Four for Ivan Pulinkala

Four for Ivan Pulinkala

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    ​Originally from New Delhi, Ivan Pulinkala has worked professionally in the field of dance and musical theatre both in India and the U.S.  His choreographic work has been commissioned for concert dance, musical theatre, as well as corporate and commercial film. While in India, Pulinkala served as the artistic director of his own company, performing and choreographing across the country. He served as the choreographer-in-residence for Delhi Music Theatre, and was named among the 25 Indian artists of the Millennium by the India Today Magazine in their December 1999 issue.

    Pulinkala serves as the chair of the Department of Dance at Kennesaw State University, and teaches classes in modern technique, choreography, dance history, dance appreciation, kinesiology and performance. He also serves as the artistic director for the Kennesaw State University Dance Company.​

    In November, Kennesaw State University Dance Company will present Touchdown, a collection of works including choreography by Israeli artist Yoram Karmi.
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    1. How did you go about bringing Israeli choreographer Yoram Karmi to Kennesaw State University?

     It is a brand new partnership that came from International Dance Exposure in Tel Aviv. I got to see his company, Fresco, and was very impressed with his work. I sought him out and another connection from the Israeli Consulate, Rina Schenfeld, introduced us. We started corresponding when I returned to the United States. He asked me to send my work and we decided to do this exchange. Thanks to a number of people, including Yonit Stern [Consulate Director of Cultural Affairs] and the Consulate, we are able to bring him to Kennesaw. I will also be going to Tel Aviv to work with Fresco in November.


    2.  As an international performer/choreographer in the United States, do you think that background lends anything special to the creative process?

    Absolutely. I think all of our life experiences impact the work we do as artists, so background certainly has a big role to play. My work is a reflection of my heritage—Indian—with several other influences and experiences along the way. [The International Dance Exposure in] Tel Aviv was quite amazing to see Israeli dance in such a concentrated period with such great variety. It was quite phenomenal.


    3. Can you describe your collaborative efforts with Yoram Karmi?

    His piece is a work called Derivatives that he is revisiting and restaging. I understand he is making many adjustments to the original choreography. The work I am doing for his company is very much in the early stages. It is not far enough along enough conceptually to speak to however, it will be a new work for his company, so I’m very excited about it.


    4. The work you are presenting at Kennesaw State is entitled Touchdown. Can you tell us about that?

    Find more information here​.

     
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