TKP 066: Maneesha Sathe

Show Highlights

(0:01:35) Aparimita Production

(0:02:51) The importance of Powada in Maharashtra

(0:04:25) Providing Opportunities for Students

(0:05:55) Riyaz with Students

(0:07:53) Injury Prevention

(0:10:33) How does Maneesha Tai teach differently from how she was taught

(0:14:30) Hastasoundarya: What makes movements beautiful:

(0:20:58) Sangatkalar: The importance of accompanying artists

(0:25:07) Accompanying Artists in Maneesha Nrityala

(0:27:53) Teaching students the essentials of music and rhythm

(0:30:43) Process of creation

(0:32:06) Raag Maala

(0:35:40) DIfference in students since 1975

(0:38:52) changes in teaching over time

(0:42:56) The evolution of audiences

(0:47:34) When and how Tai's family members got into Kathak

(0:51:34) Overcoming Major life miltestones

(0:57:06) The importance of support systems for performing artists

(1:01:34) Memorable performances and anecdotes

(1:03:01) Doing 60 performances in two years before 60th birthday

(1:08:48) Performing with Kishan Maharaj ji

(1:14:23) Feelings about the future

Mrs. Maneesha Sathe, one of the senior Kathak exponents of India, has been trained initially with Pandit Balasaheb Gokhale in Pune and later with none other than Kathak Maestro Nataraj Pandit Gopi Krishna ji in Mumbai. For the last 45 years, she has been running Maneesha Nrityalaya Trust in Pune, an institute dedicated to the field of Kathak dance. She has performed Kathak in many conferences and dance festivals in different parts of India, including the most renowned Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, Shaniwarwada Dance Festival, Khajuraho Dance Festival, Lucknow Dance Festival, Kamakhya Festival - Guwahati, Nehru Centre - Mumbai, Tata Theatre - Mumbai, Dancejathre Bangalore etc. She has also performed in many countries including USA, Japan, China, Bahrain, Sweden etc., individually and also with her troupe. Her choreographies in Classical and Contemporary Kathak dance form have been revered by one and all in dance festivals of high esteem.

She has won great renown for presenting Kathak along with Japanese Music. Maneesha Sathe and Mr. Yasuhito Takimoto- a Japanese musician and Taiko player- have given the most unforgettable fusion concerts over the last 25 years. “World Peace Art Festival”, “Divine Confluence” have been some of the recent programs presented through this international collaboration. Her collaborative choreographies are a wonderful blend of traditional Kathak, contemporary music and energetic Taiko playing. More than a hundred Indians, Chinese and Japanese artists have been a part of these events in India, Japan and China.

She has also choreographed for Marathi Films like “Sarkarnama” and “Vaarsa Lakshmicha” and others. She has been awarded the Best Dance Director’s awards (Maharashtra State award and Alpha TV award), while one has been record breaking hit in the history of Marathi Cinema. She is the recipient of many accolades like the Maharashtra State Cultural Award for the year 2006, Citadel Excellence award, Gaanvardhan’s Vijaya Bhalerao Puraskar, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Shri Golwalkar Guruji Puraskar, Ajit Soman Smruti Puraskar, Shri Ashok Paranjape Puraskar, Pune Municipal Corporation's Shrimati Rohini Bhate Puraskar, to name just a few. Several of her students have been awarded scholarships and fellowships by CCRT and Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Govt. Of India. She is a guide for Ph.D. students in Pune University. Under her guidance, Mrs. Madhuri Apte has been awarded the first Ph.D in Kathak from Pune University. She is a visiting faculty and honorary Guru in institutions like the Centre for Performing Arts (Lalit Kala Kendra) - Pune University, Bharati Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts Pune. She has recently curated and created an online course on Kathak for SWAYAM, the online education portal for Govt. of India. This unique syllabus-based course has been produced by EMMRC, Pune and Savitribai Phule Pune University.

Maneesha Tai is known to be a highly sympathetic and generous teacher. She has given many young dancers to the Indian Dance field, several of whom are now performers and teachers in their own respect and settled in various parts of India as well as abroad.

In 2018, Maneesha Tai presented a very unique production - Nritya Dhaara. It is a Kathak performance by four dancers of the Sathe family - Maneesha tai herself, her daughter Shambhavi Dandekar, her daughter-in-law Tejaswini and her granddaughter Sarveshwari. It is an extremely unique performance in the Kathak world and was performed in India and the USA.

Her perseverance and dedication to the art is reflected in the success in this field, and her growing family of disciples all over the globe. She has been instrumental in keeping our ancient heritage alive and inspiring several generations to take forward this legacy of classical art.

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga