Episode Notes

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Bio Tanveer Alam started his dance training in kathak, an Indian classical dance form, under Sudeshna Maulik. He continues to develop his craft under guru Sandhya Desai. Alam also trains in Taal Vidya — the knowledge of Hindustani classical music, with guru Pandit Divyang Vakil. He has also attended various workshops, and explored the different facets of kathak with masters such as Kumudini Lakhia, Pandit Birju Maharaj, and Nahid Siddiqui. Alam is also a 2019 graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre’s Professional Training Program, Alam has performed in the works of Susie Burpee, Jennifer Dallas, Jasmyn Fyffe, Danny Grossman, Christopher House, Allen Kaeja, Ryan Lee, Sharon B. Moore, Julia Sasso, Ofilio Sinbadinho, and Darryl Tracy. Alam has performed across North America as well as India, and has had the opportunity to dance in the works of various choreographers including Janak Khendry, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Rina Singha, Brandy Leary, Noémie Lafrance, and Sanjukta Sinha. An emerging choreographer, he has presented his own works at the Dance Ontario DanceWeekend 2019, New Blue Emerging Dance Festival, London Dance Festival, and MAI – Montréal, arts interculturels, to name a few. In 2019, Alam premiered _Éclosion, _a new solo, as a part of Tangente’s contemporary dance season in Montreal as well as _The Nine Brains of the Human Mind _at SummerWorks Festival 2019. Alam is a recipient of the Lindy Green and Sam Chaiton Bursary, as well as the Winchester Prize Award. He has been supported by The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council, as well as the Toronto Arts Council.

Timestamps 0:01:00 Being a diasporic artist 0:01:32 Example of different access to Knowledge 0:02:57 The importance of going back to India 0:03:37 Mentorship with Sanjukta Sinha 0:04:16 Experiences with SSDC 0:04:59 Performances with SSDC 0:05:44 Mariginalization of Kathak 0:06:32 Being the "Only One" 0:07:37 Legacy of Kathak in Canada 0:09:22 Talking about Kathak 0:11:30 Acknowledging the differences 0:13:48 Degree in contemporary dance 0:15:35 Practicing two dance forms 0:16:34 Doing Kathak during the degree 0:18:44 Factors to accept performance opportunities 0:19:48 Showcasing the community in truthful ways 0:21:42 Choreographic Investigation 0:23:00 How Tanveer Got Into Kathak 0:24:48 Sudeshna Maulik 0:25:19 Sandhya Desai 0:26:20 Internalized Practice 0:28:49 FOMO 0:30:27 Smt Kumidini Lakhia 0:31:08 Kumiben 0:32:30 Performing in front of Birju Maharaj 0:36:21 Ustad Nahid Siddiqui 0:37:16 Taal Vidya with Pandit Divyang Vakil 0:38:25 Behind the Scenes 0:40:06 When should you start Taal Vidya 0:40:49 Choreographies 0:42:23 Collaborating with other Dancers 0:42:59 Style of Kathak 0:43:47 Teaching practice 0:45:13 Future Projects 0:46:35 Concluding Remarks