MEET REMA Shrikant - 'Dance is a passion. It is my life, my breath.  It is food, air, everything to me’, says the dancer from Vadodara.  Running the Ellora Centre of Performing Arts (ECPA) since 1975, Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam exponent, Ms. Rema has dedicated her life to promoting dance. 

“I feel most fortunate to have been born in a dance family and having married into a dance family”, says Ms. Rema.  She had her initial training in dance from her father Guru Krishna Panicker, at Nrithya Prabha Institute, Mumbai.  Her mother, Gowri too was a teacher there.  Her father-in-law was the famous Kathakali exponent, Padmashri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair.

Ms. Rema went about learning and perfecting Bharatanatyam from various masters.  She first went to learn from Guru Kittappa Pillai who practiced the Pandanallor style, came down to Kalyanikutty Amma for Mohiniyattam, refined her style with Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, learned the Kalakshetra style from Prof. C.V. Chandrashekar, former Dean and Head Faculty of Performing Arts, M.S. University, Baroda and also learned Kathakali form her father.

Herself a post-graduate in performing arts from M.S. University, she has etched out a place for herself on stage.  Her Mohiniyattam as well as Bharatanatyam performances have received rave reviews.  Her credibility as a teacher and performer went up when she came out with a dance-drama called Vamana Avatara in 1975.

Her confidence as a choreographer went up and this resulted in many more such experiments in dance.  Andaal was an attempt to portray the life of the Vaishnavite poetess of South India who is known for her composition of Thiruppavai.

She is the only woman saint who is compared to Meerabai of North India, says Ms. Rema.  I felt that it was a good subject to portray through dance”.  she adds.  Another subject she picked up for choreography was the contrast in dance during Devadasi period and the contemporary period.  This was called Nritya Nivedanam.  Her latest work called Maya – illusion, unattained reality and unseen attachment, gave her immense satisfaction, she says.

“Experimenting is good for dance, but I believe in restricting myself to the basic traditional styles”.  says Ms. Rema.  Contemporary themes are good but style needs to be traditional for her.  A balance has to be struck between traditional and contemporary ideas, she feels.

Her other choreographic works include Rasa Ranjini based on the Navarasas, Jayadeva’s Geeta Govindam or Ashtapadis, Krishna Leela based on the life of Lord Krishna, Sree Ganesha – which explored Lord Ganesha as the being in the totality of the facts, myths and beliefs based on him and Skanda dedicated to Lord Karthikeya.

Ms. Rema took up the tasks of setting up an institution to teach dance at Vadodara where she had settled down after marriage.

Her contribution towards dance is immense since she has been able to generate a lot of local enthusiasm for the South Indian dance styles.  So much so that the Gujarat Government has honoured her with Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy Award for 1999-2000 for contribution towards classical dance.

Her father, Guru Krishna Panicker, initiated Rema Shrikant into dance.  When she was all of three.  Born in 1956, Mumbai, she is the third child of the dancer couple Guru Krishna Panicker and Gowri Panicker.

“It was dance 24 hours a day, so dance was the only profession I could think of when I was old enough to decide.  Father would call us to dance at any time of day!:” says Rema.  She remembers her father as a strict and thorough teacher.

Rema learnt the Pandanallur style from Guru Kittapa Pillay who used to visit Bombay (Mumbai) to teach film star Hema Mailini.  As Rema too was learning from the teacher at the same time, she often teamed up with Pillai to tour with Hema Malini and accompany her at programmes.

Rema married into illustrious family of Padma Shri Vazhekada Kunju Nair (Kathakali guru and the first principal of the Kerala Kala Mandalam)  and moved to Baroda.  Here she joined the Faculty of Performing Arts under Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar, whom she holds in high regard.  She won the University Gold Medal for Dance.

Rema gave her first public performance when she was only six years old.  Hence she was already an accomplished dancer when she went to M.S. University as an undergraduate student.  However, she evolved as a performer, connoisseur and teacher at the department.  Prof. Chandrasekhar gave her a thorough  grounding in the theoretical aspects of dance and taught her the Kalakshetra style.  She also got numerous touring opportunities and danced the lead parts in may productions choreographed by the professor.

Classical dance is a passion with Rema and Bharatanatyam is not the only form that she has mastered.  She received instruction in Mohiniattam from Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma and Kshemavati.  She also absorbed the essence of the Kuchipudi style from Guru C.R. Acharyulu.  Having learnt such richly varied styles guided by many generous teachers all in love with their art, starting with her parents,  Rema naturally feels that her long journey as a student of dance has given her a fine education in more ways than one.  “Dance is not the only thing that I have learnt from my gurus.  My father used to say, “As you climb the staircase, keep your head down.”  Though I am yet to climb many steps in my life.  I have learnt to be a good human being.”

