After spending 20 years in Madras, teaching Bharathanatyam and Mohiniyattom to a small group of students, in 1984, Guru Smt. V. Mydhili established her own institution, “Midhilalaya Dance Academy” to promote Indian classical dance art form. Smt. Mydhili has not merely learnt the art in all its aspects from her Gurus but also brought to her study, an attitude of a scholar and a dancer. One found in her a fine synthesis of a dancer and a teacher. Over these years, she has evolved herself as a master choreographer and a highly respected teacher. She has trained as many as 3000 students in Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattom and Kuchippudi. Guru Mydhili has also trained many disciples from abroad including students from the Middle East and USA who arrive every year to attend classes during their vacations. She has also set very high standards of training and refined presentation in Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattom and Kuchippudi. She is a strong custodian of a noble tradition. She has received several awards including the “Kaisiki Puraskar” from the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for her services in the field of art, during the year 2002.
Midhilalaya has been able to produce Seven National Scholarship holders from Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), New Delhi in the field of Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattom and Kuchipudi. Every year Midhilalaya celebrates its Anniversary with full co-operation from its students, inviting the well reputed personalities of the society like IAS officers, Ministers, Government officials and artists of various fields like poets, writers, and performing artists.
Two of Guru Mydhili’s students are the recipients of Balashree Award, for their excellence in the art form of Mohiniyattom. Short term Courses are conducted every year for foreign students, with the tie up between Indian and Foreign Universities for Cultural Interchange like Wisconsin University and Madison University. Other individual students from Middle East and USA arrive every year to attend classes during their vacations.
