About Marcina Urvashi

BIOGRAPHY

MARCINA URVASHI

INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE– KATHAK

DANCE/ MOVEMENT/ CHOREOGRAPHY

Introduction

Movement Beginnings

Marcina began serious movement training at age 15 in the Japanese Martial Art form Karate  for 3 years.
The discipline & stamina provided a strong foundation for her natural progression into dance.
Tai Chi Chuan studies at the Guildhall School of music in Drama in 1990  was included  on the Post Diploma course in Performance & Communication Skills where Marcina was majoring in Singing.

Dance

African Dance

Initially with Contemporary Afrikan Dancer Wanjiru Gichigi with whom she studied and performed at the Oval House Theatre and also completed studies at Morley College in Contemporary, Ballet & African Dance.

Foundation

She then went on to complete a two-year foundation Course in 1992 gaining a LOCN accreditation in Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz and Anatomy.

Kathak Training

In 1990 Marcina began her training with her teacher Sushma Mehta in the Classical South Asian Dance Kathak & regional Indian folk dance. She is also a member of “Shamaa” Dance Company, which performs in the UK.
Marcina trains with Sushma Mehta to date.

Kathak Further Studies- Visiting Gurus

She received training in Kathak with UK Dancer/ Choreographer Akram Khan, which was filmed by the BBC for their educational series.

Bhavan Summer Schools

Marcina has trained at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Institute  in London with Abhay Shankar Misra & for summer schools with visiting gurus Kumudini Lakia, Saswati Sen, Maulik Shah and Aditi Mangaldas & Gitanjali Lal, Sushmita Ghosh, Rani Khanum.

Kadam/Dance India – residential summer camps with visiting teachers from the UK & India including Vijay Shankar, Nahid Siddiq, Pratap Pawar,
Dance Intense–  In 2008 Marcina gained a scholarship to attend in Kolkotta to study with prominent international choreographers and dancers from a variety of  South Asian styles Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Oddissi, Manipuri, Chau,

Concentric– training in the Uk on this unique dance music course led by Sushmita Ghosh

INDIA – Choregraphic Intense in Kolkotta with Dance Intense

Training in Delhi under Sushmita Ghosh Aakriti Dance

HATHA Yoga Teacher Training  2013 – Kerala, India  with Samyak Yoga 200 hours Hatha Yoga Teacher Trained.

DANCE/MOVEMENT/TRAINING  (in detail)
1985: Drama, Music, and Dance at the Oval House Theatre.
Shotokan, Karate Martial Arts 3 years.

1987 African Dance with Wanjiru Gichigi
1989 Tour with English National Opera Baylis Programme
Principal role tour UK 3 months

1989-90 Completed Post Diploma Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in Performance and Communication skills, Tai Chi Chuan.
Voice work with Ballet Rambert. Sung on soundtrack of film Ariel’s Song with dancers and South African choreographer Hazel Carey.

1990
Introduction to Kathak Training with Sushma Mehta at Morley College.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival performance workshops work with Contemporary African Music Theatre group Umkhambathi using voice and movement.

1991 –1994 : continuing studies at Morley College under Sushma Mehta
1994: Malaysian Dance Training – with Khalid Dinn a Malaysian dance choreographer and teacher.
1997: Bhavan Summer School – with Guru Kumudini Lakhia
Akram Khan winter project:  Intensive course of Kathak training leading to a broadcast on the BBC education series.

1999 Kadam: Training with Vijay Shankar & Saswati Sen and Pratap Pawar
Intensive course with Dr Malabika Mitra.
Shaolin Kung Fu Martial Arts with Monk Master Yangtze with the Shaolin Temple in London one year plus demonstration performances.

2000 : Bhavan Summer School with Saswati Sen
Sandeep Mahavir @ Morley College three days
Kadam Training Camp with Sujata Banerjee and Nahid Siddiqi and Sushmita Ghosh
ISTD Examination in Kathak Grade 3

2001 Bhavan Summer School with Maulik Shah
Gauri Tripathi taster  workshops with Gauri.
Workshops with Birju Maharaj and Saswati Sen

2002 Bhavan Summer School with Saswati Sen
Training with Sushmita Ghosh and Aakriti Dance Co.
ISTD Examination in Kathak  Grade 4
Taining at Bhavan with Abhay Shankar Bhavan’s resident Kathak Teacher.

