Episode Notes

Show Highlights

(0:06:13) Building Mindfullness into Kathak Practice (0:09:47) Transitioning from being a student to teaching (0:15:43) Relationship with the word Guru (0:19:59) The Jaipur Gharana for Swati di (0:27:26) Common misconceptions of the Jaipur Gharana (0:31:15) The relationship with a Bandish (0:34:11) The personality of a bandish (0:36:39) What it means to perform (0:39:30) Being your own teacher and your audience (0:41:43) The common pain points of kathakas (0:43:29) Most memorable performances

Swati Sinha is one of the foremost practitioners of Kathak today. Having learnt the nuances of the Jaipur style of Kathak from the great master Pt Rajendra Gangani at the Kathak Kendra New Delhi, she has committed herself to practicing and propagating the art form. She has performed widely all over the globe and her performances have always been appreciated. A bright and vivacious artiste she has gained praise from connoisseurs and critics alike. Sharp yet graceful movements combined with command over deft and intricate rhythm patterns, lithe footwork and subtle, poignant expressions, mark her style. The right blend of 'taalim' and' upaj' i.e. the practiced aspect and improvisational aspect, find a place in her recitals. An 'A' grade artist of Doordarshan she has performed in major cultural events such as Khajuraho Dance Festival; Soorya festival, Trivandrum; Konark festival; Kathak Mahotsava, Delhi; Delhi International Arts Festival; The Danube Carnival, Budapest to name a few. She has also toured China, South Africa and South Korea for performances sponsored by ICCR. Swati also gives Lecture Demonstrations in schools in rural areas besides the major cities for organisations such as IRCEN and SPIC-MACAY thereby contributing to creating an awareness about our culture in the far flung villages as well. Carrying the mantle of a tradition forward as a performer, choreographer and guru Is indeed a daunting task: but she does it all with elan. Her creative streak led her to explore various themes which she presented through her choreographic work, such as 'Anvarat', based on the cosmic cycle; 'Chand Pravah', based on the grammar defined in Natyashastra for the choreography festival in Delhi; 'Of love nature and devotion' based on the poetry of Guru Rabindranath Tagore for his 150th year celebration. She choreographed on the poetry of great Sufi saints such as Bulle Shah,Kabir and Shah Hussain for the ICCR tour to South Africa in 2012 and directed “SAMPRAVAH an amalgamation of four classical dance styles of SWATI SINHA performer choreographer guru India for the Sarang festival in South Korea. She has also performed duets with Flamenco. All her productions aim to keep the sanctity of the style intact. For her contribution to the field of Kathak she has been awarded the “Women Achievers Award” by the Women’s International Network and the “Glory Award” by the Jalota Welfare Foundation and the Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra Yuva Prativa Samman by Srjan, Bhubaneshwar. A complete artiste is the one who understands and accepts the responsibility of Carrying a tradition forward. She has established ‘Sampada’ where a perfect blend of the traditional, and institutionalised training style is followed. Knowledge of Yoga, Classical music and Literature along with study and understanding of cultures beyond our own, are provided to the students. A holistic approach is undertaken for creating not merely performers but artistes who can preserve and add new dimensions to Kathak. Swati is the founder Secretary of Ras Raj Foundation for the arts which aims to take our classical dance and music to the grass root level. Ras Raj Foundation works with the underprivileged section of the society and organises performances and lec-dems of the traditional art forms of India.

Title Track Audio Credit: Doug Maxwell | Bansure Raga