Educational qualifications
- Sc. (Physics), L L B (general)
- L L B (Sp. Taxation)
- D., M. Mus., B. Mus., PG Dip (Nattuvangam), Diploma
- (All in Dance)
- Special training in Movement Analysis, Dance Therapy
Present position
Principal Investigator MHRD-UGC Econtent PG PATHASHALA and MOOCs in SWAYAM PROJECT, Performing Arts Dance.
Former DEAN and Head Professor Department of Dance, Faculty of Performing Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara (Gujarat – India).
Prof. Dr. Smt Parul Shah is one of the rare combinations of Performing artiste, Cross-cultural Choreographer, Bharatanatyam Guru, Dance Educator, Scholar, Researcher, Arts Administrator and highly motivated human being. She got appointed as the Professor in Dance in 1993, at the young age of 41 and became the Head of the Department of Dance and the Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India. Prof Shah is selected by the Chairman UGC and awarded the prestigious MHRD project of creating E PG Content for the E PG PATHASHALA in Performing Arts (Dance/Drama/Theatre) in April 2014. She was the first Principal Investigator of all subjects to complete the project in record time in October 2016. In July 2016, she is invited by MHRD-UGC to create MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) in Performing Arts. She is perhaps the first in Performing Arts of India to receive the “Choreomundus Heritage Master Fellowship” as the visiting scholar of the Erasmus Mundus of the European Union International Master in Dance knowledge, Practice and Heritage. She was the Fellow at the University of Roehampton, London for 3 weeks in March 2014. Since 2013, she is working on the Major Research Project of the UGC on “The changing dynamics of the Classical dance of India with respect to Bharatanatyam” She was awarded the Senior Fulbright Fellowship in 1992-93 for pioneering work in Movement Analysis-Notation in Indian classical dance. Along with Laban Movement Analysis, she got trained in the application of the same as therapy. She is the recipient of Senior Artiste Fellowship of the Department of Culture Ministry of HRD for Movement Analysis of stylistic differences of the Four Schools of Bharatanatyam, 1994-96. The interest in research started in 1977-84, with Ph. D in “The Rasa Dance of Gujarat, a critical survey” with UGC Junior and Senior Fellowships.
Beginning in 1972 at Delhi Rastrapati Bhavan, Dr. Shah’s performing career has grown with depth, each performance bringing out the true love of dance. She is sensitive, truthful and lively performer. The active dance career (Classical, Folk, Contemporary, Creative) of more than 40 years, has taken her to near and far lands (USA, UK, Italy, Greece, France, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Denmark, Shri Lanka, Egypt etc.) performing, teaching, lecturing, collaborating, learning, sharing in the top institutions and with most creative innovative individuals such as Phillip Zarrili, Pegy Mue Choy, Jin-wen Yu, Louise Tchabushnig, Janet Lilly, Buff Brennan and in India Prof Sitanshu Yasheshchandra, Padmashree Geeta Chandran, Prof Deepak Kannal, Prof Ranjana Harish, Dr. Arshia Shethi, to name a few. She is a regular visiting Professor in the Dance Program at the University of Wisconsin USA. She was invited to lecture and has conducted workshops at University of California, UCLA, Skidmore College, Univ. of Arizona, Ohio State University, EWAH Univ at South Korea, Ayutthaya Rajbhat University, Thailand, Banaras Hindu University, Ravindrabharati University, IGNCA and many such educational cultural institutions. Her research papers are presented at reputed International conferences of CORD, JADE, WDA, CID, IGNCA and such. She is active member of various professional organizations such as ABHAI, IMACO, Shruti, CORD, WDA, CID. Since 2012, Prof Shah is the India President of International Folk Art Organization, IOVA a UNESCO body.
Her major dance productions are Rajyalaksmi, Buddha Tattva, Dipta Kailash, Kanya Viday, Abhishap, Chetana, Shri Chandramaulishwar Kuravanji, Shri Antaryami, Nirguna, Abhishap, Kavi-Kavita-Gujarat, Random Graces and many creative items in solo and group formats. Most of them are women centric. Her main focus is expanding the horizons of Bharatanatyam, so that the strength of the classicism enriches the coming generations. In July 2017, she taught Garba in Derbyshire UK to the professional Modern Dancers for the 70 years celebration of India-Britain relations. She was invited by the M P Government Cultural and Tourism Department to curate the Exhibition NEPATHYA as part of the world famous Khajuraho Dance Festival in February 2018.
New interpretations to the myths, sensibility and imaginary to traditional lyrics, new choreography with regional languages and popular music goner are her forte.
She became very popular with the chorography of all dances of 1st Ramayana of Ramanand Sagar. She is equally versatile in the Classical, Folk, Contemporary and Creative dance. Her disciples are not only in Baroda and India but also in USA, Italy, Singapore, Canada etc. Prof. Shah is the recipient of Mahakal Sangit Ratna, Gujarat Rajya Gaurav Purasker, Rotary International award and many grants and fellowships. Her administrative strength is much valued and has earned her great respect of hard working task master. She has continued to organise many events. She is the Curator of Nritya Parva, from 2008, an annual national and International dance festival, which she started in 1981 in memory of her late Guru. Move India Move for Change in 2013 was a specially designed event for the national cultural enclave for all India Universities. She has chaired and is member of many academic and cultural committees on local, state and national and international level. She is well versed in handling an active performing career, running successfully her repertory company Anjali Memorial Committee, intense research as well as guiding the doctoral scholars and being a warm, intense woman!
