D r. Swati Raut

Performer , Choreographer, Teacher and Mentor

info@swatidance .com

www.swatidance.com

0 0 44 1257 464481

Swati Dance Company

About Dr Swati Raut

Dr Swati Raut, an established Bharatanatyam dance artist, choreographer,

teacher and educator who has worked in the Northwest region of England for

the last two decades. Her highly successful dance career began in the UK in

1987. Since then, Dr Swati Raut has not only established herself as a leading

classical dance artist but has concurrently focused attention in training and

developing the next generation as a young dancers and teachers.

Dr Swati Raut is on the Board of Directors for ‘Dance Manchester’ and is a

Committee Member of the ISTD -The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing

for the Classical Indian Dance Faculty. She is also a Unesco (CID- International

Dance Council) approved Artiste.

Swati Dance Company

Dance Background:

In 2010 Dr Swati Raut set up her dance company Swati Dance Company and

Swati Youth Dance to creatively engage & enrich communities in the

Northwest of England and beyond, through educating, exploring and sharing

the experiences of Indian Classical Dance.

Swati Dance Company’s philosophy is creation and propagation of Indian

classical dance form of Bharatanatyam through excellence in practice and

making it accessible to wider audiences and uniting communities through

Indian dance and culture.

Dr Swati Raut received her dance training in Bharatanatyam (Pandanallur

Style) at ‘Nrityashree’, Mumbai, under the tutelage of Guru Krishnan Kutty.

Her Guru is not only a well-known Kathakali dancer but also a much admired

Bharatanatyam teacher who trained under the late Lakshmi Kantham of

Tanjore of the Pichhaiya Pillai School. Following her Arangetram (dance

graduation) in 1979, she continued to train in Bharatanatyam and also learnt

Mohiniattam (another form of Indian classical dance) from Smt. Ammu Kutty.

She has performed extensively in India in the eighties, both as a solo artist

and in Dance Drama productions by Nrityashree.

Dr Swati Raut came to the UK in 1987 to complete her Ph.D in Organic

Chemistry from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. However, her

interest was rooted in dance and she started to teach dance to community

groups in the Northwest where she was based. In 2005 Dr Swati Raut

founded Northwest Dance Alliance with few other regional dance teachers of

Indian classical dance. The group now exists informally.

As a performing artist, Dr Swati Raut has performed in successful dance

productions such as “Devi Diva” and ‘Shivoham’. Dr Swati Raut is invited to

perform regularly in prestigious venues such as the Nehru Centre in London,

the Lowry in Salford Quays, Unity Theatre in Liverpool, Heron Theatre in

Cumbria. Dr Swati Raut has worked closely as a freelance artist with the

leading dance organisations such as SAA-UK, Milapfest, Surdhawani, Indian

Association Manchester, Indian Association Lancaster.

Swati Dance Company

Current Work:

Teaching & Mentoring

Presently Dr Swati Raut teaches Bharatanatyam to more than150 young

children in the North West region through weekly and weekend classes in

Salford, Wigan, Bolton, Preston, Blackpool and Liverpool. She is the Principal

Teacher at Milapfest Arts School in Liverpool.

Over the last two decades Swati has trained several young children in the

region and many of her students have successfully passed various grades of

the ISTD examinations with distinction. 4 dancers have completed their

Arangetram (dance graduation) under her guidance and mentoring.

Lecture-Demonstration:

Dr Swati Raut is regularly invited for the lecture-demonstration nationally and

internationally. Her latest lecture-demonstration was on the topic

'Bharatanatyam- the classical dance form with health benefits’. It focussed on

the Health Benefits of the regular and active practise of Bharatanatyam. The

lecture was part of the BIDA (British International Doctors Association) 10th

International congress held on 3rd & 4th November 2014 in Sri Lanka.

She has been the visiting lecturer at the Liverpool Hope University on 'Dance

and Cultural Identity' for the academic year 2013- 2014 and 2014-2015.

Professional Development:

Swati Youth Dance set up by Dr Swati Raut has received recognition regionally

and nationally through their performance at high profile events. The Youth

group has been successful in their selection at the regional and national

platform of U.Dance since 2012, a national programme managed by Youth

Dance England.

