Medha Yodh
Encyclopedia
Medha Yodh was an India
n and Indian American
Bharatanatyam
dancer and teacher of classical Indian dance
at UCLA. She was a disciple of Tanjore Balasaraswati and created a documentary on Garba
.
, which is located in the present day state of Gujarat. Yodha began dancing before she turned five years old. Yodh became fascinated with Bharatanatyam
, one of India
's best known forms of classical dance, early in life.
Despite her interest in dance, Medha Yodh education's was heavily focused on science
. Yodha received as Bachelors of Science
degree from the University of Bombay.
She continued her education and received her master's from Stanford University
in California. Medha Yoda later explained her unusual educational background for a dance teacher in a 1984 interview with the Los Angeles Times
, "I have a proper Brahman
background. I grew up in British India, and I was expected to learn the arts
, to go into the sciences and to travel
abroad.
Medha Yodh traveled extensively outside of India
during her younger years. Her travels exposed her to different forms of modern and world styles of dance. Ultimately, Yodh became a student of Tanjore Balasaraswati, one of the most important Indian dancers of her time, while visiting Connecticut
. She became a lifelong student and disciple of Balasaraswati.
She also met and married a Swedish
medical student, Carol von Essen, during her travels. The couple later divorced.
Medha Yodh created an academically well received documentary film
in 1987. The film, entitled Garba-Ras: A Glimpse Into Gujarati Culture focused on the Garba
, a traditional Gujarati dance.
Yodh continued to dance throughout California
following her retirement. A 2000 L.A. Times review on her performance at the "Spirit Dances" series at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica
referred to her as "looking seriously possessed with hearty foot slapping and filigreed fingers."
Medha Yodh continued to teach privately until 2002, when she moved from Oakland to San Diego, California
.
Medha Yodh died of failing health on July 11, 2007, at her daughter's, Kamal Muilenburg, home in San Diego. She was 79 years old.
She was survived by two daughters, Kamal and Neila von Essen, and two granddaughters. Her son, Eric von Essen
, a jazz bassist
, died in 1997.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and Indian American
Indian American
Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
dancer and teacher of classical Indian dance
Classical Indian dance
Indian classical dance is a relatively new umbrella term for various codified art forms rooted in Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles, whose theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni .- Definitions :...
at UCLA. She was a disciple of Tanjore Balasaraswati and created a documentary on Garba
Garba (dance)
Garba is an Indian form of dance that originated in the Gujarat region. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garbha and Deep . Many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp or picture/statues of different avatars of Goddess Shakti...
.
Early life
Medha Yodh was born on July 31, 1927 in the city of AhmedabadAhmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, which is located in the present day state of Gujarat. Yodha began dancing before she turned five years old. Yodh became fascinated with Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
, one of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's best known forms of classical dance, early in life.
Despite her interest in dance, Medha Yodh education's was heavily focused on science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
. Yodha received as Bachelors of Science
Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
degree from the University of Bombay.
She continued her education and received her master's from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in California. Medha Yoda later explained her unusual educational background for a dance teacher in a 1984 interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, "I have a proper Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
background. I grew up in British India, and I was expected to learn the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, to go into the sciences and to travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
abroad.
Medha Yodh traveled extensively outside of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
during her younger years. Her travels exposed her to different forms of modern and world styles of dance. Ultimately, Yodh became a student of Tanjore Balasaraswati, one of the most important Indian dancers of her time, while visiting Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. She became a lifelong student and disciple of Balasaraswati.
She also met and married a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
medical student, Carol von Essen, during her travels. The couple later divorced.
Career
Yodh became a faculty member at UCLA in 1976, and focused on teaching Balasaraswati's values and dance styles. She remained at UCLA until her retirement from the school in 1994. She continued to serve as an adviser for a number of UCLA organizations after her retirement, including Dance Kaleidoscope series.Medha Yodh created an academically well received documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
in 1987. The film, entitled Garba-Ras: A Glimpse Into Gujarati Culture focused on the Garba
Garba (dance)
Garba is an Indian form of dance that originated in the Gujarat region. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garbha and Deep . Many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp or picture/statues of different avatars of Goddess Shakti...
, a traditional Gujarati dance.
Yodh continued to dance throughout California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
following her retirement. A 2000 L.A. Times review on her performance at the "Spirit Dances" series at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
referred to her as "looking seriously possessed with hearty foot slapping and filigreed fingers."
Medha Yodh continued to teach privately until 2002, when she moved from Oakland to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Medha Yodh died of failing health on July 11, 2007, at her daughter's, Kamal Muilenburg, home in San Diego. She was 79 years old.
She was survived by two daughters, Kamal and Neila von Essen, and two granddaughters. Her son, Eric von Essen
Eric Von Essen
Eric Von Essen was an American jazz bassist, pianist, and composer active on the West Coast jazz scene of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s....
, a jazz bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, died in 1997.