Lisa Pellegrini

Born in 1978 Parma, during her studies Lisa began to be interested in Indian philosophy, yoga and meditation. During that period she encounters her most important teachers, first in Italy, and then in Africa, where she studies yoga as a spiritual discipline. Through her love of yoga she reaches the theatre.

For a while she studied the classical Indian dance bharatanatyam, only to, during her travels across India, discover kathak. After that she got engaged in many other forms of Indian dance. Up to now, she has performed on various international festivals and held classes of Indian dance in India, Argentina and Italy.

The Indian traditional dance kathak was created more than two thousand years ago in northern India. Kathaka were wandering singing-poets traveling from village to village, carrying with them stories and messages, as well as the mythology from ancient texts, and all through song and dance (stories and legends from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas).

During the Middle Ages, kathak enters the royal halls and becomes a form of entertainment, gaining force and grace. The costumes became ever more elaborate and precious jewelry came to be worn. During this period, kathak developed into a theatre art combining the energy of steps and pirouettes with the subtle movement of the hands.

In the 19th century, kathak is enriched by abstract rhythmical phrases. The expressive side of dance retells the Indian epics through gestures and mime, while the dancers wear big gungru bells on their ankles, regarded as part of the dancers body, while their sound enables the audience to better follow the rhythm… During the Street Musicians Festival, Lisa will have no less than three performances!