Uday Shankar (1900 - 1977) often credited as the pioneer of modern Indian dancing was a world renowned classical dancer and choreographer. He was the pioneer of Indo-Western fusion music. He adapted the modern Western techniques into his dance form and took Indian classical dancing to a new level.
Uday Shankar did not have any formal training in dancing and his art was largely self educated from the different dance forms prevalent in India during the times, Mughal frescoes and rajput paintings and largely influenced by Western ballets. He brought both Western and Indian styles into a new dance form which he later called 'Creative dancing' which became widely popular in the West as well as in India.
His association with the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova gave the Indo-Western masterpieces like 'Radha-Krishna' and 'Hindu Wedding'.
He toured Europe and America for several years with his dance troup named 'Uday Shankar and his Hindu Ballet'. This made him immensely popular in the West and acclaims back home.
He married Amala Shankar with whom he made his only movie named Kalpana or imagination where he showcased his art form.
In the later half of his life he was awarded with the second highest civilian award by the Government of India in 1970.
His brother Ravi Shankar, the great musician, is credited for introducing and popularising Indian music in the West.
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