Choreography gives Rema the freedom to explore, experiment and create though always within the parameters of the classical form in question.  among her original works are Shree Ganesha, Andal, Nritya Nivedanam, Skanda, Geeta Govindam, Rasa Ranjini and the recent production, Maya.  Rema’s shows are a visual delight and can be enjoyed by dancers and lay audiences alike.  As she says, “ I want each and every person in the audience to join me in my dance.  That is why my choreography is always simple”.  Her productions marry the abhinaya of Tanjavur with the perfect nritta and beautiful body movements of the Kalakshetra style.

Rema has performed all around the world.  She has danced and conducted workshops in Osaka, Japan, and participated in the Festival of India in the U.S.S.R in 1988.  She has visited Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam as well as Kampuchea and Laos for performances sponsored by the I.C.C.R., Government of India in 1987.

Rema started teaching at an early age, at her father’s dance school.  Nritya Prabha, in Mumbai.  When she settled down in Baroda after her marriage to Shrikant Nair, the Gujarat Refinery invited her to teach Bharatanatyam at their campus.  That was how she came to set up the Arunodaya Dance Academy.  Later she opened another institution, the Pathaka Dance School, at Fateh Ganj.  In 1979 she started her own school at Ellora Park, calling it the “Ellora Centre for Performing Arts”.  She has been teaching dance in Baroda for the past 27 years.  She is respected for her work.  Says Nargis Katpitia, who taught Bharatanatyam at the Faculty of Performing Arts, Baroda, till her retirement, “Rema is someone who is genuinely interested in dance and in doing something for dance”.

Rema does not believe in teaching three days a week and then switching off.  She believes in the total development of her students.  “Most students come to me when they are mere children.  When they leave my dance school, wherever they may go, people should immediately recognize them as my students.  They shouldn’t be only dancers, but good, sensitive human beings.”

Like most of Rema’s students, ex-student Bina Shirke, reciprocates this affection.  She says, “She is a great teacher and her greatness lies in her dreams for others, her students.  She can inspire the most ordinary learners. One of Rema's own teachers, Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar, has high praise for her: “Apart from being a beautiful dancer, Rema has proved to be wonderful teacher.”

Rema comes across as a humble and down to earth persons who believes in doing her own work with dedication.  “One day, my work will get the recognition it deserves”.  she says, unwilling to join the rat race for instant glory.  Some recognition is coming already: she recently took her group production Maya to Swaralaya’s Dance Festival in Kerala where it was much appreciated.  “After 27 years, my work is being recognized outside Baroda!” she says.

Dancing in a non-metro like Baroda is essentially a lonely activity, with limited performing opportunities and small chance of getting recognition for work, however good it may be.

Rema and Shrikant Nair have a daughter, Nitya Gopikrishnan, who is a Bharatanatyam dancer and works in Mumbai as a lecturer in Business Management.

Rema was honoured as ‘the best dancer of Gujarat’ at the Gujarat Sangeet Nataka Akademi Dance Festival of 1993.  She has also received the Anjali Merh Gold Medal and merit scholarship and many other honours, including the Gujrat State Sangeet Akademi Award for the year 2000-01.

To Rema Shrikant dancing has no limitations of region or boundaries. For her dancing is her way of life. Born to Guru Krishna Panicker and Smt. Gowri Panicker, Rema was initiated into dancing at the age of three at their Nritya Prabha Dance Institute. As she grew up like a flowing river touching many a banks and absorbing many a culture, she reached out to Guru Kittappa Pillai of Tanjore Shaili to enrich her vision of Bharatanatyam. Her original mode Mohiniattam was another style natural for to her expression and took her to the famed doyen Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. She further enriched her repertoire from Kalamandalam Kshemavathy. The credit of her specialized Kathakali pieces viz. Poothana Moksham goes to her parents.

A marriage into the illustrious family of Padma Shree Vazhendada Kunchu Nair, the legendary Kathakali exponent and former and first Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam. brought her to Vadodara. Till then a dancer and performing artist, Rema took her to M. S. University and Prof. C. V. Chandrasekhar with whom she continued to go deeper into this subject. From Tanjore Shaili which was her taste till then she went on to master the intricacies of Kalakshetra style and a degree of B.Mus., and M.Mus., masters degree in Bharatanatyam style dance from M. S. University, Vadodara.

From her first public performance from the tender age of six Rema has to her credit more than five hundred performances. She has performed all over India and abroad including UK, USA, JAPAN, RUSSIA, BANGKOK, MANILA, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, VIETNAM, KAMPUCHEA and so on. Endowed with a mobile face, a supple physique, a dedication coupled with her flawless nritta and highly emotive nritya,  Rema was acclaimed as one of the best danseuse of Gujarat held in March 1993 by Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy Dance Festival. She has received Anjali Merh Gold Medal and the ensuing merit Scholarship, and many such prizes and awards including the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 1999-2000 for her outstanding services in the field of dance for more than 25 years.

A dancer matures when and only when  she comes on her in the field of choreography, Rema’s choreography has the unique blend of the dramatization aspect of Kathakali imbibed from her father, the histrionic mobility from her mother and the nritta perfection of Kalakshetra style from Prof. C. V. Chandrasekhar and the extensive knowledge of percussion skills again from her father. All this when added with her own vision, innovative approach makes her efforts of choreography a panorama of visual delight and successful effort in communication.

Shree Ganesha, Andal, Nritya Nivedanam, Skanda, Geeta Govindam, Rasa Ranjini etc are all memorable landmarks in her career. Rasa Ranjini looks at Navarasas as manifested in Devi and Nritya Nivedanam is an innovative comparative study between Sadir and modern day Bharatanatyam. Her  latest choreographic production with a Hindi script set to tune based on Hindustani ragas, Mayaa in Bharatanatyam style is a  wonderful interpretation of the concept of 'maya' based on the Sankhya philosophy.

India has been charmed, foreign lands have been won over by Rema’s charm and individualistic style thoroughly. She took part in the Festival of India in USSR in 1988. She visited Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Kampuchea and Laos sponsored by the ICCR, Government of India in the year 1987. 

She has performed in different cities of USA., in the year 1993. She performed and conducted workshop in Osaka, Japan in November 1998. She also performed in U.K. under the auspices of Bharatia aVidya Bhvan, London in May 2000. Her Ellora Centre for Performing Arts is doing yeomen service by initiating, encouraging and guiding budding talents in Vadodara and training them to full-fledged dancers. Her students, Satyavani in Dallas, USA, Meenakshi in Canada, Ulpa Desai in Vadodara, Parimal Phadke in Pune and many other students at different places and countries. 

Rema has been honoured  at several places including the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1999-2000 in recognition of her outstanding contribution in the field of dance.

Nitya Gopikrishnan, MBA, daughter of Rema Shrikant is a promising young dancer in Bharatanatyam. She had her initial training under her mother Rema Shrikant and later she had advance training under Prof. C.V. Chandrashakehar, former Dean of Faculty  of Performing Arts and Head Department of Dance, M.S. University of Vadodara, Gujarat, India.

The Ellora Centre for Performing Arts, a pioneer institution of its kind in Vadodara, is poised to become an unparalleled phenomenon, with its roots embedded in the vision Mrs. Rema Shrikant had about opening avenues for budding artistes of the city. Today ECPA, which has always adhered to the principles of excellence, creativity and quality from its very inception 25 years ago, is known to many young performers as a cornerstone in quality dance academy. ECPA is synonymous with its unpretentious creator – Mrs. Rema Shrikant, who in style true of a protégé of illustrious and talented parents, Guru Krishna Panicker and Smt. Gowri Panicker, has won over the hearts of may a connoisseur of art with finesse. She is also trained under Guru Kittappa Pillai. Her fame has reached beyond India’s shores. Many have described her as a danseuse par excellence, bestowed with flawless nritta and emotive nritya, perfected over the year by the guidance of Professor C.V.Chandrasekhar, with a flair for exquisite choreography.

But there is more to this remarkable lady, she is a great teacher and her greatness as a teacher lies in her dreams for others – he students! She has always worked for deep inner fulfillment rather than the desire for applause, and therefore has endeavored selflessly to bring out the best in each and every student for hers, guiding them expertly like a potter who gives beauty and meaning to clay. She has been gifted with a golden vision which helps her to visualize with acute clarity, and in turn choreograph with sophistication. All the characters she has portrayed or helped portray via her students have been depicted beautifully so as to reflect the throb of life itself.

She has worked on her students endlessly with an intensity and devotion unmatched, so as to bring about total consonance with the character being played. She has helped every student to find something lasting and significant in each role. She has helped them not only to perfect every movement through endless hours of practice, but could convey the actual beauty of every movement besides the symbolic connotations. Learning dance under her guidance, for every students of hers, has literally been a spiritual experience with a touch of genius in range of their emotions. Her meticulous eye for detail never misses the slightest of flaws, and she never ever compromises on quality. She can inspire the most ordinary of the students to achieve heights hitherto unknown to them, only through her selfless, sincere and dedicated efforts highlighted by discipline. It is no wonder, then that she retains an abiding place in the hearts of her students all over. They all join hands in saying kudos to this charismatic lady.