Episode Notes

Sampada was initiated into Kathak at 6 yrs of age and is an alumni of Kala Academy, Goa. Having successfully completed the Parangat diploma in Kathak at Kala Academy, Sampada moved to Pune and came under the tutelage of renowned Kathak legend Late Pandita Dr. Rohini Bhate at Nrityabharati Kathak Dance Academy, Pune. Sampada has many solo and group performances to her credits such as performances in the dance festivals at Somnathpur and Halebid-Belur in Karnataka, Nakshatra Utsav, Goa, Nimhan dance festival- Madhya Pradesh, Articulate Festival Mysore, Sutra Festival, Sai Nrityotasav Bangalore, Shilparamam - Hyderabad, Goa Doordarshan, DD Chandana, Natya Tantra on Shankara TV to name a few. Sampada has co-choreographed a short film- Radha Bhakti Sudha in 2007 which received the Jury’s Special Mention Award at the New York Short Film Festival in 2008. She has been a panelist for the topic Guru-Shishya parampara on World Dance Day 2017 curated by eminent dance historian and scholar Prof. Ashish Mohan Khokar. Recently she has been on the jury’s panel for Kathak in Sammaan 2020 a worldwide talent hunt contest in Indian Classical Dance hosted by the Shankar Mahadevan Academy. Sampada settled in Bangalore in 2012 and established ‘RIDDHAM – Kathak School’ in Yelahanka New Town. She brings forth a beautiful synthesis in the Lucknow-Jaipur gharana of Kathak as established by her Guru ji, late Dr. Rohini Bhate.

Show Highlights (0:02:42) Getting Students in Bangaore

(0:05:48) What does Bangalore Like about Kathak

(0:09:51) Change in audience over time

(0:12:58) Doing a themed performance

(0:14:09) Difference between a Vandana and a Stuti

(0:15:13) What helped to get through the initial struggle period

(0:18:09) Riddham School of KAthak

(0:23:32) Abhinaya Darpan

(0:27:31) Guru Shishya Parampara

(0:32:39) Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Kathak Syllabus

(0:36:39) How to approach exams

(0:43:17) How to guage if a composition is performance ready

(0:47:17) Continuous improvement over compositions

(0:50:19) The importance of learning about previous generations and great Gurus

(0:52:27) Being called a guru

(0:54:47) Relationship with senior students

(0:59:07) Preparing students for competition

(1:04:42) What's different in performing for a competition

(1:07:15) Connection and relationships with Guru

(1:11:53) Legacy

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga