Mansee Singhi (she/her) is a South Asian choreographer, performer, teaching artist and member of the United Nations Dance Council based in Columbus, Ohio.
She is the artistic director of Manm Koham Dance Company (MKDC) where she has been training and helping students grow in the field of Indian Classical dance form - Kathak.
Mansee is an active member of the arts community in Columbus and is a board member of Ohio Dance. Since 2009, Mansee has presented her work at various venues in and around Ohio and also produced end-to- end performances based on Indian and Contemporary styles in collaboration with other performing artists. She has been trained in Classical and Folk arts from India, Yoga and Contemporary style with ongoing Neoclassical training. In her work, she strives to balance the elements of her cultural background with her skills of story-telling and movements to find intersections between art and oneness.
"To Dance is to Express!"- the mantra of Mansee's life. Mansee Singhi is a Columbus, Ohio based Indian classical dance performer, choreographer, and teacher. For 35 years, Mansee has fully devoted herself to this North Indian classical art form - Kathak. Kathak has an innate cultural, social, religious, and historical roots; these roots do not bind, but rather deepen the possibilities to create resonance and curiosity within both artist and viewer. The strength of her work begins with decades of dance training. Her teachers / Gurus have spent countless hours to uphold the balance between technical rigor, physicality, grace, and expressive authenticity that is the hallmark of this dance form. Mansee has been a member of the United Nations Dance Council since 2012 and more recently joined the Ohio Dance Board and the Ohio Teaching Artist Roster. Through the years, diverse influences have inspired her to immerse herself in pure dance, cross art form collaborations, and innovative partnerships. Mansee has been an active arts citizen in Columbus and nearby communities and has showcased and presented her work at various schools, universities and a variety of Indian cultural events. Her life's mission as an artist is to create awareness and knowledge about Kathak, the creations from cross disciplinary collaborations and tell stories to audiences. Her vision is to elevate and encourage the innovative performances and collaborations to grow a wider audience for Indian classical dance and the intersections with diverse art styles.
Dance Works
Choreographies and Creations
Boondh
Screendance work selected by the Pittsburgh Festival
Boondh
A depiction of life that showcases that when human life emerges it represents a river meeting the ocean. There is that fear and discomfort of how we will fit in or adapt in this big world of diversity. Through self-belief, reflection and openness, we work hard to accept and people around us also work hard to welcome. This choreography showcases an individual's feelings and emotions through the journey of identification, adaptation and acceptance.
Headwaters
An Emotional Journey Through Water and Fluidity. "Headwaters is an emotional journey through water and fluidity. With dance and poetry, Headwaters tells the story of how our emotions shape us and how embracing the fluidity of their ever changing presence in our lives can lead us to become our most authentic selves."
Echoes Of Ramayana
A dance performance showcasing the emotions of various women characters in Ramayana and its translation to current day portrayal. The story woven in dance and music from this ancient epic is presented in a choreographic repertoire ranging from traditional to modern dance performances.
Triyaam
A choreographic presentation of the 5 elements of nature woven into movement and rhythmic composition.
Umeed (Colors of Hope)
An Indian Classical dance based on the chants and dances of Native American song - Yeha - Noha (wishes of Happiness and Prosperity) bringing hope and love to the people wherever they reside.
Kala Sangam
A confluence a of two dance forms from Northern and Southern parts of the Indian sub-continent namely Bharatnatyam and Kathak.
Beat and Taal
An engaging musical composition linking the traditional and modern Kathak.
Path to Happiness
A journey of emotions to attain true inner peace and happiness expressed through Kathak.
Ta Dha
A collaboration showcasing Tap dance and Kathak.
Parchai
A contemporary dance piece that leverages Indian instrumental music and poetic verses from the book “DOTHEAD” by Ohio’s first poet laureate, Amit Majmudar.
Dhrut
A musical synchrony between Kathak & Contemporary movement. It highlights the impact of motion, rhythm and speed as individual elements and culminates into an emulsion of the three.
Itihaas
Evolution of Kathak - A research presentation about Kathak’s evolution and the adaptations in various era’s of Indian history.
Dessert Rhythms
This performance is based on a traditional Rajasthani Indian folk dance called Ghoomar which typically involves performers pirouetting while moving in and out of a wide circle using different props making the dance more colorful and lively. Dessert Rhythms uses Indian instrumental music, folk tunes including sarangi, flute and drums with words which narrate stories played by established artists.
Moving Space - A classical presentation through a Contemporary lens
This piece is an abstract work showcasing Kathak- an Indian classical art form and connecting it with modern contemporary styles. A reflection on an ongoing exploration into the confluence of contemporary approaches to choreography, composition, tradition and experience.