BIOGRAPHY

Born and raised in Singapore, Shantha Ratii started her “Pas de Deux” with dance at the early age of five, sparking a long and passionate relationship that not only spanned over 40 years of her life but over the continents of the globe.

Shantha Ratii is a multifaceted personality – a dancer, teacher, choreographer, cultural activist and film- maker. She has had exclusive training under some of the most eminent dance gurus of India and Singapore, like Gurus Padmashree Adyar Lakshman, Padmabushan Kalanidhi Narayanan, Oyur Govinda Pillai and Padamabushan Raja Radha Reddy, Padmabushan Vempati Chinna Satyam, K P Bhaskar and Neila Sathyalingam in Bharathanatyam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi.

“Shantha is a rare combination of quick-silver movements, unerring footwork, beguiling abhinaya  and the effortless beauty of her dance… She brings to her dance a sure sense of aesthetics bolstered by an acute intelligence….the physical features with which nature endowed her, her arresting stage presence ….her deep understanding of her art”, all culminate into the “sculpture come alive”  effect one experiences.

She now directs her energies towards the promotion of Kuchipudi through her innovative works and the Antara Foundation, which she has instituted for the promotion of Indian performing and visual arts.  Shantha has been performing in all the major dance festivals in India and world over to critical acclaim. The stage is not the only place where she dazzles. She has scripted and directed several TV documentaries. “And Miles To Flow”, a 35 mm film on Asian dance theatres, was selected twice for the International Film Festival. Amongst the accolades bestowed on her is the title “Kalashiromani” by Sahyog Foundation.

Presenting new concepts and themes has been her forte. She has conceptualised, scripted and choreographed the dance-theatre production “Writings on the Wall” using Indian and Chinese calligraphy; “Confluence” to oud music by Dr Munir Bashir for the Babylon Festival; has done a variety of presentations commissioned by Nasscom, Times of India, Archeological Survey of India, Surabhi Foundation, Akashwani and did “Story-telling on the Orient Express” for Hermes Fashion House with Akademi, UK.

“I feel it is necessary to demystify tradition  without compromising  its sense of awe and wonder and making  it accessible to people….to make art inclusive….”

“It is an all-absorbing journey in search of simplicity and stillness that I believe are essential to dance  and  yet so elusive …..”