Odissi Exponent Sharon Lowen Exclusive Interview 🎭 Disciple of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
Channel: Raaggiri
Date: 2022-07-15

#sharonlowen #odissidancer #indianclassicaldancer 
Sharon Lowen is one of the leading Odissi performers today. She grew up in Detroit in the United States and was trained in puppetry and ballet very early in life. She also learned Manipuri under Minati Roy, and then, in 1975, came to India on a Fulbright scholarship to continue with her Manipuri training.
She trained since 1975 by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She has performed and choreographed for film and television and presented hundreds of concerts throughout India, North America, Asia, Africa, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. Sharon came to India in 1973 after earning degrees in Humanities, Fine Arts, Asian Studies and Dance from the University of Michigan as a Fulbright Scholar to study Manipuri and later Chhau and Odissi.
Following her bachelor's degree in Humanities, Fine Arts, Asian Studies and an M.A. in Education and Dance, Lowen arrived in India on a Fulbright scholarship in 1973 to continue Manipuri dance with Guru Singhajit Singh at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. With extension and renewal of the Fulbright to 1975, she also trained in Mayurbhanj Chhau under Guru Krushna Chandra Naik, Odissi under Guru kelucharan Mohapatra, Manipuri Pala Cholam under Guru Thangjam Chaoba Singh and Manipuri Maibi Jagoi under Gurus Ranjana Maibi, Kumar Maibi and R.K. Achoubi Sana Singh.
She taught dance in Michigan University as visiting professor 1975 and had more than 200 lectures and demonstrations to her credit.
She portrayed a herself in Indian Cinema, in a Telugu film Swarnakamalam. The film was directed by Dr.K.Viswanath. In the film she performs an Odissi dance and mesmerizes the audience of the film.
From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Sharon has performed her own choreographies in Sanskrit, Odia, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogra alongside her guru's.

------------- Tabla of Content --------------
00:01 - Odissi Exponent Sharon Lowen maha kaali performance 
00:52 - Introduction of Odissi Exponent Sharon Lowen by Shivendra Kumar Singh 
01:44 - Do you remember the first day you came to india
06:29 - When did you feel that now you have to live in India?
09:35 - Sharon Lowen performance 
12:35 - To become proficient in any one genre of Indian classical music, it is said that one birth is less, but you not only learned Odissi but also learned Chhau dance, Manipuri dance, how was it possible?
13:44 - Sharon Lowen performances
16:18 - How she learned Odissi dance Chhau dance and Manipuri dance
17:47 - You are not from India, then what kind of challenges did you have to face in the initial phase?
24:40 - After the challenges, the time came when people started giving full respect to your art in India and you got recognition as an Indian classical artist.
26:45 - When you decided that you would pursue a career in Indian classical dance and stay in India, what was your family's reaction to it?
28:10 - Sharon Lowen talking about her Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
 33:40 - Sharon Lowen performances
37:19 - Have you ever been scolded by your guru?
40:16 - What is the lesson of your guru that you now pass on to your disciples?



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Raaggiri Trust create, develop and promote a mindset that encourages social changes & reforms in the society. Music is the universal language of mankind, with this thought Raaggiri aims to establish connect with the weak the helpless, the under privileged & the especially able. We are trying to contribute in their progress, recreation & resettlement
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