Vaishali is a pioneering institution in Noida nurturing Odissi dance talent for the last 30 years.

Vaishali has flourished  under the aegis of Guru Jyoti Shrivastava. This institute is not only a dance academy, but a cradle   of  culture   where    the ‘ Guru- Shishya’ parampara is followed and the dancers are trained in the Guru Deb Prasad Das style, carrying forward the vision of the late Guru Sri Nath Raut ( the direct disciple of Guru Deb Prasad Das).Vaishali has produced accomplished dancers who have won laurels and  have been giving remarkable performances not only in India but all over the world.

Vaishali Kala Kendra presentations are a blend of modern and ancient dance forms keeping the traditions of Odissi flourishing.

The institute has been growing  in multidimensional facets and attracts students from the city as well as faraway places in India.Different types of workshops and educational tours are organised with various eminent Gurus to have more exposure and to learn the intricacies of Odissi and it’s roots.

Our Flagship festivals

Guru Pranam Utsav

Vaishali Kala Kendra has been organising Guru Pranam Utsav for the last 30 years in memory of great Guru Srinath Raut, who dedicated his life proliferating the importance of Odissi as a cultural dance form across India and beyond. Guru Srinath Raut was Jyoti Shrivastava’s first Odissi teacher. Though Guru Srinath Raut left this world 30 years ago, he lives through the work of his students and the affectionate memories cherished by the dance community. His immense dedication towards Odissi and his quest to spread it across in its purest form brought him to Delhi in the early seventies. Guru

Durga Charan Ranbir has been the guiding force for Vaishali after him. Guru Pranam Utsav had presented many eminent artists like Sonal Man Singh, Ramli Ibrahim, Deepti Omcheri Bhalla, Kavita Dwivedi, Aruna Mohanty etc. This festival has the distinction of honouring Oriya Musicians (classical). Odissi music is not yet recognised as a classical art form and we have been struggling to prove it otherwise and establish Oriya music as one of the Indian classical music forms.

Nritya Pravaha

Nritya Pravah was conceptualized to nurture the creativity of budding Odissi dancers. This festival gives the students of Vaishali the freedom to conceptualize and present choreographies across subjects which interest and enrich students, aspirants of arts as well as rasikas (the audiences). This is also a platform for emerging Odissi artists to exhibit their skills and create their own niche and thus creating next generation torchbearers of cultural heritage and traditions of Odissi dance.

Ek Prayaas

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the performing arts, mirroring its impacts across all arts sectors. Ek Prayaas is our initiative to keep the spirit alive and to provide apoortunities for the young generation to learn about different sections of dance life like aesthetics of dance, art of dance photography and cinematography, Nritya yog, wear and tear from physiotherapists perspective.

Choreographies

GAnGA

Our production Ganga is a tribute to the holy Ganges: the home of our rich culture, tradition and heritage A symbol of purity and the eternal cycle of life. This is a tribute to Maa Ganga's journey and her healing power. The choreography like the eternal flowing river Ganga, began its journey in the pious land of Uttarakhand(Rishikesh) and since then it has enthralled audiences at Odisha, Delhi, Prayag Raj- Kumbh and Varanasi and the flow continues.

Shakti

This powerful repertoire presents the 10 forms of Shakti personified as a woman. The presentation presents the feminine divinity as a powerful entity. From nurturer to the destroyer, a lover as well as a warrior and a creator of wealth from knowledge. It also showcases the ten mahavidyas depicting different aspects of power and energy leading to inner awakening and path to enlightenment.

Shivaya

This production celebrates the different forms of Lord Shiva. This presentation is based on the Shiva Puran’s eight stotras depicting the powerful energies of Lord. It celebrates the phenomena of Shiva - the beauty and ecstasy of what it means when we connect with the energy of “Shiva.” as he is the ultimate source of creation, preservation and destruction.

Rhythm in Life

This one is the oldest production of Vaishali. It depicts the various stages of Rhythm in a woman’s life. The presentation beautifully captures the playful rhythm that is always there but how it aligns with the magical journey and various stages of a woman’s life – budding growth, exuberance, maturation, nurturing, struggles, despair, resilience, and hope. The presentation sends the message that the rhythm never dies and why we should connect with our intuitive rhythms to embrace the flow of our lives and to find peace within.

Shakuntala -  The Tale of Shakuntala

In this production, we redefine the very idea of Shakuntala. No doubt she is an offshoot of Indian mythological value system, but we portray her as one amongst us. She signifies the flame of freedom in womanhood. This choreographic piece is based on “pranaya Ballari” a poetic rendition of Kalidasa’s Abhigyan Shakuntalam in Odia by great poet Gangadhar Meher. It also carries the contemporary sensibility of our time reflected in the poems of Kedar Mishra, a contemporary Odia poet. This is a poetic amalgamation of classic and modern.

Taking the legacy forward- Team Vaishali

Jyoti Shrivastava

Artistic Director

Jyoti was initiated into the dance form of Odissi by late Guru Shri Nath Raut. In her career spanning over 45 years ,she has had the privilege of presenting her dance recitals in all the major dance festivals of India.

She has been deputed by ICCR to perform in countries like Holland, Belgium, Armenia, Russia, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain during the festivals of India. She has created a number of new choreographic compositions based on the traditional Chanda and Champu music of Orissa.

Shaily Chatterjee

Lead dancer and manager

A devoted Odissi dancer of the Deba Prasad Das style. She is a “Nritya visharad" and also a Graded artiste from Doordarshan Kendra. She has been associated with Vaishali Kala Kendra and has been performing across the country with 22 years of learning experience and is also a recipient of the 11th National Women Excellence Award by IECSME. Shaily has been imparting training in Odissi at the Indian Cultural Center, Qatar under the aegis of the Indian Embassy in Qatar.

Isha Das

Lead dancer and assistant to the director

Isha has been performing across the country with 21 years of learning and 15 years of stage experience. A ‘Nritya visharad’ Isha is also a Graded artiste at Doordarshan Kendra. She has also been awarded 10th National Women Excellence Award and Scholarship from CCRT, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. Isha has made her mark in the Dance space with her good sense of rhythm, lyrical movements, and expressions.

Siddharth Kishore

Resident Vocalist

Siddharth has been awarded Sangeet Samman Award 2018 for his contributions towards the field of music.

He has performed extensively in India and Malaysia. A singer for All India Radio’s Yuva Vani, Siddharth is currently under the tutelage of Pandit Rajan-Sajan Mishra and Ritesh Mishra.