Pallavi Krishnan is a leading exponent of Mohiniyattam. She is known for her tremendous efforts to promote and preserve this style of Indian classical dance as a living tradition. She is an alumnus
of both Santiniketan (Viswa Bharati University) and Kerala Kalamandalam. She is also a graduate in Bio Science from Burdwan University of West Bengal.
Initially Pallavi was trained in Kathakali and Mohiniyattam under Guru Kalamandalam Sanakaranarayanan at Santiniketan. Her passion for Mohiniyattam led her to advanced training at Kerala Kalamandalam. On completion of her training from the Kerala Kalamandalam, she continued her training under the guidance of Guru Bharati Shivaji.
Pallavi has enriched the repertoire of Mohiniyattam by choreographing many items, both traditional and thematic, a few of them under the grant of the Government of India’s Department of Culture. This includes some of the compositions of Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, emphasising the indigenous music and tala systems of Kerala, the land of Mohiniyattam. Pallavi is also collaborated with Natyashastra scholar C P Unnikrishnan.
She has performed and conducted Mohiniyattam residencies extensively in India and abroad in countries such as Australia, Canada, Poland, Austria, Switzerland and UK. Her performance in India, among others, includes leading festivals of the country such as the national dance festivals of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi at various parts of the country, Konark Festival (Orissa), Mahabalipuram Festival (Chennai), New Choreographic Festival of Impresario India (Delhi), Doverlane Festival of Music & Dance (Kolkata), Soorya Festival, Nishagandhi Festival and Malabar Mahotsav (Kerala).
As an artiste, Pallavi has developed a style marked by creativity in her performance. Pallavi is equally at ease in exhibiting both adavu and abhinaya. Today, she is one of the most sought after Mohiniyattam performers and a trendsetter for many young dancers, motivating them to take up this art form seriously.
Since 1994, she is the Artistic Director of Lasya Akademi of Mohiniyattam, a centre for the promotion and professional training in Mohiniyattam, at Thrissur (Trichur, Kerala) with a branch in Kolkata (West Bengal). She is grooming a good number of talented young dancers in the art of Mohiniyattam through her institution. Students from abroad also come to Lasya Akademi for professional training in the art of Mohiniyattam.
