An artistic symbol of today's globalizing world, the young dynamic South Indian Classical dancer, Mythili Prakash is taking the dance world by storm. Hailed a child prodigy, Mythili began her career as a Bharata Natyam performer at the age of eight. Now in her mid-twenties, she is considered one of the brightest young stars of the field in India, and is steadily gaining recognition in Europe, Canada, and the US. Mythili been trained by her mother, renowned Bharata Natyam exponent Viji Prakash, and has also had the opportunity of studying under several Veteran Gurus from India. Her passion and focus toward presenting the beauty, grandeur, vibrance, and spirituality of traditional Bharata Natyam, combined with her youthful energy, and "modern" perspective, have shaped her art into one described by critics as: "suave and contemporary......a happy blend of Western Stage craft and Indian Aesthetics..." (The Hindu, Chennai 2007)

Mythili tours regularly, performing at prestigious arts institutions in India, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. As a soloist, she has been presented regularly as a part of music and dance programming at some of the most respected Institutions of India. Her solo tours of the United Kingdom in 1998, 1999, 2006, and 2007, and of the USA and Canada as a lead dancer in the productions of the Shakti Dance Company, have brought her to prestigious arts venues in these countries.

Mythili's dynamism extends from her stage presence to her choreography. Her choreography ranges from her own solo repertoire to outstanding ensemble work. She is the recipient of the Creation to Performance Grant from the Irvine Dance Foundation for her highly acclaimed work "Stree Katha," the tragic heroines of the epic Ramayana. Stree katha has received much acclaim in the USA, Canada, UK, and India. 

Mythili's other honors include the best dancer by Art India, August 2006; 1st placement in the National Advancement of the Arts, 2001, Miami, Florida; The Kohinoor Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture- 1996, Los Angeles, Ca, and a command performance at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan for the President of India, 1991, Delhi.

This project initially began with the intent of highlighting the importance of the women in an epic that is commonly known as the heroic story of one man. Through the choreographic process the project took shape as a more in depth analysis of femininity, its societal implications, and its subsequent effects on the human psyche.

With an original script and score written by Mythili and Debur Srivathsa respectively, Stree Katha investigates the stories of Keikeyi, Shurpanaka, and Sita, three women of the Ramayana

Keikeyi: an individual of beauty, affection, and strength, who unfortunately found the need to validate her status in relation to a man. Her story is that of a power-driven individual, perhaps similar to a high-status corporate woman today, who put aside her personal values and conscience to maintain her position of "power."

Shurpanaka: the equivalent of a modern, liberated woman who does not hold herself to the societal expectations of feminine beauty or behavioral conduct. She believes that her beauty, femininity, and individuality lay in her power within, yet her confidence and candid approach is frowned upon by society then and even today....

Sita: considered the "ideal woman" - a symbol of beauty and quiet strength, but most importantly a loyal life, and woman of dignity and restraint. Possibly the most tragic heroine, though she made all the "right" decisions out of complete respect and self-less love for her husband, her integrity was questioned time and again....

click to see the full touring repertory of Mythili Prakash