Episode Notes

"To Dance is to Express!"- the mantra of Mansee's life. Mansee Singhi is a Columbus, Ohio based Indian classical dance performer, choreographer, and teacher.

She has been a member of the United Nations Dance Council since 2012 and more recently joined the Ohio Dance Board and the Ohio Teaching Artist Roster. Through the years, diverse influences have inspired her to immerse herself in pure dance, cross art form collaborations, and innovative partnerships. Mansee has been an active arts citizen in Columbus and nearby communities and has showcased and presented her work at The Ohio State University, Big River Dance Festival, BREADFestival, NACHMO-Columbus Chapter, Ohio Northern University, Hathaway Brown School, Columbus City Schools, Wexner Centre of Arts, and a variety of Indian cultural events.

Her life's mission as an artist is to create awareness and knowledge about Kathak, the creations from cross disciplinary collaborations and tell stories to audiences. Mansee continuously strives to explore and learn new art forms as personal research projects. Her vision is to elevate and encourage the innovative performances and collaborations to grow a wider audience for Indian classical dance and the intersections with diverse art styles.

Highlights : Talk on Collaboration: 00.01.32

Inspiration in Collaboration: 00.05.27

Insights on Collaboration:00.08.50 Knowing Boundaries:00.13.25 Awareness in artforms:00.20.33 Readiness for collaborations:00.29.07 Training:

Kathak & Folk 00.33.38 and folk:00.37.48

Intro to Ghoomar : 00.38.53

Balancing Kathak and Folk: 00.47.20

Training in Bhav: 00.50.56

New work:00.58.49 Organisers & Payments:00.59.38 Legacy:01.04.13

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Episode Notes

Rupanshi Kashyap - She is a Kathak disciple of Padmabhushan Kumudini Lakhia, and is training in the form since she was a minor. Alongside having performed widely, nationally & internationally as a part of the Kadamb performing group as a senior dancer, she has also been teaching at the Kadamb Centre for Dance, Ahmedabad for the last 10 years.

(0:08:28) Learning from Kumiben in the morning sessions (0:13:48) Making a group choreography stage worthy (0:26:05) Visitors to Kadamb (0:34:19) Creating inclusive workshops (0:38:08) Making dance your own (0:55:12) how are choreographies visualized (1:06:49) When to go to your teacher and when to figure it out yourself (1:17:31) The future of kathak

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Episode Notes

Show Highlights

(0:11:38) The concept of generations in Kathak

(0:13:05) How Rachna Di Teaches Differently

(0:21:50) How Gurus used to teach

(0:27:02) Starting Teaching

(0:32:23) Balancing being an active performer and teaching

(0:34:15) The responsibility of education

(0:40:07) Dance Critics

(0:46:04) Pride and South asian culture

(0:52:56) Compensation in the arts

(1:06:47) The concept of Endowments in the Arts

(1:25:41) The story of Rachna di and the Harmonium

Bio RACHNA NIVAS (@rachnanivas) is an artist, choreographer, educator, and activist in Indian classical dance, bringing a relevant voice to kathak. Deemed “charismatic” and “revelatory” by the San Francisco Chronicle and featured in 2021 by Dance Magazine, she is one of the most sought-after kathak artists and educators of her generation. A distinguished torchbearer of legendary master Pandit Chitresh Das’ treasured lineage .Rachna is a fierce and passionate performer, a technical powerhouse with masterful creativity and infectious charm. She is a founding artist and artistic director of Leela Dance Collective, a nationally-based women-led and artist-led collective, producing powerful works by forward-thinking trailblazers in kathak dance. Rachna’s original works include her collaboration SPEAK, which brings together leading women in kathak and tap, bridging Indian and African-American art and heritage along with co-creators Rina Mehta, Michelle Dorrance, and Dormeshia. Some notable SPEAK _tour stops have been Broad Stage in Los Angeles, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Mumbai Royal Opera House in India, Maui Arts and Cultural Center and University of Hawaii. Rachna is also co-creator of the large scale dance ballad, _Son of the Wind, featuring 20 dancers and a live orchestra. Tour highlights include Ford Theater in Los Angeles, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and Bhramara Festival in Mumba, India. Her original solo work, Meera, was featured at the ODC Walking Distance Festival in San Francisco and at Salvatore Capezio Theater in New York City. Her original work Stir, choreographed for Leela Youth Dance Company, was featured at the WorldWideWomen’s Girls Festival. Her works have been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, California Arts Council, and Zellerbach Family Foundation. Prior to work with Leela Dance Collective, Rachna was principal dancer with the Chitresh Das Dance Company for 15 years and received two nominations for an Isadora Duncan Dance Award while performing worldwide in productions such as Shiva, Sita Haran, Pancha Jati, Darbar, Shabd and many more. Some notable venues she performed at with CDDC, include Cal Performances at UC Berkeley, Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theater in Los Angeles, Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin, Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts in Arizona, National Center for Performing Arts in Mumbai, Birla Sabhagar in Kolkata, National Institute of Kathak Dance in New Delhi, and Shaniwarwada Festival in Pune, India. Rachna was also instrumental in building the Chhandam School of Kathak in San Francisco (founded by Pandit Chitresh Das in 1980). Pandit Das himself appointed Rachna to be Co-Director of the Chhandam School in 2009 (along with Seibi Lee). Rachna worked tirelessly under Pandit Das to institutionalize curriculum, build infrastructure, train teachers, direct school-wide dance dramas, and flourish the school into one of the world’s leading and most influential academies of North Indian classical dance. Her passion and commitment to her own journey of the art and to building pride of Indian classical art amongst the South Asian community led her to emerge as a powerful role model amongst the Indian diaspora. In particular, Rachna has exceptional talent in teaching and training youth, making the art relevant, inspiring, and empowering to girls. Rachna was the successor to Pandit Das as Co-Artistic Director of the Chhandam School and Artistic Director of the Chhandam Youth Dance Company (now the Leela Youth Dance Company), shepherding excellence, leadership, and creative discovery amongst teens. Rachna has also taught numerous kathak workshops, after-school programs, and outreach events/residencies to communities of all backgrounds, including at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, Treme Center of New Orleans, Conservatory of Arts in Miami, Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, LA Tap Fest at Debbie Allen Dance Academy, National Center for Kathak Dance in New Delhi, and many more. Currently, Rachna is leading and directing Leela New York, the newest chapter of Leela Institute of Kathak, bringing the teachings of her lineage for the first time to the greater New York Metro area.

