of Indian Classical Dance from Argentina. Her primary inspiration was Myrta Bravie. She also traveled to India in 2000 to learn Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi. After her return, she started Durga Maa, a School of Indian Classical Dance in Buenos Aires.
But Argentina also has an important dancer from India, who came to live in Buenos Aires almost 10 years ago. Manisha Chauhan, a major in publicizing the Bollywood Dance in Argentina. Manisha is currently a dancer, choreographer and teacher of Bollywood style of dance and has her own Dance School in Buenos Aires. She also gives workshops in the provinces of Argentina. With the advancement of the social media and the Internet, people in Argentina could know more about Bollywood Films and Indian dances. Dance Schools dedicated to Arabian Dances, began to explore this new dance coming from India. As it is also the case of the Teacher Macarena Broda of Buenos Aires who specializes in traditional dances from East, Middle East and the Mediterranean. Since 2008 she has been largely devoted to classical, folklore and modern dances of India. She also travelled to India in 2012, where she took classes in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Khalbelia in the most prestigious schools of Chennai and Jaipur. She also gives seminars and workshops all over Argentina.
There is also the influence of the Indian Community in Argentina, which allows more people to show interest in this culture on all its aspects. Such is the case of the Punjabi Community in the North of Argentina, precisely in the province of Salta. The influence of the same allows the School's of Indian Dances in this region to learn Traditional Folk Dances like Bhangra and Giddha. Members of the Punjabi Community joined Chak de India Ballet from Salta to teach and expand the folk dances of Punjab.
At pesent, Argentina has some teachers and Ballets of Indian Dances with recognizion from the Embassy of India in Argentina. Such is the case of Chak de India Ballet, first from the North of Argentina to be recognized by the Embassy with Miss Anita Nieva Rosas recognized as the only person representing Argentina in the World Bhangra Council, and was elected as the Bhangra Cultural Ambassador in year 2015.
Indian dances have expanded throughout Argentina, with important schools and dancers being recognized nationally and internationally with Embassy of India in Argentina playing an important role in strengthening relations between the two countries through Cultural Diplomacy, spreading the Indian Dances at festivals organized by it and especially the recognition it has given to dancers and schools as representatives of Indian Culture in Argentina.
Anita Nieva Rosas
India Argentina Youth Forum
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