2003 Bhavan Summer School with Saswati Sen
Akademi training with visiting guru Rita Ganguly

2004 Morley with Sushma Mehta
Bhavan, Abhay Shankar Misra. Summer School with Aditi Mangaldas
Akademi Summer School with Kumudini Lakhia ten days studies.
Workshops with Pratap Pawar @ the Place Theatre

2005: Training :
Sushma Mehta @ Morley
Bhavan with Abhay Shankar Misra, Saswati Sen,
Summer school with Aditi Mangaldas
Birju Maharaj @ Patidar Centre.
Sushmita Ghosh workshop 4 days
KADAM: training camp with Saswati Sen

2006: Bhavan with Abhay Shankar Misra
Morley College with Sushma Mehta

Brasilian Dance studies with Marianna Pinha

2007:
Studies in Brasilian Dance in technique of Silvestre with Vera and also
Afro Dance & Samba Reggae in Salvador Bahia. for1  month.

 

2008:
Training:
Dance Intense in Kolkotta
Marcina received a scholarship for this 2 week intensive course in India working with international choreographers and dancers from Canada USA India and UK

Dance India UK
Kadam Choreography Course

2009
Aditi Mangaldas- 2 days intense

Sushma Mehta- ongoing

PERFORMANCE/ PROFFESSIONAL/EDUCATION WORK

Marcina is a member of SHAMAA Dance Company and has been performing  & training with the Company since its inception.

1994:  Sinfonietta Project working with musicians and teaching movement in schools in Surrey.

1995: Tour of South Africa with Ngoma Project and Vocal Group Shades, performances of dance and singing and drumming.

1996: various Mela performances with Shamaa Dance Co.
Malaysian Dance Performance at  Brighton Pavillion
Ballroom Blitz at South Bank perfomance with Shamaa.
Shamaa performance at the Southwark arts forum.

1997:
Kathak Performance:
Shamaa Dance Company
Harrow Town Hall, Union Chapel

Malaysian Dance performance:
Choreography by Malaysian Dancer Khalid Dinn.
Royal Lancaster Gate Hotel,The Pavillion, Brighton

1998:
Shamaa Dance Company
New Choreography  “from the Ganges to the Nile” collaboration with Arabic Dancers
Jacksons Lane Theatre

1999:
Alternative Arts Dance Festival  Kathak with Shamaa Dance Co.
Dhabi’s Story :Music Theatre Production with Arts Worldwide, Composing, teaching and performing in the Bangladesh Festival, London.
Jaz at the Taj :solo Kathak .
Nehru Centre: in Choreographic Work “Roshni’s Dream”by Sushma Mehta
Connexions , Elephant & Castle Arts Week.

2000
Choreography/ Performance
Dublin, Ireland, St Patrics Day Parade: Choreography & leading 20 dancers in parade

KATHAK/FOLK
.Connexions: Performed in  Choreographic work based on traditional Kathak and contemporary dance.
Alternative Arts Dance Festival: Solo Kathak
Coin St Festival South Bank : Solo Kathak Performance
Performance @ Kathak Conference Solo and duet with Sushma Mehta
Southwark Forum item with Shamaa Dance Co.
Burgess Park Community Festival : Shamaa
Morley College Dance Performance
Victoria Embankment Gardens Kathak item.
Connexions Performance : Shamaa Dance Co.
Roshni’s Dream performance Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan London
St Giles Trust Kathak item with Shamaa dance Co
Brighton, The Komedia, solo Kathak.

PERFORMANCES
2001
Teaching Kathak and Solo performance with live musicians
Shamaa Dance Company
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Dance Bonanza Performance Shamaa Dance Co.
Alternative Arts Dance Platform
Gaiting Arts Festival
Southwark World Village
Performance Thames Festival London
Cambridge Festival Kathak with Shamaa Dance Co.

Aakriti dance Co. Choreography by Sushmita Ghosh, Aya Bracha and Amina Khayam
Performance Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Lord Mountbatten Hall: Kathak

2002:
Buckingham Palace Queens Golden Jubilee Dance Performance for the Royal Family,
Rumba FM Dance Performance in the style of Latin Carnival.
Holborn London School of Economics: Kathak
Alternative Arts Dance Festival: Kathak & Folk

Choreography:
Ireland, Dublin, St Patrics Day  Carnival
Choreography and leading group in Parade

Watermans Art Centre: Premiere of “SHIFT” new choreographic work by Sushma Mehta and Madhu Nataraj Heri

Mayors Thames Festival with Beuachamp & Rubio Mandinga Arts: Character performer  / dancer.

2004:
INDIA
Kathak and Vocal performance in Rishikesh, India,
Dance solo kathak performance with Tabla, Harmonium, and Vocal.
Vocal solo : Vandana, Khayal in Raag Desh, & Bhajan
Accompaniment tabla, harmonium, & tanpura

Carnival/Choreography
Nottinghill Carnival Lead dancer and choreographer for Beachamp and Rubio for Mandinga Arts.