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Episode Notes

Few artists have the power to create an indelible impact on the minds of their audiences through their art form and one such name in the world of Kathak dance is Shambhavi Dandekar. Shambhavi Dandekar, as an accomplished Indian Classical Kathak master performer, has carved a niche for herself through her sheer talent, unique performances and unparalleled choreography, that has brought her recognition on the national as well as international platforms. As a young dancer, Shambhavi started her training under the able guidance of her own mother and renowned Guru Pandita Maneesha Sathe, a celebrated dancer and a teacher in her own right. Shambhavi then went on to receive intense training in ‘Laya and Tala’ or the aesthetics of Indian Rhythm from Table virtuoso 'Taalyogi' Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Along with her top-notch traditional dance training, Shambhavi also has a strong academic background with a Bachelors in Commerce and two Masters degrees in Dance. Furthermore, she also holds Diplomas both in French and Sanskrit. She has performed in Japan, China, Middle East, Canada, Australia and Singapore; needless to mention many reputed venues and dance festivals in India and USA. She is a member of the International Dance Council of UNESCO. ‘Singaar Mani’, ‘Nritya Ratna’, ‘Bharatashree’, ‘Kala Teertha’ are some of the prestigious titles awarded to her in India. She is also a proud recipient of ‘P. L. Deshpande Youth Award’. She is a high grade artist of Indian National Television. Her performances and interviews have been telecast on TV channels of the USA, Australia, Japan, Singapore and India. Shambhavi’s rich heritage enables her to impart Kathak training in an authentic and traditional way. However, despite her traditional training, she has broken the bounds of the traditional repertoire and produced innovative masterpieces. Her story-telling in Kathak is unparalleled. Shambhavi began her teaching career in 1991, under the umbrella of her mother’s dance institute Maneesha Nrityalaya. She founded ‘Shambhavi’s International School of Kathak’ or SISK in 2010 with a vision to encourage the symbiosis of Kathak activities across the globe. Soon after, in 2012 she moved her base to San Francisco, California. SISK India is a prolific institute with 400 students. It has three locations in Pune which are managed by Tejaswini Sathe, Shambhavi’s ‘Guru Behen’ and sister-in-law, with the aid of 10 assistant teachers. SISK USA is based out of the San Francisco Bay area and is operated by Shambhavi herself. She trains adult students of various levels, aspiring to fulfill their dreams of pursuing Kathak. Furthermore, she invests the majority of her time in training advanced level students and teachers across the USA in mastering the art. Shambhavi’s years of experience, intellectual understanding and analysis of the art form, has helped her create stellar performers out of her dedicated students. Many of her students have emerged as Kathak professionals. SISK serves as an umbrella organization to a number of dance institutes founded and run by Shambhavi’s senior disciples in various parts of the world. SISK alumni are making their impact through various aspects of Kathak such as Dance Therapy, Dance Publication, Dance Training, Dance Journalism, Dance Accessories Retail, etc. She has initiated various Kathak related activities not only in the Bay Area but throughout North America. Initiatives such as Gurukul Kathak Retreat, Baithak series, Riyaz Challenge, Watch-n-Learn Series, biennial student recital ‘Darpan’, conducting Dance and music certification exams offered By Bharati Vidyapeeth University are to name a few. She also earned two fantastic reviews in the New York Times for her solo performances. In 2019 She worked as a panelist in the 41st San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. During the pandemic, she has proved to be a constant source of knowledge to the young Kathak practitioners across the globe. Her online Masterclass series has received a mind blowing response and has been attended by over 500 Kathak students. In 2021, Shambhavi introduced the pathbreaking Distance Learning Program for adult beginners in Kathak under the auspices of SISK. In a matter of five months, 40 students from various cities of the USA, Canada, India, Middle East, U.K., Australia, Germany and Netherlands are learning Kathak through video lessons created by Shambhavi.

Show Highlights

(0:01:23) Distance Learning Program

(0:05:40) Giving feedback on video

(0:11:42) Doing kathak during pregnancy

(0:14:30) Communicating and adjusting expectations with Students

(0:17:23) Teaching Kathak to adults

(0:21:09) Workshops and Masterclass series

(0:30:24) Getting the most out of workshop lessons

(0:39:50) Staying Grounded after being well known

(0:49:05) Marathi literature adopted by Shambhavi tai

(0:53:37) The nuances of being from a gharana in present day

(1:00:48) Doing Riyaz with Students

(1:08:21) The importance of managing finances

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Episode Notes

Sonali Loomba completed her post graduate in Human Resource Management from India and worked at a corporate sector in Bangalore for over 6 years before she decided to quite and completely dedicate her self to kathak as full time performing artist. During her college years she started learning Kathak which was in 2006 under the guidance of Gurus (teachers) Hari and Chethana from Bangalore, India. She believes Indian Classical Dance is like an ocean which is limitless. The deeper you dive in the more beauty you see of the form. It can take up-to several years to even call oneself a master of this art form. She also visits India often to advance in her studies of Kathak under Gurus.. She moved to Utah,USA in 2017 from India and the first performance she gave was at the Krishna Temple in Salt lake city at one of their events and was really appreciated for bringing Kathak to Utah. She has also benefited largely from this form in terms of developing strong mental and physical health because of the complexities and the various body movements this dance form has to offer. Thus she started offering kathak classes to the community because an art form like this needs to be preserved and promoted, She went on to establish her dance school in Utah, Kaladharaa Dance School which focuses on imparting the nuances of this ancient form to others in the community as a way of passing it down to generations to come. As a performer, She has given numerous dance presentations as a soloist in India and USA. She has performed in leading dance festivals like Hampi Utsav (Hampi, India), Brahmotsav (Tirupathi, India), North American Festival of Colors ( Utah, USA and Vegas, USA) ,Living traditions ( Utah, USA) , World Folk fest ( Utah, USA), Utah Arts festival ( Utah, USA) to name a few. She has recently presented kathak at the 2019 TEDx Salt Lake City.

Publications: https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/kathak-dancer-sonali-loomba-is- now-propagating-the-classical-form-in-the-us/article28328289.ece

https://www.udayavani.com/supplements/women/kathak-kalravaram-in-foreign-land

https://www.thestatesman.com/entertainment/music/sonali-loomba-going-beyond- cultural-barriers-with-kathak- 1502747430.html?fbclid=IwAR2u_YFQ8YTfZ5FmPWww38KmBoFEGTsjPqxvDcoiiYIevN5 ngtUTPwx4fmM

https://catalystmagazine.net/aarambh-an-enchanting-night-with-indian-classical- dance/?fbclid=IwAR0_EfP_qtDUrw_s7wDpsPxVku-WCUBoSYy0kJgqx9x- 7Y6VAmnIJOinG8I

http://lovedancemore.org/reviews/2019/8/24/sugar-space-presents-sample- tracks?fbclid=IwAR0HuOxFWzofFx0_iSvpRS0A7WY3iJM86-lnDtdJ-roZ2encCvIlc1cq4-k

Show Highlights

(0:03:12) How Teaching makes one a better performer

(0:10:48) Preparation for each class

(0:13:42) Making of a performer

(0:24:07) The importance of a guru

(0:36:12) How to decide if their guru is right for them?

(0:40:31) Dealing with students quitting

(0:48:56) Learning Hindustani Classical Music

(0:53:58) The need to learn Taalvidya

(1:00:45) TedX at Salt Lake City

(1:04:10) Most memorable performances

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Episode Notes

APURVA BENDRE is an elite Kathak Dancer and a splendid Choreographer. Currently pursuing her Alankar (Post-Graduation) in Kathak, Apurva has more than 23 years of on-stage performing experience. Known for her versatility, Apurva, a Mime artist & Harmonium player, is also a master of other dance forms such as Folk, Ballet and Contemporary. Being a celebrated Kathak dancer, she has been invited as a Judge for many competitions. Honored with immense appreciation all over India, she has performed for National Television on multiple occasions. After coming to USA in 2017, Apurva was invited to perform in various events in Columbus and Indianapolis.

Currently, Apurva is earning a Ph.D. in Health Economics from IU School of Liberal Arts.

Show Highlights

(0:06:14) Balancing PhD and Riyaaz

(0:17:51) Training in Mumbai

(0:22:30) Staying on the path

(0:23:56) Kathak Competitions

(0:28:52) Stories from live performances

(0:30:26) What to look for in collaborators

(0:35:23) The joy of performing in front of Guru

(0:37:23) Teaching Plans in the future

(0:40:00) Matka Gat

(0:42:15) Attracting a younger generation to Kathak

(0:44:23) Creating relatability in Kathak

(0:46:11) Starting out in Indiana

(0:50:46) Being a judge

(0:55:13) Choreographies for social media

(0:59:28) Camera Focused Choreography

(1:05:39) Choreographic Investigation

(1:12:20) The vaue of a support system

(1:19:42) Future plans

(1:25:33) advice to Kathakas coming to US

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga

Svetlana Tulasi was born to a mixed Indian/Russian family in Moscow, Russia. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Star of upcoming US full length feature film "The Xenophobes" as Captain Shriya Ballah.

