QMC Queensland Multicultural Centre
Eloquent and intense facial expressions with graceful and flowing movements that evokes rasa-anubhuti (aesthetic experience) are the characteristics of Bindu Rajendren’s Mohiniattam performances. As a performing artiste Bindu’s strength is in her abhinaya (art of expression) and her intense story telling abilities. At the centre of Bindu’s dance practices is the elemental spiritual connection through Bhava (Sentiment) and Bhakti (Devotion).
Bindu Rajendren is a multidisciplinary artist and a practitioner of Mohiniattam, who has performed at national and international festivals and concerts. The Anywhere Festival (Brisbane – 2021), Woodford Folk Festival 2017-18, FIMDV 2017 (Melbourne), Dance Mela 2017 (Melbourne), Sangeet Mela 2016 (Brisbane), Taranaki International Arts festival in New Zealand and at the Real NZ Festival at the Rugby World Cup are some of Bindu’s notable performances.
Her collaborative thematic production based on traditional Indian artistic concepts and elements, with four other Brisbane based artists ‘in pursuit of ETERNAL BLISS’ premeired in March 2018 to a full house at BEMAC and received a standing ovation.
The covid induced pandemic has allowed Bindu to delve into production of short digital dance films many of which premiered at the prestigious online dance platform Narthaki. com. She was also commissioned to create dance films and performances for Pragjyothi International Dance Festival (Guwahati, India – 2022), Erasing Borders Dance Festival (New York – 2021), Rasa Dance Festival (Michigan – 2021), Rangayan Art and Literature Festival (india -2021) and Sangam Festival (Melbourne – 2021). Bindu has also performed as a guest dancer with the acclaimed Java Dance Company (New Zealand) in their internationally acclaimed production ‘Back of the bus’
Bindu is also well trained in various Indian folk dance styles such as Rajasthani, Cheraw Dance and Kashmiri dances and has widely collaborated with dancers, theatre artists, spoken word and visual artists and musicians.
As a dance researcher, Bindu has presented papers at various national and international academic dance conferences and has taught at QUT within the Dance Studies department as a sessional academic.
Bindu continues to further her Mohiniattam practice under legends; Guru Nirmala Panikker and Guru Dr. Kalamamdalam Sugandhi Prabhu. She has also trained with Guru Tara Rajkumar OAM and has undergone Abhinaya intensives with Guru Venu G and Guru Priyadarshini Govind. Bindu has also pursued the study of Sopanam tala (indigenous Kerala rhythms) with Guru Anil P. S. the foremost student of Padmabhushan Kavalam Narayana Panikker.
Bindu has over a decade of experience in teaching Indian classical and improvised dances based on Indian classical dances privately and through dance programs offered at schools, universities, art galleries and museums and at music and dance festivals. She has also taught at Queensland University of Technology within the Dance Studies department as a sessional academic.
An obsession with letting her mind wander is often what inspires Bindu’s dance choreographies, artwork, paintings and poetry.
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