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A Celebration of the Life of Indranie Lennartson Shaw, which was billed for the National Cultural centre last Tuesday, was regrettably poorly attended for someone who had commanded audiences of thousands clamouring to see her perform. 
Despite this, however, and limited as it was, the performances of the various artistes, all of whom performed pieces of dances of several genres that had been choreographed by Indranie were spellbinding, as was an impromptu ‘Shiva Vandana’ presented by Bibi Haniff.
Manageress Megan Hazel and Chief usher Glynnis John of the National Cultural Centre flawlessly rendered a tribute in song on behalf of the Ministry of Culture.
The life of late Indranie Lennartson Shaw (December 7, 1962 – October 25, 2012) was celebrated by family, friends and fans as an ode to this renowned Kathak dancer at the National Cultural Centre last Tuesday, November 20, by a star-studded programme that began at 1pm.
Indranie Shaw was honoured with dance performances and tributes from several dancers who had been taught by her. These include performances from those who have been a part of the performing and chorographical team for Nrityageet, and also those who had interaction with her over the years; including Linda Griffith and students of the National School of Dance, Vivian Daniel, Clive Prowell and the Classique dancers, Kenrick Cheeks, and students of the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe.
The approximately 45 minutes programme where significant moments of Indranie’s funeral that took place in Sweden on November 16 were shown in a multimedia format for those who were unable to attend, held the audience riveted to the screen.
A blurb on her life stated: “Indranie Shaw, a former St. Rose’s student, was a gifted exponent of kathak and a linguist who was proficient in six languages – Spanish, French, Hindi, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, German and of course English. The ceremony reflected her life as she lived and, as such, served as a medium to say farewell to an amazing linguist, classical dancer, sister, mother, daughter, friend, and one of Guyana’s most talented and patriotic daughters of the soil.
As a student, Indranie was active in the cultural life of St. Roses. She was a former student of Shri Pratap Pawar at the Indian Cultural Centre in Guyana, dancing at the age of 11, along with several students of St. Roses High School, including her sister Nadira. Her first performance was at the Deepavali Jalsa in 1975 at St. Rose’s auditorium.
In 1979, Indranie and her sister Nadira, along with Mother Bhanmattee and sister Sita founded the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance troupe and produced Nrityageet 1. Today the troupe has produced 33 annual dance productions, received several Guyana and Barbados theatre awards for best dance productions, best costumes, and best sets; Guyana’s national award – The Medal of Service for ‘Sustained and Outstanding Contribution to the Cultural Mosaic of Guyana’; and the New York Folk Festival Award for ‘Long and Sustained Dance Productions of Excellence’.
DIED OF CANCER
Indranie Lennartson Shaw died of cancer on October 25, 2012. She is survived by husband Anders Lennartson, daughter Ida and son Johan, both of whom are pursuing college degrees in Sweden.
Her devastated family know that they have lost a gem, and in a tribute last Tuesday, Sister Seeta T. Shah Roath, Head of the Multimedia Unit of the Guyana Learning Channel began with a quote from Richard Henry Dann – “He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”
Continuing her eulogy, Seeta said, Indranie Lennartson Shaw – Linguist, Dance Choreographer and Accomplished International Performer speaks (still has not come to terms that her beloved younger sister is no longer here) English and Swedish fluently and has studied multiple languages, including French, Spanish and Hindi. Her current research pursuit is in linguistics, exploring the retention of Indian languages in the current Guyanese English language. At the time of her death, she was in the process of completing her Master’s Degree at the University of Umeå, Sweden.
“Performing in New Delhi, New York, Virginia, Sweden, and representing Guyana at Carifesta 1981 in Barbados and the World Trade Fairs – Expo 1998 in Portugal and Expo 2000 in Germany, and having her Swedish group perform a Rajasthani folk dance for Queen Silvia of Sweden at the Conference “New in Sweden” held in Umeå, are among her international performances. One of her fondest memories is a performance with India’s famous Pt. Charan Girdhar Chand, in a little town far away from the bright city lights of India, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
In 1984, Indranie was awarded an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship to further her studies in Dance in New Delhi, India. She attended the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra from April 1985 to December 1987. She was fortunate to have the young and innovative Vasvati Misra as her teacher and mentor.
SWEDEN CHAPTER
The path of love led Indranie to Sweden where she married Anders Lennartson and they have two children, Ida Indira, and Johan. The Sweden chapter began in 1988. Indranie has since then continued to promote her cultural heritage through performing, teaching, workshops and cultural exhibitions showcasing Guyana and its diverse culture in Sweden and in other parts of the world as she pursues her studies in linguistics.
And Seeta’s daughter, Suzanne Shaw Nilsson, who is the next generation of Shaw family dancers, wrote in tribute to her aunt, “Dancing with the Angels’:
“You and I may shed tears that she is gone, but rather, we should smile because she has lived…. What we probably do for ourselves alone dies with us; what we do for others & the world remains famous for all time.
“And we all know she did a great deal for many, both within her family and within her community. Our dear Indranie Shaw will be missed by many and she will always be remembered.
“We love you and we know you are dancing with the angels!”
Nrityageet dance theatre is currently in its 4th decade, especially commemorating Indian Immigration in Guyana, and Seeta’s daughter Suzanne Shah Nilsson will one day assume the reins of the dance theatre production.
The troupe’s repertoire includes Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Folk, Modern, Chutney, Soca, Jazz, Ballet, Ballroom, and Ethnic dance styles.
Indranie and Nadira have improvised and choreographed innovative kathak medleys and mixes with modern ballet, and the version of chutney that captures Guyana’s Indian folk dance and music, together with popular Guyanese and Trinidadian chutney rhythms.
Every time Guyana loses an iconic figure the memory of Shri Prakash Gossaiji saying “A country’s richest treasures lie in its burial grounds” comes to mind, but I will add that they also resonate in the memories of those to whom they have given pleasure, and the lives they have shaped through their endeavours.
Today, Indranie is indeed dancing with the angels, but she also lives on in the hearts of those who love her.
Despite this, however, and limited as it was, the performances of the various artistes, all of whom performed pieces of dances of several genres that had been choreographed by Indranie were spellbinding, as was an impromptu ‘Shiva Vandana’ presented by Bibi Haniff.Manageress Megan Hazel and Chief usher Glynnis John of the National Cultural Centre flawlessly rendered a tribute in song on behalf of the Ministry of Culture.
The life of late Indranie Lennartson Shaw (December 7, 1962 – October 25, 2012) was celebrated by family, friends and fans as an ode to this renowned Kathak dancer at the National Cultural Centre last Tuesday, November 20, by a star-studded programme that began at 1pm.
Indranie Shaw was honoured with dance performances and tributes from several dancers who had been taught by her. These include performances from those who have been a part of the performing and chorographical team for Nrityageet, and also those who had interaction with her over the years; including Linda Griffith and students of the National School of Dance, Vivian Daniel, Clive Prowell and the Classique dancers, Kenrick Cheeks, and students of the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance Troupe.
The approximately 45 minutes programme where significant moments of Indranie’s funeral that took place in Sweden on November 16 were shown in a multimedia format for those who were unable to attend, held the audience riveted to the screen.
A blurb on her life stated: “Indranie Shaw, a former St. Rose’s student, was a gifted exponent of kathak and a linguist who was proficient in six languages – Spanish, French, Hindi, Swedish, Russian, Finnish, German and of course English. The ceremony reflected her life as she lived and, as such, served as a medium to say farewell to an amazing linguist, classical dancer, sister, mother, daughter, friend, and one of Guyana’s most talented and patriotic daughters of the soil.As a student, Indranie was active in the cultural life of St. Roses. She was a former student of Shri Pratap Pawar at the Indian Cultural Centre in Guyana, dancing at the age of 11, along with several students of St. Roses High School, including her sister Nadira. Her first performance was at the Deepavali Jalsa in 1975 at St. Rose’s auditorium.
In 1979, Indranie and her sister Nadira, along with Mother Bhanmattee and sister Sita founded the Nadira and Indranie Shah Dance troupe and produced Nrityageet 1. Today the troupe has produced 33 annual dance productions, received several Guyana and Barbados theatre awards for best dance productions, best costumes, and best sets; Guyana’s national award – The Medal of Service for ‘Sustained and Outstanding Contribution to the Cultural Mosaic of Guyana’; and the New York Folk Festival Award for ‘Long and Sustained Dance Productions of Excellence’.
DIED OF CANCER
Indranie Lennartson Shaw died of cancer on October 25, 2012. She is survived by husband Anders Lennartson, daughter Ida and son Johan, both of whom are pursuing college degrees in Sweden.Her devastated family know that they have lost a gem, and in a tribute last Tuesday, Sister Seeta T. Shah Roath, Head of the Multimedia Unit of the Guyana Learning Channel began with a quote from Richard Henry Dann – “He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”
Continuing her eulogy, Seeta said, Indranie Lennartson Shaw – Linguist, Dance Choreographer and Accomplished International Performer speaks (still has not come to terms that her beloved younger sister is no longer here) English and Swedish fluently and has studied multiple languages, including French, Spanish and Hindi. Her current research pursuit is in linguistics, exploring the retention of Indian languages in the current Guyanese English language. At the time of her death, she was in the process of completing her Master’s Degree at the University of Umeå, Sweden.
“Performing in New Delhi, New York, Virginia, Sweden, and representing Guyana at Carifesta 1981 in Barbados and the World Trade Fairs – Expo 1998 in Portugal and Expo 2000 in Germany, and having her Swedish group perform a Rajasthani folk dance for Queen Silvia of Sweden at the Conference “New in Sweden” held in Umeå, are among her international performances. One of her fondest memories is a performance with India’s famous Pt. Charan Girdhar Chand, in a little town far away from the bright city lights of India, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
In 1984, Indranie was awarded an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship to further her studies in Dance in New Delhi, India. She attended the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra from April 1985 to December 1987. She was fortunate to have the young and innovative Vasvati Misra as her teacher and mentor.
SWEDEN CHAPTER
The path of love led Indranie to Sweden where she married Anders Lennartson and they have two children, Ida Indira, and Johan. The Sweden chapter began in 1988. Indranie has since then continued to promote her cultural heritage through performing, teaching, workshops and cultural exhibitions showcasing Guyana and its diverse culture in Sweden and in other parts of the world as she pursues her studies in linguistics.And Seeta’s daughter, Suzanne Shaw Nilsson, who is the next generation of Shaw family dancers, wrote in tribute to her aunt, “Dancing with the Angels’:
“You and I may shed tears that she is gone, but rather, we should smile because she has lived…. What we probably do for ourselves alone dies with us; what we do for others & the world remains famous for all time.
“And we all know she did a great deal for many, both within her family and within her community. Our dear Indranie Shaw will be missed by many and she will always be remembered.
“We love you and we know you are dancing with the angels!”
Nrityageet dance theatre is currently in its 4th decade, especially commemorating Indian Immigration in Guyana, and Seeta’s daughter Suzanne Shah Nilsson will one day assume the reins of the dance theatre production.
The troupe’s repertoire includes Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Folk, Modern, Chutney, Soca, Jazz, Ballet, Ballroom, and Ethnic dance styles.Indranie and Nadira have improvised and choreographed innovative kathak medleys and mixes with modern ballet, and the version of chutney that captures Guyana’s Indian folk dance and music, together with popular Guyanese and Trinidadian chutney rhythms.
Every time Guyana loses an iconic figure the memory of Shri Prakash Gossaiji saying “A country’s richest treasures lie in its burial grounds” comes to mind, but I will add that they also resonate in the memories of those to whom they have given pleasure, and the lives they have shaped through their endeavours.
Today, Indranie is indeed dancing with the angels, but she also lives on in the hearts of those who love her.
PULL QUOTE: 
Indranie Lennartson Shaw died of cancer on October 25, 2012.
Her devastated family know that they have lost a gem, and in a tribute last Tuesday, Sister Seeta T. Shah Roath, Head of the Multimedia Unit of the Guyana Learning Channel began with a quote from Richard Henry Dann – “He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”