Education: Svetlana is professionally trained in Indian Classical Kathak Dance by her Guru Yekaterina Seliviorstova, a Russian graduate of the National Institute of Kathak Dance - Kathak Kendra (Delhi, India), where she received her training from Urmila Nagar (Jaipur Gharana of Kathak). Svetlana has completed her training in Kathak as a member and lead dancer of "Chakkar" School of Indian Classical Dance in Moscow. Russia. Svetlana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (6-year Sangit Prabhakar) in Kathak Dance from Prayag Sangeet Samiti University of Indian Classical Music & Dance (Allahabad, India).

Svetlana has received trained in acting from the "New Collective LA" studio, a Hollywood-based branch of the "Susan Batson Studio" (New York City, USA) known for coaching many celebrities for their major films, such as Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Juliette Binoche, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga among others.

Career highlights: Svetlana's first major breakthrough was upon her appearance with an Indian Classical Dance to a Bollywood song at the Ukraine's Got Talent TV show in 2013, that has caught attention of wide audiences and eventually went viral on the internet with over 10 million views till date. Some of the other TV shows where Svetlana presented Kathak dance since then include: Russia's Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance (Ukraine), Dance Plus (India) and many others. Svetlana is constantly touring the world with various TV show appearances, acts as a headliner for major Indian Dance festivals worldwide, conducts live dance shows and dance workshops. She also works as a dance teacher, choreographer, model and a creative lead for music and dance videos both in Kathak and Bollywood dance styles. Svetlana starred as a lead in several music videos including Zee Music Company's "Hanju - Tears of Happiness" by Vanit Bakshi and "Trilokam" by world fusion music band Indialucia. Svetlana recently appeared on the cover of the Indian Talent Magazine (October 2018), where she covers her journey as a performing artist. In 2018 Svetlana starred in a short documentary film "Why I Dance" covering her story of the real reasons why she chose to become an Indian Classical dancer. Svetlana has collaborated with various well known performing artists & dance companies in the Kathak & Bollywood dance industry, with whom she has co-lead, choreographed and performed: Kumar Sharma, Nakul Dev Mahajan, IndianRaga One of the recent highlights has been performing at the Opening ceremony of ISSF World Cup 2019 in Delhi, India together with Kumar Sharma and Kathak Rockers.

Show Highlights

(0:01:37) Move to LA

(0:03:49) Teaching Style

(0:07:18) Pros of Cons of having a Strict Teacher

(0:09:00) Style vs Technique

(0:12:57) The value of Explaining in Detail

(0:14:58) Making corrections online

(0:16:28) Balancing Friendliness and Leading Students

(0:18:12) Meeting Fans in Kathak Classes

(0:19:28) Encouraging Students to Practice

(0:21:43) The Psychology behind practicing 5 mins a day

(0:23:25) Excercises that help you get better at Kathak

(0:25:18) Riyaaz Rituals

(0:27:43) Training and Background

(0:34:49) Kathak in Russia

(0:40:03) Kathak Fusion

(0:45:48) Moving from Fusion to Pure Kathak

(0:48:06) Dealing with Criticism from the community

(0:51:57) Process of Choreography

(0:56:26) The importance of staying grounded

(0:59:06) Memorable Performances: Russia's Got Talent

(1:00:36) Working with Kumar Sharma

(1:06:05) Impact and Legacy

Episode Notes

Suranya Siriwardana is a Sri Lankan, Australia based kathak dancer who has been learning kathak for the past 10 years under Guru Pali Chandra at Gurukul Studios International. She is currently undergoing training for her Vocational Advanced 1 exam. She has performed globally in Dubai, India, England, Switzerland and more. Having come from a different background Suranya's passionate about using dance as a way to communicate. She personifies this concept in her first choreography, 'Dancing in Silence'. With a fascination for Sign Language and her past knowledge in ASL, Suranya choreographed a piece for Advaita's Mo Funk portraying a young deaf and mute girl who embraces her disabilities through dance and strength from a divine power. Suranya continues to amalgamate her pre-existing ballet movement vocabulary and her kathak movement vocabulary to communicate societal obstacles and advocate for the disabled.

Show Highlights

(0:01:06) Experience of being a young dancer

(0:06:00) Balancing age and experience in dance

(0:10:46) Vocational in the Gurukul environment

(0:11:32) Working with Gurukul International

(0:14:53) Learning Kathak as a Sri Lankan

(0:16:37) Importance of observation in dance

(0:18:35) Exploring social messages with 'Dancing in Silence'

(0:23:31) Using Sri Lankan heritage within kathak

(0:26:02) Cultural Identity

(0:28:40) Focusing on Nritta

(0:30:13) Kathak in Australia

(0:34:43) Personal endeavours with kathak in Australia

(0:41:13) Journey with ballet

(0:46:07) Choreographic process

(0:49:28) How to decide movement placement within a choreography

(0:54:59) Future projects and legacy in kathak

Episode Notes

Seibi Lee: Leela Dance Collective Founding Artist, Artistic Director

Seibi Lee is a consummate kathak artist known for her powerful mastery, refined musicality, and dramatic brilliance in character portrayal. Seibi is a distinguished disciple of the iconic kathak legend Pandit Chitresh Das. She is a founding artist at Leela Dance Collective and Dean at Leela San Francisco.

