Biography
Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya
Photo by Suva Shakya
Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya
Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya is a priest of one of the Vajrayana Buddhist lineages of Nepal and a ritual master both of the Charya Nritya dance tradition and other ritual forms performed by the Newar Vajracharya lineage.
Prajwal began his training in Charya Nritya at eight years old, receiving formal instruction mainly from his father, the Buddhist scholar and ritual master Ratna Kaji Vajracharya. Prajwal Vajracharya is now the premier teacher, practitioner, and performer of the tradition and is a veteran of several world tours with beginning and advanced students around the globe. He founded Dance Mandal: Foundation for Sacred Buddhist Arts of Nepal to preserve and expand this rare art form and its related traditions. With the survival of this sacred ritual dance threatened by modernization, Prajwal, at his father's wishes, has dedicated his life to bringing this unique Buddhist heritage from the temples of Nepal to the world, while adhering to its original purpose as a profound spiritual practice.
Prajwal Vajracharya is now based in Portland, Oregon, and regularly offers sacred movement workshops, classes, performances, and traditional initiations and rituals throughout the United States.
"Prajwal is a generous human being who extends compassion and wisdom in everyday life as well as throughout his formalized teaching . He lives up to the ethics and ideals of his Buddhist founders, who strive to remove the suffering of others as a primary goal in life."- Ter Ellington, Professor, comparative religion, ethnomusicology, Washington University, Seattle.
Prajwal
Performing, Teaching, and Training
1981
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Began performing Charya Nritya regularly in temple, ritual, and public settings - continuing to present
1985
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Studied Nepalese Folk Dance
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Taught regular Charya classes in Kalamandapa – Institute of Classical Performing Arts of Nepal - continued to 1995
1986
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Began acting in Studio 7 International Actors Ensemble in Kathmandu - continued to 1998
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Asian Arts Festival in Hong Kong, performing as part of Kalamandapa
1987
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India tour, as actor with Studio 7 International Actors Ensemble
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Continue performing and teaching regularly at Kalamandapa
1988
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Studied Kathak Dance in University at Kala NIdhi Sangit Mahavidyalaya in Kathmandu - continued to 1994 when received Dance Pravhakar title
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India tour, actor with Studio 7 International Actors Ensemble
1991
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Japan tour - performing solo and teaching workshops, including classes at Taicho University, Tokyo
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Kalamandapa teaching and performing
1992
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Taught Charya at Padma Kanya Campus, Kathmandu
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Kalamandapa teaching and performing
1993
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Finland, Sweden, and Denmark tour - performing with troupe
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Germany tour - performing solo and teaching workshops and classes
1994
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First tour throughout USA - performing solo and teaching workshops, including classes at Richmond University, VA; Virginia University; Naropa University, CO; and School for Independent Study of South Asia, San Francisco
1995
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Finland, Sweden, Denmark tour, performing as member of troupe
1996
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Founded Dance Mandal Institute - continuing to present as master teacher, and choreographer
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Toured with Dance Mandal Troupe in Germany, Switzerland, and India
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Dance Mandal begins performing frequently throughout Kathmandu Valley in museums, temple courtyards, theaters, and meditation centers - continuing to 2000
1997
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Taught Charya at Katmandu University - continued to 2000
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Toured with Dance Mandal Troupe in Japan
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Received Enthronement Metal from King Birendra Bir Bikram Shahadev
1998
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USA tour - solo performing and teaching at International Healing Conference (Sufi), NC; at the Buddhism in America Conference, San Diego; numerous other workshops and performances
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Documentary video filmed about Charya Dance, by Dance Mandal in VHS, DVD, and VCD
1999
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Taught Charya classes at Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center/FPMT, Kathmandu
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Taught Charya classes at Kathmandu Yoga Center
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Numerous Kathmandu performances
2000
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Germany Tour - performing solo and teaching workshops, including classes at University of Leipzig
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USA tour - performing solo and teaching, including classes at Mills College, CA; California Institute of Integral Studies: University of Creation And Spirituality, CA; University of Washington, WA; University Height Center, WA; Princeton University, NJ
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Toured with Dance Mandal Troupe in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France
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Moved to USA - establishing Dance Mandal branch in Portland OR
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Buddhism in America Conference, Naropa U., CO - performance and teaching
2001
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Marylhurst University, OR, solo performance
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Evergreen State College, WA, teaching regular summer classes
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Art Explosion, OR [Portland Taiko], solo performance
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Yoga Union, OR, teaching weekly class
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Shambhala Center, Portland - teaching classes, solo performance
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Sakya Monastery, Seattle - taught regular classes, solo performance
2002
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Holy Name College, CA - taught workshop
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Seventh Heaven Yoga Center, CA - performance and teaching
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University of California in Los Angeles - teaching workshop
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California Study of Indian Culture - performance and workshop
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California Institute of Integral Studies - taught accredited weekend intensive
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Pacific Asian Museum, CA - received grant for performance and teaching
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Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle - solo performance and Workshop
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Sacred Dance Guild, Los Angeles - solo performance and teaching
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Claremont College, CA - solo performance
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Tibet Spirit, Portland - regular workshops
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California Institute of Integral Studies - solo performance
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Boise State University, ID - Dance Mandal West performance
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Komyozan Aikido Dojo, Boise, ID - workshop, purification ritual
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Portland State University, Kathmandu Night - solo performance
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Began teaching weekly classes in Dance Mandal Studio
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Various solo performances locally in Portland
2003
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Columbia College, IL - performance and teaching
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Art Institute of Chicago - presentation
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Core of Culture, Chicago - presentation
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Elvehjem Museum of Arts, WI, grant for performance and teaching
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Numerous local performances: weekly classes in Dance Mandal Studio, Portland
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Queens Museum, NY - solo performance
2004
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Boise, Idaho, Eclipse Foundation - teaching and initiation
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Germany Tour - performing with Dance Mandal Troupe, teaching workshop interviews on radio and television
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University of Chicago and Kalapriya- Solo performance
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Old Town School, Chicago - workshop
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Himalayan Fair, Berkeley, CA - Dance Mandal West performance
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Sacred Dance Guild, CA - Workshop
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Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, CA - class
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San Francisco Zen Center - Dance Mandal performance
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St. John's College, MD - solo performance
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Olympia Performing Arts Theater, WA - Dance Mandal performance
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Bodhi House Spiritual Center, Olympia - workshop and purification ritual
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WPBA Buddhist Temple - Dance Mandal performance
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Various rituals in Oregon including Marriage ceremonies, purification rituals, and Birtha Bandha
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Various local solo performances; weekly classes in Dance Mandal Temple, Portland
2005
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Received grant from Regional Arts and Culture Council
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"Dances of Enlightenment" - 3 day event sponsored by Regional Arts and CultureCouncil and Dance Mandal included performance in Portland Performing Arts Theater
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Northwest Tibetan Cultural Center - performance
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Boise, Eclipse Foundation - teaching and initiation
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Tsunami Relief - performance
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Asian Art Museum, San Francisco - performance and workshop
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Dance Judge - Regional Arts and Culture Council for grant applicants
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Chi Tao Academy, Portland - workshop
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Three Jewels Buddhist Yoga Center,NY - workshop
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Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, NY - Performance and workshop
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Evergreen College, WA - summer teaching
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Boise State University - lecture; Dance Mandal performance
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Children's summer camp, Dharma Rain Zen Center / Great Vow Monastery
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Various rituals in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon
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Lotus Circle / Tara Dhatu, Berkeley, CA - class
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First Nepal pilgrimage with Dance Mandal West students
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Weekly classes and monthly silent Dance Ritual days and various local performances and rituals in Portland
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