Choreographing new work:

Dr Swati Raut has been choreographing new work for her company and youth

group which has been performed regionally and nationally in the UK. Her

latest choreographic work includes Kinkini, Basant Bells & Aadi.

Swati Dance Company

New Choreographic work by Dr Swati Raut:

Kinkini – ‘Anklets in a maze'

Please view excerpts from this performance on YouTube by clicking on

the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kVL6FD5LXM

Kinkini - Anklets in a Maze was a site specific choreography especially created as a

part of 'Something Beautiful - Combermere Abbey Commission', in 2007 supported

by the Cheshire County Council. This innovative choreography involved 4 acts which

were inspired by the 4 sections of the traditional English garden spaces, where each

act and each garden space was unique. The last act was inspired by the Fruit tree

maze. One of the acts was performed at the U.Dance in 2012.

“Kinkini is an excellent example of Bharatanatyam – classical Indian Dance.

Clad in stunning traditional costumes and jewellery, members of Swati Youth Dance

carried you away to the mysteries of Indian culture. An absolute delight to watch –

there was a great attention to detail and a lot of intricate movement, including neck,

wrists, fingers and ankles. Kinkini is a great piece – the inspiration for this work was

taken from the blossoming gardens of Combermere Abbey.”

Review by Aleksandra Svalova: Youth Dance England’s National Young Dance

Ambassadors

Basant Bells – ‘Sounds of Spring’

Please view excerpts from this performance on YouTube by clicking on

the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy3O82KpRZ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma-VeNcNW2Y

Inspired by Kalidasa’s Ritusamharam - a medley of seasons is danced in this colourful

and exuberant choreography to selected verses from Vasantham or the spring section

of this most languorous text involving 4 Acts. Swati Dance Company collaborated

with guest choreographer Hari Krishna, Artistic Director of inDance, Toronto Canada.

Music was especially commissioned to Praveen D Rao, a versatile music composer

from India.

Basant Bells was performed at Waterside Arts Centre in Manchester, Asian Spring at

Midland Arts Centre in Birmingham promoted by Sampad and other venues including

Yorkshire Sculpture Park promoted by Manasamitra.

Swati Dance Company

“A different style of choreography taking a fresh approach to directionality, level, use

of arms and mudras. Some of the images of the piece were so pleasing and strong

that I can still see them if I close my eyes. The experience of working with such a

creative and technically astute artist like Hari Krishna will leave a lasting legacy for

the young dancers and the company as a whole.”

Review by Bisakha Sarker for Pulse Magazine

Aadi – The Beginning (2014)

Please view excerpts from this performance on YouTube by clicking on

the link below: http://youtu.be/m_9aCy7WFI0--

Choreography in Aadi weaves together the Nritta or the pure dance elements of the

repertoire of Bharatanatyam. The dancers transit seamlessly through the various

rhythms. Interspersed within the rhythmic passages are traditional verses to deities

such as Ganesha, the elephant God, Saraswati, the goddess of Knowledge, learning,

wisdom, reasoning and intellect, Vishnu, the protector who appears in a different

avatara in order to protect the world from evil. Music for Aadi was composed by

Praveen D Rao. Swati Dance Company collaborated with guest choreographer Shane

Shambhu, Artistic Director of Altered Skin, London in this exciting new work.

“The rhythmic elements of the pure dance form Nritta was well woven with some

traditional verses to a gamut of deities spanning from Ganesha, Saraswati, Vishnu,

Siva and Guru. The poise and the coordination among the dancers was striking as

they confidently danced their way through the various rhythms. Swati’s interpretation

of the avatars of Vishnu in the piece was commendable.

Review by Rama Rangan for Pulse Magazine

To book a performance, lecture-demonstration or for future

collaborations: contact info@swaticance.com or the Company Manager

and Advisor: Anita Srivastava anita@newdimensions-arts.com

Swati Dance Company

Images from current productions:

‘Basant Bells’

Swati Dance Company

Images from current productions:

‘Aadi – The Beginning’

Swati Dance Company

Photo Credits: Simon Richardson, London & K Kreatives, Liverpool