Seibi has toured worldwide earning accolades and deep respect for her artistry. She received an Isadora Duncan Dance Special Award as part of the performing ensemble in Das’s East As Center and received two subsequent nominations for performances in Pancha Jati and Shabd. As principal dancer of the Chitresh Das Dance Company, Seibi evolved a singular perspective and style through the development of virtuosic character roles in several of Das’s critically acclaimed works: the scheming maidservant Mantara in Ramayana, the dual roles of the tormented demon Marich and beloved tribal prince Hanuman in Sita Haran, the belligerent General in Darbar, and in Das’s final work, the electrifying Guru in Shiva. Her outstanding portrayal of Hanuman became the inspiration for the central character and creation of Leela Dance Collective’s Son of the Wind – the full-length dance drama bringing to life Hanuman’s rarely told heroic and valorous adventures from the epic Ramayana.

Son of the Wind premiered at the Green Center in Sonoma in 2017, was featured at ODC Theatre in San Francisco in 2018, and in 2019 presented at the prestigious Royal Opera House in Mumbai, India and the Ford Theater in Hollywood.

Seibi has a profound passion for the expansive philosophy, dynamic range, and sophisticated rhythmic mathematics integral to kathak and is dedicated to bringing this art form to the world. Highly regarded for her teaching, Seibi has mentored many generations of dancers and in 2016, she was recognized by The Alliance of California Traditional Arts as Master Artist. She has produced several featured shows including Pacific Pathways, Aarambh, and Harvest Moon Festival. Seibi continues to forge her own unique path within the artistic tradition and, with the support of both the Haas Foundation and a 2-year Artist in Residence with the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, conceived and choreographed the mesmerizing solo work Houyi and Chang’e, – the heart-rending tale of great heroism and of tragically star-crossed lovers.

“Seibi Lee in the double roles of Marich, the retired roué, and as Hanuman, minister to Sugreeva, the wronged prince of the Monkeys, was magnificent”

Rita Feliciano, Dance View

“As the Indian general, Seibi Lee drew a clear character arc from subject to betrayer to fool,

a remarkable achievement.”

Claudia Bauer, SFGate

""Son of the Wind", a spectacular retelling of Ramyana episodes centered on Hanuman...I was struck both by the production's sophisticated conception and by the professionalism of its execution by an all-female cast of seventeen dancers. With its technical brilliance, emotional power, and reverent yet creative reinterpretation of sacred epic, 'Son of the Wind', staged by american women of a variety of ethnic backgrounds, was a world-class transnational dance theater that celebrated Indian performance traditions even as it innovated within them and challenged cultural stereotypes."

Philip Lutgendorf, Ph.D, author "Hanuman's Tale"

Show Highlights

(0:13:23) Singing vs Tabla to prioritize for Kathakas

(0:16:17) Singing and Recitation for Kathak

(0:20:57) Kathak Yoga Inspiration

(0:26:05) Incorporating Kathak Yoga

(0:29:23) How teaching started

(0:32:31) Energy from students

(0:42:14) connection with Pt Chitresh Das ji

(0:47:12) Portrayal of Hanuman

(0:55:24) Son Of The Wind

(1:00:27) Mahiravana, Horcruxes and Hanuman

(1:01:46) Solo Work of Seibi Lee

(1:11:47) How Leela Came together

(1:15:36) Kathak as a Solo Art Form

(1:17:04) Impact and Legacy

Episode Notes

Dr. Sarika Persaud (@doctor.samosa) is a student of Abha Bhatnagar Roy, and assists with teaching at Srijan Dance Center (NYC). She is a psychologist at Fordham University (Lincoln Center), and an adjunct professor at City University of New York - John Jay College. Sarika’s research and clinical work focuses on relationship, sex, and body image issues for the South Asian diaspora, youth suicide prevention, and mental healthcare for artists. Sarika identifies as a bisexual Indo-Caribbean woman, and was recently published in an anthology of South Asian LGBTQAI+ essays, “I Hope You’ll Still Love Me.” She has also published a collection of poetry, “Poems About a Song,” in addition to various academic publications on community-based interventions for South Asian diaspora groups in the International Journal of Psychology, School Psychology International, and in a forthcoming book published by the American Psychological Association, Division of South Asian-American Psychology.

