Shyamali Roy Hauth
Shyamali Roy Hauth started training in the mahari style in 1977 under
the guru of gurus, Padmashree Pankaj Charan Das, in Puri, India. Today
she performs the mahari style exclusively. She has performed Orissi
dance on national television in the US as well as on local television.
Her stage perfomances have been in the US, Canada, India, and Japan.
Best known for her Thali dance (on the rim of a brass plate),
first performed in 1978, and Gatibilas Pallavi (depicting
the 10 gaits of animals), first performed in 1980, Shyamali has continued
to hone the mahari ang (body characteristics) in Orissi
dance.
Shyamali shown performing the Thali dance in 1981, which was taught her by Padmashree Pankaj Charan Das in 1977. Shyamali is standing on the sharp edged rim of a large brass plate (shown in next photograph) while turning the candle laden small plates on her hands upside down in time to the dance rhythm. The plates are righted again in time to the music before they can fall from her hands. There are no gimmicks, like glue, or adhesives, employed to keep the plates from falling. Only concentration and practice keep the plates in place. For more pictures of Shyamali click on photograph.