KATHAK PERFORMANCE
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Lord Mountbatten Hall, for His Royal Highness Prince Charles & the Duchess of Cornwall
Choreography Abhay Shankar Misra.

 

2005
With Shamaa Dance Co:
Morley Dance Platform
Paul Robson theatre Solo & group
Nehru Centre: Duet and group item

With chorography by Abhay Shankar Misra
Mountbatten Hall, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: Performance for the Duke Kent.

2006
performances with Shamaa & solo.

Ten Incarnations of Visnu: performance @ Covent Garden Museum Theatre with Abhay Shankar Misra.

Other Performance:
Regular Dance performances in Brasilian Style dance Maracatu with Umbela Brasil.

Further studies in Brasilian Dance Samba Reggae, Maractu & Afro Samba

2007:
Kathak performances:
Shamaa perform new work Jal choreographed by Sushma Mehta @Earls court Festival.
Paul Robson Theatre
Holi Dance & mangalam.
Thumri Tarana, Nainon se Nainon
Bhavan Centre: Dhamar/ Jayat Tal

Tasher Desh _Land of Cards(Dance Opera)by Rabrindrath Tagore  with FIPA role Queen Mother

Richmond Holi festival
Solo Kathak- with Akademi various performance workshops
Trio Kathak with Shamaa Dance Co

Performances 2008
Kolkotta Dance intense finale

Solo – Vedic Village & Science City in Kolkotta India

Beyond Boundaries “Jal” Mangalam & Holi
Spitalfields Dance Festival Solo
Dance India with Sampad 08 in Birmingham with  Smti Kumudini Lakhia, Aditi Mangaldas
Kadam Choreography Project “Unlocking Creativity” with Nahid Siddiqi & international choreographers
Birju Maharaj & Sasawati Sen, Mahuar @ Patidar Centre 3 day workshop

Performances 2008

Tivoli Ballroom: Holi & Dhamar
Tasher Desh Tour UK with Fipa

Stories from the Ramayan& Stories of Krishna
@ Hornimans Museum with Whippersnappers @Dance Drama for Children

Dances Around the world- solo kathak
Shanti Day Centre-solo kathak and workshop for elderly people with Akademi

Carnivals 2008
Nottinghill Carnival solo character dancer with Mandinga Arts
Brighton Carnival: leading 3 dancers with Mandinga Arts
Choreography for Carnival:Thames Festival leading & choreography for 6 dancers for Mandinga Arts
Hillingden Festival leading 3 dancers in character
Stockwell Parade: leading 3 dancers in parade

2009
Performance
Camden words of Peace fundraiser: Solo kathak

Akademi storytelling dance workshop/performance

2011 – Sonia Sabri Dance Company international Tour

2011-2015– Solo Kathak at Lambeth Country Fair on Cultivate Stage

Shamaa Dance Company various productions

2014 – Shamaa Dance production “Mussafir”

2015 – Arpan Dance performance Delhi India with Aakriti Dance

2015 & 2016 – Shamaa Dance Company production “Parallel Worlds”

2017, 2018, 2019 – Performance with Akademi at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital

NUTKHUT – Performances with The Emperors Lost Gems, British Library Celebrating the Mughals, 2016, 2017

Lambeth Country Fair – 2014- 2018 annually performances at the Cultivate Area.

EDUCATION Projects: Marcina is a freelance dance teacher,

workshops, devising and teaching in community & corporate projects.

Education work:
As part of her Company: “Creative Voices” Marcina has worked with various organizations
Teaching  movement “South Asian Fusion” with Street Soul a community based companies.  As well – WiseMoves, Primary Workshops for Schools, Sonia Sabri Dance Company, Sampad, Milapfest, Kala Arts, Lambeth, SouthBank Centre, Roundhouse, Glyndbourne Opera, RSNO and Akademi.

Teaching Previously @ Siobhan Davies Studios  in London beginners & improvers Kathak
Whippersnappers@Brockwell Lido kathak for 4 -10 year olds

Crystal Palace Osteopathic Practice – 2015 -2017 Hatha Yoga regular class for adults

Currently -Working with Akademi on various projects & performance projects

Shamaa Dance Company– Performance & Education

2019– Currently teaching Yoga and Dance freelance UK wide

 

Marcina also teaches privately.

For dance performance & education bookings and info
Contact-

Email: urvashidancecompany@gmail.com
Tel: 07727106473

Additional Information:
Marcina is  a proffesional singer songwriter/ musician/ composer  & recorded artist
Go to- www.bandcamp.com-marcina arnold