https://www.instagram.com/kathaksamosa/

https://www.instagram.com/doctor.samosa/

https://www.instagram.com/srijandance/

Show Highlights

(0:02:00) Being Indo-Carribean

(0:11:31) Significance of Rangmanch

(0:13:36) What causes people to quit kathak

(0:14:40) Rangmanch

(0:16:13) music in indocarribean

(0:18:22) Mental Health Practice around dance

(0:20:04) Common issues faced by dancers

(0:22:09) From surface to deeper issues

(0:25:17) how is therapy different for dancers

(0:27:26) Red flags for dancers to watch out

(0:31:36) The concept of giving space

(0:34:36) How stopping things helps you shape your identity

(0:35:48) What to focus on when teaching children

(0:37:03) Ashtamangal Taal

(0:37:30) Foundations of kathak

(0:42:28) Separating Psychology from Life

(0:45:25) Srijan dance enter

(0:48:44) Relationship between Sarika di and Abha Bhatnagar ji

(0:53:32) How do dancers perceive choreographies

(0:56:58) Getting to love Riyaz

(1:00:50) Kathak Meetup NYC

(1:02:33) Love for Tagore

Episode Notes

Bio: Anjali Nath is an established kathak artist known for her swift chakkars (spins), crisp footwork and grace. Her solo performances are rooted deeply in the Kathak tradition, dazzling to watch, and deeply moving. A disciple of the late Kathak maestro, Pandit Chitresh Das and Gretchen Hayden, Anjali carries forward a significant legacy of high artistry, education and training of the next generations of Kathak artists and students. She has passionately pursued a career in Kathak and public health simultaneously for over 20 years. Anjali is dedicated to sharing, promoting, and advancing the art for the benefit of all while working to establish sustainable professional opportunities and platforms for the art. Anjali strives to engage everyone she reaches in the holistic benefits and universal relevance of the art of Kathak.

Show Highlights

(0:10:19) Being called Guru

(0:14:47) benefits of doing ballet before kathak

(0:20:36) How Pt Chitresh Das ji spoke to his students

(0:24:57) Rang Manch

(0:26:22) Starting out as a soloist

(0:29:19) Kathak vs Tabla Bols

(0:32:44) Standing out in Kathak

(0:40:55) How perception shapes teaching

(0:43:35) Improving teaching through observation

(0:44:33) Teaching personality

(0:47:29) Treating students with respect

(0:48:44) Gurubehen : Shefali Jain

(0:56:29) Process of creation

(1:04:27) Relationship with Gretchen Hayden (Gretchen Di)

(1:10:51) The Mental Space needed for exploration

(1:13:38) Impact and Legacy

Episode Notes

Shivani Badgi is a New Jersey/New York based dancer with 20 years of dance experience in Kathak, Lavani, and Bollywood. She began her training in dance at the age of five under Guru Padma Khanna at Indianica Academy. She furthered her dance education to learn Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary at Joffrey Ballet School, Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University, and Broadway Dance Center. She has had the opportunity to perform on reputable stages at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center during the 50th Anniversary of Lincoln Center, at Warwick Castle and Island Gardens for the American Alliance of Performing Arts London Invitational, Theatre for the New City in NYC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, NBA Halftime Show, and Times Square at Diwali. Shivani is currently furthering her Kathak education with Guru Syed Sallauddin Pasha of Ability Unlimited. She currently teaches Kathak and Semi-Classical at her dance studio, The Gurukul Performing Arts in New Jersey.

E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.shivanibadgi.com YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/shivanibadgi

Show Highlights (0:04:17) Teaching bollywood with a kathak foundation

(0:07:04) Deciding what's right for students

(0:09:59) Pushback for doing bollywood

(0:12:04) Timeline of learning dances

(0:16:51) Favorite Dance form

(0:18:01) Learning multiple dance forms

(0:26:38) Soorpanakha Backstory

(0:35:41) Flat feet and Kathak

(0:38:09) Teaching Style

(0:41:59) Performing Career

(0:45:23) Performing at Times Square

(0:52:57) Making high quality videos

(0:54:34) Pandit Gopi Krishna Ji

(0:58:13) Dance Practice

Episode Notes

Aditya Garud is a Kathak dancer learning under guidance of Guru Pt.Mayur Vaidya ji. He believes Dance is a way of expression and Kathak is language through which one can communicate with the audience. To him, dance is beyond just entertainment but something that can create a shift in the society. He is also a practising Dance Movement Therapy practioner, founder of Angikam which works for creating safe non-judgmental space and mental health awareness.

https://www.instagram.com/adityagarud.dance/ https://www.instagram.com/angikam_DMT/

Show Highlights (0:01:20) Mental Health in Kathak

(0:02:48) Why should people dance?

(0:04:12) Angikam

(0:05:54) Getting People Interested in Dance Movement Therapy

(0:09:42) How Aditya manages expectations

(0:11:23) Dealing with Pushback

(0:12:27) Mental Health and Community

(0:15:45) Keeping Kathak separate from Dance Movement Therapy

(0:18:32) Mind and Body Connection

(0:21:15) Raah

(0:23:59) Dancers in Raah

(0:33:49) Kathak Training and background

(0:36:41) Spiritual Experience

(0:43:54) Guru Purnima

(0:49:59) Reaching out to prominent guests

(0:53:25) Being "late" to start Kathak

(0:59:27) Male Kathak Dancer

(1:03:07) Favoritism

(1:04:29) Mayur Vaidya Art Temple

(1:06:07) Choosing a Career

(1:06:43) Gharanas

Episode Notes

Anita is a Montreal based Kathak dancer and Hindustani vocalist. Her Kathak Guru is Smt. Urmila Sharma.

