SOURAJA TAGORE 

ABOUT SOURAJA

Dr. Souraja Tagore is a classical Bharatanatyam dancer having over 30 years of professional performance experience. Through her discipleship and years of rigorous training under her Guru, Shri Abhoy Pal, Souraja has mastered the nuances and subtleties of artistic expression and the crucially demanding necessities of creative and intuitive movements in Bharatanatyam performance practice. She is also trained in the 108 Karanas. 

For several years, Souraja studied the works of her illustrious ancestor, Rabindranath Tagore, as part of her doctoral research dissertation. Immensely moved by his writings on literature, thought, and the artistic traditions of India, she has aimed to integrate Tagore’s unique approach to dance within her training in a classical repertoire, thus reimagining Tagore Dance (Rabindra Nritya) for a contemporary audience.  

An empanelled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), the Sangeet Natak Academi (SNA), and the West Bengal Dance Group Federation (WBDGF),  Souraja has studied and explored how dance forms have evolved and are relevant in present times. She has been an associate artist in several traditional and experimental collaborations. She participates in and conducts dance workshops, dance appreciation courses, and lecture demonstrations for learners and art enthusiasts.  Souraja is an external examiner for Calcutta University (English honours theory papers) and Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata  (MA dance, practical papers). At present Souraja is the artistic director of the Bharatanatyam dance institute 'Koothambalam', founded by Guru Abhoy Pal.  

While working on her MPhil and Ph.D. dissertations, she had the opportunity to study and perform Tagore dance where her endeavor had been to incorporate the same into her artistic repertoire. Souraja​ ​enjoys learning, exploring, and sharing her artistic knowledge with artists and young learners. Her area of special interest includes literature and art analysis through which she attempts​ to produce and work on creative and experimental projects offering scope for her to explore ways by which dance, literature, and drama can intersect within other spaces of art and communication.  

AWARDS | SCHOLARSHIPS

SELECTED LIST OF PERFORMANCES IN INDIA

KOLKATA


NEW DELHI


KERALA

Visit : https://www.sourajatagore.com/geet-o-nrityanjali 

VARANASI | LUCKNOW

ANDHRA PRADESH

TAMIL NADU

GOA

SELECTED LIST OF INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES | COLLABORATIONS

FRANCE

Collaborated with Rukmini Chatterjee for Rencontre/Meetings, a coming together of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, European ballet, North/South Indian classical music, and European classical music. She was invited to perform in France - Maison des Métallos (Paris), Théâtre Paul Eluardle, Prisne (Saint-Quentin en Yvelines), Le Carré (Château-Gontier), Centre Culturel Aragon (Orly), Théâtre du Nickel (Rambouillet), Centre Culturel Boris Vian (Les Ulis), Le Centre Culturel des Portes de l’Essonne (Athis-Mons).

GERMANY

Bharatanatyam performance in Aachen, Wuppertal, Kassel, Munster, Heidelberg, Nurnberg, Freiburg and Karlsruhe in Germany under the aegis of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), the D.I.G (Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft) and The Tagore Society Berlin.

NORWAY

Collaborated with Rukmini Chatterjee for Rencontre/Meetings, a coming together of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, European ballet, North/South Indian classical music, and European classical music. This production has since traveled from France to the Norwegian Opera, Oslo, and India. 

CHINA 

Bharatanatyam performance for Shiv-Yin, a collaborative production of Contemporary Chinese and  Indian Classical Dance.  Shiv-Yin explored the concepts of male and female energies through the two distinct cultures. This production toured in China organized by the Sriram Centre, New Delhi, and the Beijing Dance Academy. The music for Shiv-Yin was directed by Bickram Ghosh and the artistic direction by Rukmini Chatterjee and Teng Aimin

NOTE: For videos and reviews visit: https://www.sourajatagore.com/international-collaborations 



CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - 2024

The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata celebrated 2024 as the year of the centenary anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore’s first visit to China. To memorize Tagore’s visit to China and to promote people-to-people exchange between India and China, the office invited Souraja to visit China. She visited Universities and cultural institutes in major cities in China, including Beijing University, Shenzhen University, and universities in Shanghai. In addition, Souraja was also invited to attend the Centennial Lilac Poetry Festival of Fayuan Temple, Beijing. 


THAKURBARIR SARODOTSAV

ORGANIZED | CURATED | DIRECTED  BY SOURAJA TAGORE

Thakurbarir Sarodotsav, which includes the Ananda Mela, Ananda Utsav, and Ananda Jatra, is a unique event celebrated during Durga Puja in Kolkata. This autumnal festival, designed by Souraja Tagore, celebrates Bengali culture and society through poetry, music, and dance. It is held in one of the oldest buildings in Kolkata, The Prashaad. This was the ancestral home of Maharaja Tagore Jotindra Mohan. Art and culture have long been promoted and propagated on the grounds of this historic residence, built in 1884. Throughout its history, the Prashaad has witnessed a host of artists, performers, and occupational entertainers who have left behind a trail of memories embedded in its walls and pillars. This unique space is where Thakurbari displays the rich and textured aspects of Bengal's traditional arts. Thakurbarir Sarodotsav invites artists and art lovers to celebrate Durga puja differently - through art offerings rather than ritualistic puja. Become a part of the celebration this year and spread the message of love, music, and art.  

For Thakurbarir Sarodotsav 2022 visit https://youtu.be/2txpejKfwHs 


WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY SOURAJA


ACADEMIC-ARTISTIC LECTURES | DEMONSTRATIONS DELIVERED BY SOURAJA

SOURAJA'S ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

NOTE: For more information on Souraja's academic interests, visit: https://sites.google.com/view/sourajatagoreacademics/home 

YOUTUBE | PERFORMANCE LINKS

For Souraja's YouTube channel visit: https://www.youtube.com/c/SourajaTagoreOfficial/featured 

For more links visit https://www.sourajatagore.com/youtube-links 


WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED 

SOURAJA TAGORE PHOTOS 

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MEDIA COVERAGE

PRODUCTIONS