Australia Dancing - Chandrabhanu (1950

Chandrabhanu (1950 - )

Hooper, Jim: Chandrabhanu, artistic director of Bharatam Dance Company, montage from a variety of productions, 1991-1998 , ca. 1998

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Dr Chandrabhanu was born in Kangar, the capital of the Northern most Malaysian province of Perlis. An early interest in dance led him to study classical Malay dance, Gendang Terinai, under Pa?Mei, and study traditional Malay folk dances under various teachers between 1956 and 1976. Chandrabhanu also studied in Bharata Natyam Indian classical dance at the Usha Prema School of Indian Classical Dance, Malaysia from 1957 to 1973.

Chandrabhanu arrived in Australia in 1971 on a Malaysian Government Civil Service Department Scholarship, to study social anthropology at Monash University, Melbourne, achieving his BA (Hons.) in 1974, and a PhD in social anthropology in 1980. In 1974, after completing his BA (Hons.), Chandrabhanu undertook an extended tour throughout south and south-east Asia, during which time he began studying Odissi, at Orissa Sangeeta Parishad, Puri, India, under the tutelage guru Bijoy Kumar Senapati. Chandrabhanu also continued his training in Bharata Natyam at the Bharata Choodamani Academy of Fine Arts, Madras, India under the tutelage of guru Adyar K. Lakshman, which he had began in 1973 and continued through to 1982.

In 1976 and 1977, Chandrabhanu undertook two research trips to Malaysia to research his PhD. During the second of these trips Chandrabhanu worked with the Kompleks Budaya Negara, the Malaysian National Dance Company, co-choreographing the work Indraputera and dancing the principal role. He also spent time as a guest artistic director and choreographer with the Perlis State Dance Ensemble, Kangar, Malaysia, working in Gendang Terinai style of classical Malay dance.

Chandrabhanu?s teaching career began in his second year of study at Monash University when he brought a group of students together. The group was known as Suasana, Malaysian and Indian Dance Ensemble and was active between 1972 and 1976. As teacher and artistic director of the group, Chandrabhanu trained student dancers, choreographed several full-length works, and produced concerts, which toured Sydney, Canberra and Tasmania. In 1973 Chandrabhanu established the Bharatalaya School of Indian and Classical Dance. In the same year, 1973, he met his partner, the visual artist Geoffrey Goldie, subsequently one of the 'strongest driving forces' in Chandrabhanu's career. In 1980 the Bharatalaya Company of Indian Classical Dance was formed by Chandrabhanu to provide a performance group for students of the school. This performance group became known as Bharatam Dance Company in 1985, later expanding and becoming incorporated in 1987. As artistic director of Bharatam Dance Company from 1985 to 2000, Chandrabhanu choreographed over twenty works, which toured throughout Australia, South East Asia, Europe and the United States.

Chandrabhanu has choreographed almost 50 major choreographic works, productions and performances in Bharata Natyam, Odissi and contemporary dance styles throughout his career. Amongst these have been a number of Bharata Natyam solo recitals that Chandrabhanu has performed in, these include Journey Towards Hope II (2003) Kuala Lumpur, Rasamalika (2002) with vocalist O.S. Arun, Hansavihar, Melbourne, Quintessence (2002) with vocalist O.S. Arun, Sydney, Dasi Attam (2001) with vocalist O.S. Arun, Melbourne, Bharata Natyam solo recital (2000) in London, Quintessence (1996) in Kuala Lumpur, and Bharata Natyam Solo Recital (1984), The Hague.

Chandrabhanu is currently artistic director and principal of Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy of Indian Classical Dance and Music, Melbourne.