Anita has performed over 50 times in the past 2 years both nationally and internationally in India, sharing platforms with the top names in Kathak.

She runs a successful school through her home studio, where she teaches both Kathak and Indian classical voice, grooming new dancers for the stage.

Among numerous awards and career highlights, Anita notably placed first in the Sangeet Natak Akademi Kathak competition, and recently was selected to present and learn from Pandita Saswati Sen as part of the Sadhana Series organized by Pratibha Arts in Toronto.

As a choreographer, Anita has choreographed pure Kathak to western genres such as jazz, orchestra, and disco-funk. She has given lectures on Kathak for prestigious music schools in Montreal, including the Mcgill Schulich School of music. Currently, Anita is pursuing a mentorship under Kathak dancer, Tanveer Alam, and acquiring a new movement vocabulary.

(0:02:01) Kathak vs Eurocentric Art Forms

(0:05:38) Being a Kathak Ambassador

(0:07:31) Dealing with Ignorant Comments

(0:10:52) Kathak Fusion and Bollywood

(0:13:49) Derogatory Terms used for Kathakars in Uttar Pradesh

(0:17:17) Costumes in Kathak

(0:26:12) Overcoming being Blacklisted

(0:33:36) Accommodating Students who don't know Hindi

(0:34:38) Encouraging Students to Practice

(0:43:41) Lonliness and Kathak

(0:48:24) Dancing on a stage with nails and bricks

(0:52:19) Choreographic investigation

(1:00:50) Giving Lectures in Kathak

Episode Notes

Labonee Mohanta, disciple of Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, began her training at the age of 8. She is a prominent solo artist, having performed Kathak solos to great acclaim in dance and music festivals throughout the United States, Canada, India, and Europe. Labonee has become renowned for dynamism in her dance, fiery footwork, graceful movement, and speedy pirouettes. Some of the prestigious places she has performed at include the Stars of Tomorrow Festival at West Bengal Dance Federation, SPICMACAY at Bengal Chamber of Commerce, Raginee Music Conference at Birla Academy, Chhayanaut Music & Dance Academy in Dhaka, and various other cultural associations in North America and India, as well as many universities and institutions in Europe.

Labonee was a principal dancer of the Chitresh Das Dance Company and toured extensively with Panditji’s award-winning productions. She served as center director and senior teacher at Panditji's institution for many years. Recently she has started her own dance school in California and conducts workshops in other parts of USA, Canada, Europe, and India. As a second generation Indian in America, she plays a significant role in preserving the cultural heritage of India in the East and spreading these values in the West.

http://www.labonee.com/

https://www.instagram.com/labonee_mohanta/

Episode Notes

https://www.instagram.com/nikkitakathak/?hl=en

https://in.linkedin.com/in/nikita-banawalikar-39745b19a

https://www.facebook.com/nikitabanawalikar.kathak/

An ICCR empanelled artist,Nikita also holds an MBA in HR from Symbiosis.She has successfully completed her Masters in Performing arts with distinction from Bharati Vidyapeeth and has passed the All India UGC Net examination and is eligible for the post of Asst.Professor. She has done her Masters in Commerce from R.A Podar college.

A promising budding kathak artist,NIKITA was introduced to Indian Classical dance at the age of 4.She began her training initially in Bharatnatyam but developed interest in Kathak at the age of 9.She was under the tutelage Dr.Manjiri Deo and completed Visharad from Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya under her guidance.Later she was trained in Padma Bhushan Kumudini Lakhia jis Kadamb centre for dance,Ahmedabad . Her advance training was under Guru Shama Bhate in Pune. A CCRT young artist scholarship holder ,Nikita has been conferred with numerous prestigious awards.Menaka award by Mumbai University for 2 consecutive years,Akhil Bharatiya Prathibha Puraskar,Gopi Krishna Award,Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Award,Nritya Vilasini ,Nritya Sadhak to name a few. A gold medalist of All India National Youth Festival ,She has represented India twice at South Asian Universities International youth festival.

Nikita has presented her solo classical recital in many festivals India and abroad.She completed her successful tour of UK where she presented her recent production SAMARPAN at prestigious venues. She has also toured CHINA & Europe for her performance and workshops .She has given her performance for TEDX at the young age of 16.Her other noteworthy performances include:The music summit by kala Sangam Bombay,Delhi International arts festival, Durga festival,Kalaghoda arts festival,Kalakshetra Chennai,Karavali Utsav,Aura-Aurangabad at Mahagami,Navapallava Mumbai ,kinkini festival ,ICCR----BANGKOK, ,BRAHMA SADHANA SAMAROH.KISHOR SANGEET SAMMELAN,OCTAVE FESTIVAL ,AVEG’12 at NCPA and many more.

Nikita has assisted choreographer Remo D souza to choregraph Ghar more pardesiya from the movie kalank. She got an opportunity to collaborate and present her solo recital with great musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan ji.Nikita has assisted renowned chochoreographer Vaibhavi Merchant to choreograph for various projects. Nikita aims at carrying forward the rich cultural classical dance tradition throughout the world and preserve its true essence by the medium of her institute KALA VATIKAA in Mumbai .

