Episode Notes

Afsar Khan started kathak at an early age under the tutelage of his father, Guru Mulla Jafar Khan (Kala Samarpan Awardee), of the Banaras Gharana. Afsar later joined Kathak Kendra New Delhi, under Guru Pt. Rajendra Kumar Gangani (Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee) of the Jaipur Gharana and completed his post diploma there. He has performed widely all across the world through ICCR, Teamworks, and Spic Macay. Afsar has choreographed kathak with other dance forms such as Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Flamenco and Tap dance. Notably, he choreographed for the Queen’s Baton Relay and the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in 2010. He was picked by ICCR to teach kathak in Mauritius at IGCIC. Afsar Khan has been a senior kathak tutor at the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society since 2015 and has had many students excel under his guidance. He is well known around the world for his rapid footwork, fast chakkars, and clear padhant.

Show Highlights

(0:01:50) Padhant being a skillset

(0:08:05) The evolution of opportunities for male dancers

(0:12:43) 9 hour riyaz sessions

(0:20:09) The concept of Chilla

(0:35:40) Being called a guru

(0:42:21) Bearing the responsibility of spreading Kathak in singapore

(0:46:34) Insights of Kathak in singapore

(0:51:02) How Afsar ji teaches differently

(0:57:51) Exploring while staying true to yourself

(1:01:41) finding the right fit with organizers

(1:06:11) How to talk about Kathak in foreign countries

(1:11:09) Most memorable performances

(1:13:24) Dancing on broken glass

(1:18:51) Legacy

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga