Alarmél Valli is an internationally acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer whose style has been described as, “classical and yet contemporary, precise and poetic.”

Trained in dance by noted Gurus, Pandanallur Sri Chokkalingam Pillai and his son Pandanallur Sri Subbaraya Pillai, her study of Padams and Javalis under eminent musician Smt.T Muktha, helped her explore her ideal of dance as visual music. Her extensive research and pioneering work, interpreting ancient Sangam Poetry in dance for over three decades, is recognised as a significant contribution to the Bharatanatyam repertoire.

She has been honoured with numerous awards including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan conferred by the President of India, the Chevalier of Arts and Letters award from the Government of France, and the Sangeet Natak Academy award. She has performed at prestigious venues like the Bolshoi Theatre, the Avignon Festival, the New York International Festival of Arts,The Kennedy Centre, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Documentaries on her include Arun Khopkar’s ‘Pravahi’, the BBC II Omnibus series and Sankalp Meshram’s ‘Lasya Kavya’ (winner of 2012 National Award for Best Film on Art and Culture). Through lecture demonstrations, master classes, workshops and seminars, Valli shares her thoughts on Bharatanatyam, as a dynamic, contemporary dance language.