After she did her diploma in ballet dance, she was in search of a more fulfilling and spiritual learning experience. Some of her friends and the first generation of Indian classical dancers in France recommended that she pursue traditional Indian dances.
Having dedicated her life to this form of art, she decided to pack her bag and leave, first for Pakistan to learn Sufism. But her journey eventually led her to Nepal. Here, she met her Guruji (teacher), the late Mrigendra Man Singh Pradhan, to whom she owes her artistic name.
Now, it’s been 12 years that she’s been learning and studying about Kathak, Bharata Natyam, Charya, and other dance forms of India and Nepal. However, coming to a foreign land as a student was not very easy.
“My English was really poor and didn’t know Nepali or Hindi. So I had a real hard time at first,” shares Manjushree, smiling and blushing over.But obviously, that one obstacle didn’t prevent her from becoming the protégée of Mrigendra Man Singh Pradhan.
“When my Guruji asked me to take after his given name, I felt honored, but at the same time very scared, thinking of the expectations and responsibility,” she recalls.
“No one from his family would continue his legacy in dancing, and I had made dance my life. I just couldn’t say no and now I’m proud to keep his name alive,” she adds. And thus she became Manjushree Pradhan from Maud Grasmuck.
Manjushree is currently managing her career as a dancer and teacher as she travels frequently between India, Nepal and different European countries. She teaches at Lille University and also has her own dance academy in France where she teaches five- to 50-years-old eager students.
“Teaching, I feel, is a continuation of my process of learning and understanding the art of dance,” she says.
Being busy with her research and teaching, she now does less number of shows than what she used to. Even though she has earned the stature of an accomplished dancer, the modest artist still shies away from being called a dancing star.
“One day, you’re performing in front of a thousand people, but the next day, you’re alone somewhere. So fame and stardom isn’t what I go after,” she tells us, shaking her head.
“It’s my love of and dedication to dance.”
Manjushree performs this week
With her belief that working together with different artists strengthens solidarity and relationship, Manjushree is ready to bring two of her fusion cultural shows on stage this week in Kathmandu.
She’ll be performing at the Indian Cultural Center today at 5 pm. The show entitled “The Dream of Yamuna” is a musical creation with Kathak dance and narration of tumultuous love of gods on the banks of River Yamuna in Delhi from the Vedic era to the present.
On Friday, February 12, Manjushree is set to take you from classical to non-classical moods through her Charya dance and a tale of evolution of arts in Kathmandu. This dance show entitled “The Glory of the Himalaya” will also present her collaboration with the Nepali rock sitar player Bijaya Vaidya. The dance and jamming session will be performed at the Russian Culture Center at 5:30 pm.
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