Episode Notes

My conversation with Vidya revolves around Kathag, Yoga, We would like to welcome Vidya Warrier, a Kathak dancer, teacher, and a film maker. She’s been learning dance since the age of five, received her degree in Kathak from Prayag University in Allahabad, and now seeks to use Dance as a medium to convey a powerful message. Her creativity spans from dance to videography and she currently runs a Youtube channel called The Dancing Warrier, where she seeks to marry her two biggest passions in life - Yoga and Dance.

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak performer, choreographer and instructor, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. As a performer, Farah is known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, with two decades of training from the late Pandit Chitresh Das. She has gone on to develop a unique artistic voice, often addressing topics of historical and social relevance, while also maintaining the classical elements of Kathak. Farah performs her own traditional and innovative works, most notably, The Forgotten Empress - based on the life of 17th Century Mughal Empress Noor Jahan, and The Partition Project — based on the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition and Nazaakat aur Taaqat - Delicate Power. A TEDx speaker, and host of her own podcast, Heartistry Talk Show, Farah has received support and recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, New England Foundation for the Arts, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, California Arts Council, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, SVCreates and Dancers’ Group.

In addition to training students of Noorani Dance, Farah’s teaching experience includes ODC School and Along King LINES Ballet in San Francisco, India Community Center in the Silicon Valley, and various academic and arts institutions throughout the U.S. in addition to being a guest choreographer for the World Dance Program at Alvin Ailey Extension in New York City. Farah was also a consulting choreographer for the theatrical adaptation of Monsoon Wedding, directed by Mira Nair, and the lead choreographer for I’ll Meet You There, a feature length film directed by Pakistani American filmmaker, Iram Parveen Bilal.

Since 2015, Farah has been consistently performing and teaching throughout Pakistan - engaging in meaningful exchanges with artists, organizations, students, and art-loving and desiring Pakistanis. Engagements in Pakistan include the International Faiz Festival, Islamabad Arts Fest, Indus Valley School of the Arts, and T2F (the Second Floor).

Sujata Banerjee is one of the most respected Kathak artists of UK: a choreographer, performer, teacher, mentor and educator. Her knowledge and command over the dance form of Kathak are particularly visible in her work. Sujata has toured all over the world, performing and teaching as a solo artist. She set up her own dance company in UK, in 1985 and created many innovative projects while remaining deeply rooted in the Kathak style. Sujata has her own Academy and teaches students of all levels including professionals. Her sense of humour, positivity and charismatic attitude puts all learners at ease and she is able to get the best out of all students. She is trained as a sports scientist and brings a unique approach to dance training. She believes that dancers should maintain a ‘safe dance practice’ to have an injury free dancing career. Dancers benefit greatly from her unique approach to teaching during their training period and as preparation for performances. Sujata mentors many teachers at different parts of the world and has trained many successful dancers who are now performing professionally. In 2016, she received an honorary lifetime membership award from People Dancing UK for her exceptional contribution to dance. In 2017, Sujata was nominated and shortlisted for One Dance UK’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. Sujata has been involved in creating the ISTD Kathak syllabus, and is Chairperson and a senior examiner of the Classical Indian Dance Faculty of the ISTD.

Find her on

https://www.sbdc-kathak.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sujatabanerjeedancecompany/

https://www.facebook.com/sbdcuk/

Show Highlights

(0:06:15) Focus on the process

(0:01:54) Kathak as a subject

(0:14:41) ISTD Syllabus Benefits

(0:19:39) ISTD and Kathak Gharanas

(0:22:27) Pedestal

(0:34:55) Type of Feedback

(0:42:29) Kathak in Kolkata

(0:51:00) Learning to Play the Piano

(0:53:38) Attitude of a dancer

(0:56:16) Sujata Banerjee Dance Company

(1:00:59) Thriving In the Deep End

(1:05:50) Dance Productions

Episode Notes

Born in India, brought up in New York, Barkha is a kathak dancer, choreographer, educator and the Artistic Director of Barkha Dance Company. She has trained in kathak both in India and New Jersey for over two decades with renowned kathak maestros and has a Master’s in Performing Arts from Kalidasa Sanskrit University. A touring artist, Barkha has performed at dance festivals in India to the U.S. Barkha recently created an ensemble work called Mukta, A Woman Liberated, which was in residency at the Center for Flamenco Arts and has presented at numerous festivals in NYC. She has been nationally recognized for her work: she completed a choreographic fellowship with the N.J.P.A.C., received a 2020 Fellow with the N.J. Council on the Arts, and is Dance/USA Institute for Leadership mentee. Barkha was recently announced as a 2021 Forge Consultancy Fellow. Barkha teaches young and adult students from all over the United States. Acknowledging the lack of community for kathak dancers in NYC, Barkha co-founded a kathak meetup group. The meetup started in January 2020 as an inclusive space for kathak dancers to practice and discuss crucial topics to the art form.

Social Media Links

https://www.instagram.com/barkhadanceco/

https://www.instagram.com/barkha.kathak/

https://linktr.ee/barkha.kathak