Biography

Milana Severskaya was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Education: Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of psychology, music diploma

1982  - first steps in Indian classic dance training

1987  - start up of teaching career

1989  - professional training in Moscow with Irina Elatentseva Nirmala dance company

1990 – Mantra singing group supervisor at Inter-religious Spiritual Centre

1993 - establishment of the centre of traditional arts

Milana Severskaya has started her formal Indian classic dance training in 1982. In 1989 she took a course of classic Bharat Natyam training in Moscow with Nirmala Dance Company of Irina Elatentseva.

Following her teachers advice in 1994 she undergoes a course of Bharat Natyam training with  famous Shanta and Dananjanjan couple in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.
Parallel to the main course Ms. Severskaya took classes of Southern Indian classic singing Karnataka and abhinaya (the art of emotional expressivity) with Shri Mati Arunathi Djaganatham. She received a new name of Lasya Shakti Devi from her teachers. Which means: Shakti- energy, Lasya- gentle, feminine performance manner.

In 1995 due to her teachers demand and thanks to their support Ms. Severskaya is granted a permission to extinguish training in India with Shyamala Surendran in Dharani academy in Kerala.

Parallel to the main course Ms. Severskaya took classes of Southern Indian classic singing Karnataka and abhinaya (the art of emotional expressivity) with Shri Mati Arunathi Djaganatham. She received a new name of Lasya Shakti Devi from her teachers. Which means: Shakti- energy, Lasya- gentle, feminine performance manner.

n 1995 due to her teachers demand and thanks to their support Ms. Severskaya is granted a permission to extinguish training in India with Shyamala Surendran in Dharani academy in Kerala.

Dharani Arts Academy

Singing class

Jayachandram, the vocal teacher in Dharani

Vina class

Teacher Chitra Subramaniam

Kalyani Kutti Amma (in the middle) with her daughter (to the left) and Shyamala Surendran (to  the right)

Mohini Attam teachers – Shaymala Surendran and Kalyani Kutti Amma family Thank to them Mohini Attam style was preserved

Abhinaya class

Thanks to miraculous circumstances Ms. Severskaya got acquainted with Padmabhushan Kalanidi Narayan, a world renowned master of abhinaya. She is considered the magic queen of abhinaya. The classes that the Russian student took from the teacher become a turning point in her understanding of the deepest and the most sacred aspects of the ancient tradition.

On September, 5, 1996 Shyamala Surendran with support of Dharani academy students organised Rangapravesham for Milana which in the ancient tradition in India meant student initiation to become a dancer. The event took place in Kerala. Next morning in the press one could read that Milana Severskaya became known as a Russian who deeply touched Indian audience.   

After completing the full course of Mohini Attam training Milana became student of the Kalari Payatt martial art school (Arjuna Kalari Samgham, Kerala), undertook research field works in the south of India and got Bharat Natyam training course under Svaminatha Pilai supervision in Tamil Nadu, India.

In 1997 Milana actively engaged herself with Sarasvati Kshetram school in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 2000 she became creator of Mysterial Art Theatre. The main objective of the theatre is to produce first class performances and to introduce contemporary inventions in music and performance in Indian classic arts to its most benefit.