Poornima Ashok is a performing Bharathanatyam danseuse, choreographer and teacher from Bangalore. She is committed to the art as a lifetime pursuit. She has had her training from Guru Smt. Radha Sridhar from Bangalore and has furthered her training under the famous Gurus Sri Dhananjayans of Chennai. She has learnt the intricate aspects of Abhinaya from Guru Smt. Kalanidhi Narayan. With time she has evolved a distinctive style - classically rooted with contemporary energies. She explores and expands the language of Bharathanatyam through her performances and choreographies.
Even as a young student she represented Karnataka at various youth festivals and consistently won accolades. With a Debut par Excellence in 1986, Poornima has never looked back. She has since performed at all major Sabhas and for premier cultural organizations in the country and abroad.
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Mentioned below are a few important platforms where she has given solo performances:
  • Pracheen Kala Kendra Festival, Chandigarh
  • Radhastami Celebration in Vrindaban
  • Conducted seminar on Padams and Javalis in Bangalore
  • Habitat Center New Delhi
  • Mamallapuram Festival
  • Prema Prana Prahara
  • Sanskruthi - New Delhi
  • Deeksha festival Gayana Samaja Bangalore
  • Festival of Padams and Javalis
  • Gunjan dance festival Bhubaneshwar
  • Jugalbandhi festival with Kathak
  • Natraj samman in Bangalore
  • Samskruthi festival New Delhi
  • Kanakadasa festival Udupi
  • Drishti festival in Bangalore
  • Dharani festival in Cochin
  • Vipanchee festival, Chennai
  • BIAF Bangalore international arts festival, Bangalore
  • Margam Festival
  • Organised master class of Sri C.V Chandrashekar, Chennai
  • Performed for Ananya Nritya Neerajanam - 2011
  • ICCR Horizon series
  • Bhavanotsava - At Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in memory of late Sri. Mattoor Krishnamurthy
  • Organised master class of Yamini Krishnamurthy in Bangalore
  • Vishwa Kannada Sammelana held at Mysore
  • Bangalore Gayana Samaja
  • Karnataka Nritya Kala Parishad
  • Bangalore Lalita Kala Parishad
  • Indian Institute of World Culture
  • International Dance Alliance (IDA)
  • DAKSHINI – SAARC Summit held in Bangalore
  • Rajyotsava celebrations at New Delhi
  • Mumbai Kannada Sangha
  • Dasara Festival at Mysore
  • Nrityotsava organized by Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi at Bangalore
  • Hampi Festival, Somanathpur Festival, Pattadakal Festival sponsored by the Department for Kannada and Culture Govt. of Karnataka
  • Nupura, Kinkini and Nrityanjali Festivals
  • Nishagandhi Festival, Trivandrum
  • Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
  • Shivali Festival, New Delhi
  • Horizon - ICCR
  • Dance productions for Bangalore Doordarshan and Udaya Channel
  • Narada Gana Sabha, Bharatkalachar Sabha in Chennai
  • Natyanjali Festival, Chidambaram
  • Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
  • Navraspur Festival
  • Parampara Festival of Dance
  • Belli Gejje
  • Gudiya Sambrama - Bengaluru Temple Festival
  • Belli Hejje
  • Naada Neerajanam
Poornima also propagates the art form with her performances and demonstrations for foreign representatives and delegates, sponsored by established corporates, institutions and NGOs. She is an A-grade artist of Doordarshan and has appeared on the National Network and Regional Channels several times. She was a recipient of the Central Govt. Scholarship for Advance Training in Bharathanatyam and also an empanelled artist of ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations).

Honors
  • In 1994 she visits Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
  • She features in the award-winning documentary
    NECTAR IN STONE for Doordarshan.
  • She also features in a documentary, on Jnanpith awardee K.V Puttappa (Kuvempu), to interpret his poems through dance.
  • In 1998, she is honoured by the Mayor of Bangalore.
  • In 2000, Poornima visits U.A.E on an invitation from Kannada Sangha, where she is honored by the Consulate General, Sri Ashok Bannerjee.
  • In 2003 she is honoured by the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, for achieving excellence in the field of Bharathanatyam.
  • In 2003, she is honoured in Singapore by SIFAS.
  • In 2004 she visits Australia for concerts, workshops and lecture demos.
  • Poornima is honoured by her Gurus Sri Dhananjayans at
    BELLI GEJJE - A celebration of her glorious 25 years as a performing artist in 2009.
  • In 2011, KARNATAKA NATYA RATNA is conferred on Poornima.
  • In 2013, Nritya Kala Parishath, Bangalore confers NARTANA NIPUNA on Poornima.
  • Poornima is a proud recipient of the title NATYA KALA VIPANCHEE awarded by Dr. M. Bala Murali Krishna in 2013.
  • BBMP, Government of Karnataka confers KEMPEGOWDA PRASHASTHI on Poornima in 2016.
  • Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy (KSNA) confers KARNATAKA KALASHREE on Poornima in 2016.
© Poornima Ashok
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