Research Materials

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Hooper, Jim: Chandrabhanu in Bharatam Dance Company production, Bodhissatva, at George Fairfax Studio, Melbourne Arts Centre, 25 November 1994

Hooper, Jim: Chandrabhanu in Bharatam Dance Company production, Bodhissatva, at George Fairfax Studio, Melbourne Arts Centre, 25 November 1994 (Picture): Bharatam Dance Company ; Indian Dance in Australia; Location:; National Library of Australia; PIC9271/4 LOC Cold Store PIC HOO
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Wadsworth, Eric: Chandrabhanu, Tamara Blacher, and Sudeshna Bhattacharya in rehearsal for a Monash University Indian Association dance production, 1973

Wadsworth, Eric: Chandrabhanu, Tamara Blacher, and Sudeshna Bhattacharya in rehearsal for a Monash University Indian Association dance production, 1973 (Picture): Indian Dance in Australia; Location:; National Library of Australia; PIC/8904
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Interview with Chandrabhanu, 1998 (Oral history): Interviewer: Michelle Potter; Interviewee: Chandrabhanu; Audiotape; 354 mins; Dr Chandrabhanu discusses his family background and the influence of his family on the future direction of his career. He speaks about studying dance in India, coming to Australia to study anthropology at Monash University and performing as a dancer at Monash. His setting up of a performing group in Australia and the eventual establishment of his Bharatam Dance Company are covered, and there is discussion of the history of Indian dance styles in Australia including the influence of Louise Lightfoot and Shivaram during the 1940s, and the work of a generation of dancers working in Indian styles in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s. Chandrabhanu also discusses some of the works he has created for the Bharatam Dance Company and reflects on the development of a contemporary dance style. Other material discussed includes Chandrabhanu's teaching experiences in Malaysia and his work for the dance committee of the Australia Council.; Bharatam Dance Company ; Indian Dance in Australia ; Lightfoot, Louise ; Shivaram; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Oral History Project; National Library of Australia; TRC 3698
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Hooper, Jim: Montage of Chandrabhanu from a variety of Bharatam productions , ca. 1998

Hooper, Jim: Montage of Chandrabhanu from a variety of Bharatam productions , ca. 1998 (Picture): Bharatam Dance Company; Location:; National Library of Australia; PIC9271/6 LOC Cold Store PIC HOO
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Newspaper clippings, Chandrabhanu, 1986-1997 (Ephemera): A small collection of press articles documenting Chandrabhanu's career. Included is a review of Chandrabhanu's work Odissi (1986).; Indian Dance in Australia; Location:; National Library of Australia; Access through Newspaper/Microform Reading Room

Papers of James Murdoch, 1941-1990 (bulk 1960-90) (Manuscript): 114 boxes, 1 folio box; The Murdoch Papers are an extensive collection documenting Murdoch's activities as an arts administrator, artistic director, manager, promoter of Australian music and musicians, consultant, and writer and broadcaster between 1960 and 1990. The papers are exceptionally varied in format: correspondence, appointment diaries, personal documents, financial papers, newspaper cuttings, reviews, manuscripts of books and articles, subject files, photographs, programs, publications, concert hall plans, music scores and tape recordings. Of special importance to dance are items relating to Luisillo and his Spanish Dance Theatre's Australian tour, for which Murdoch was musical director, research notes and programs for Dance Springboard, a Sydney Opera House Trust Bicenntennial program, various items relating to his management of Graeme Koehne including material related to the West Australian, Queensland and Australian Ballets, material relating to Murdoch's involvement in the Australia Council's Archival Film Project in which Murdoch interviewed a number of people prominent in Australian dance, and subject files for Australian Dance Theatre, Margaret Barr, Edna Busse, Chandrabhanu, Dance music, International Dance Course, Shirley McKechnie, Betty Pounder, Rex Reid, and Margaret Walker. Further information relating to the scope and content of the papers can be found at MS 8732 - Papers of James Murdoch (1930-).; Luisillo and his Spanish Dance Theatre Australian Tours ; West Australian Ballet ; Queensland Ballet, The ; Australian Ballet, The ; Australian Dance Theatre ; Barr, Margaret ; Busse, Edna ; McKechnie, Shirley ; Pounder, Betty ; Reid, Rex ; Walker, Margaret; Location:; National Library of Australia; MS 8732
nla.cat-vn956305; Access restricted until the donor's death

Programs, Chandrabhanu (Ephemera): A small collection of programs for the Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy, the Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Company of Classical Indian Temple Dance, and the Bharatam Dance Company at the Parade Theatre, NIDA in 1990.; Indian Dance in Australia ; Bharatam Dance Company; Location:; National Library of Australia; PROMPT Collection (Access through Petherick Room)

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Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection