The Kathak Podcast : Kathak Ka Chakkar

I’m Meher Kriti Nigam, a Kathak artist and a final year student of engineering. I study Electronics and Communication with a specialization in Biomedical field. Apart from my technical education, I’ve also attended 2 diplomas, in Kathak and Hindustani Vocals. I’ve fortunate enough to get trained under Smt. Leena Malakar (Jaipur Gharana) and Guru Pandit Divyang Vakil ji. My journey with Kathak when I was just 3-years-old. Over the years I’ve performed at various events across the country, from Indywood Film Festival in Hyderabad to performing for MNCs like NIIT Technologies Ltd. I’ve also won a number of competitions at both school and college level. The world has been nice to me and in the past 2 years I’ve got the opportunity to hold fundraising dance workshops for NGOs. I’ve also been a dance instructor at various NGOs and taught their children for free.

Show Highlights

(0:09:28) Running a Kathak club in VIT University

(0:16:02) Auditioning process for the Dance Club

(0:19:10) Brinigng about uniformity in movements

(0:21:03) how a choregraphy comes together*-

(0:26:03) What audiences like?

(0:27:34) Performing in college fests/competitions

(0:29:43) how Meher started dancing?

(0:30:35) earliest memory

(0:32:32) Kathak Training Smt Leena Malakar ji

(0:34:43) Cultivating a habit of Riyaz

(0:40:25) What is Meher leanring in Kathak at the moment

(0:44:35) Taalvidya Classess

(0:49:19) Getting over fear

(0:51:24) Kathak on Reels

(0:53:37) Gender Expression in Kathak

(0:57:31) Future plans

Founder and director of Nrityam - The Kathak Studio and a founding member of the Layom Institute of Kathak, Nirajkumar Solanki is an MA in Kathak (Alankaar) and and his Gurus include Pt Rajendra Gangani ji, Bode Gurji, and Rahim Sheikh ji.

His major performances include Parush in Pune and Pryaas in Akola, Thane, and Pune. He's also a Senior Verbal Faculty and CRT (soft skills) trainer, equipped with a Master of Arts Degree in English Literature.

(0:01:16) Coming back to Kathak

(0:05:46) The logistics of returning to Kathak after a long break

(0:09:53) Keeping a prolonged interest in Riyaz

(0:12:53) Nrityam Kathak

(0:16:57) Different Teaching

(0:23:44) Finding time for Kathak for busy professionals

(0:28:58) Interest in English Language and Kathak

(0:34:44) Favorite Kathak books

(0:39:27) Tips for getting into reading

(0:42:50) The positve impact of reading

(0:44:07) The highs and lows of being a male dancer

(0:52:59) How to handle bullying

(0:56:24) Progressive Ideas in Kathak

(0:58:57) How does Kathak thrive in Pune?

(1:02:52) Most memorable performance

(1:07:02) The practicalities of making a full time career out of Kathak

(1:12:19) Costume selection and design

(1:16:53) Future Plans

Show Highlights

(0:01:44) Performing at the Chekov Festival in Russia

(0:08:20) How productions are started?

(0:09:34) Choreographic investigation

(0:13:15) Developing a good sense of music

(0:15:11) The importance of writing things down

(0:20:30) The meaning of discipline

(0:24:45) Work with Spic Macay

(0:31:32) How working with Spic Macay has improved Gauri di's dance

(0:33:04) Dealing With Unruly Audiences

(0:36:15) The importance of playing sports for dance

(0:38:51) How Gauri di teaches differently?

(0:40:49) How to deal with Students Who are not practicing

(0:42:34) Bringing up the next generation of teachers

(0:43:35) When Students pick up mannerisms

(0:45:02) Gauri Diwakar Sanskriti Foundation

(0:49:53) Joy in Kathak

(0:53:23) Time Management in Dance

(0:59:34) Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

(1:06:34) Performing in front of 10,000 people

Gauri Diwakar’s elegant, graceful moves, striking facial expressions, along with her powerful presence on the stage, leaves her audiences spellbound. In 2008 she was awarded 'Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' by the Sangeet Natak Akademi- India’s national academy for music , dance and drama.

Her journey started from Jamshedpur where she learned under the watchful eyes of Ms Sumita Chowdhary. She further honed her skills under the tutelage of the renowned Gurus, Pandit Birju Maharaj and Shri Jai Kishan Maharaj at the national capital's Kathak Kendra. After graduating with distinction from Kathak Kendra, Gauri further perfected her skills under renowned exponent of Kathak, Ms Aditi Mangaldas.

Gauri is also passing on her skills by training young students under her own trust. " Gauri Diwakar Sanskriti Foundation- Sarvatra Nrityam " and thus helping to keep the age old tradition alive.

Smita Rawal Alves – Smita has been dancing for over 30 years, having toured across the US and Canada, with her primary training and Guru Smt. Anjani Ambegaokar. In recent years she continues to learn kathak under Vidushi Smt. Durga Arya ji and extensive taal vidya studies under Pandit Divyang Vakil ji. As much as she loves to dance and tour, after about a 5-6 year hiatus to raise her own children, Smita’s current aspiration is to share the beautiful tradition with others to emphasize the value and relevance of Indian Classical arts in society today. Since 2015, Smita runs her own Kathak school: Bhakti Bhav Dance, teaching classes to all ages of students across Orange County, CA. Kathak is the schools’ platform to nurture and encourage students to appreciate musicality, movement, rhythms, self-expression, discipline, and the richness of the cultural history which Kathak stems from. Smita especially loves seeing the students become more confident and self-sufficient dancers who can take what they learn and apply it in their own way and in their own expression. She hopes to help students and audiences alike, find joy through the experience of Kathak dance.

(0:03:16) Dance as an offering

(0:04:41) Who does the offering of Kathak go to?

(0:08:43) Bhakti Bhav Dance Academy

(0:12:53) Teaching kids with a busy schedule

(0:17:43) Retaining students after High School

(0:22:00) Starting Taalvidya

(0:26:04) The impact of taalvidya on Kathak

(0:30:04) Working with Guru Durga Arya ji

(0:38:23) Riyaaz Rituals

(0:42:56) Finding balance in Life

(0:44:16) What do Smita di's students like about them

(0:52:05) Work with Nakui Dev Mahajan and Mira the Royal Detective

(0:56:59) Future Projects

Show Highlights

(0:03:12) Tips for Hybrid Classes

(0:04:33) How art transforms the induvidual

(0:06:14) How Kathak infulences Antara di's life

(0:09:50) Goal Setting in Kathak for Beginners

(0:12:30) The importance of patience

(0:13:58) Anga Shudhdhhi

(0:16:42) Feedback loop between students and teachers

(0:19:08) How to End on Sum

(0:22:42) Rasa Theory

(0:25:32) How audience reactions are felt on stage?

(0:29:06) Managing Teaching and creative work

(0:33:55) Academies across the country

(0:34:45) Driving in Blizzards

(0:38:15) Standardization in Anga Kala Academy

(0:38:58) The issue of students leaving Kathak after high school

(0:43:59) The importance of allied subjects

(0:47:41) When and how to introduce allied subjects

(0:48:01) Creating your own compositions using Taalvidya

(0:50:16) Why the current generation needs Taalvidya

(0:54:44) Training and background

(0:58:29) Gurkul learning : Kathak immersion training

(1:00:09) Kathak in the midwest

(1:02:36) Tips on growing a Kathak Academy

(1:04:07) Outreach work and NGOs

(1:07:02) Angakala Dance Company

Antara Datta started learning Kathak at the tender age of five from Srimati Laxmi Bannerjee in Kolkata, India. She holds a double diploma in Kathak from the Bangiya Sangeet Parishad in Kolkata and the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad, India. She received advanced training in the Lucknow gharana of Kathak from "Sringar Mani" Srimati Anuradha Nag (a senior disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj and

To hone her skills further Antara Datta also receives training from Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj and Vidushi Saswati Sen, during her annual trips to India at Kalashram, New Delhi. In addition, she regularly visits Mahagami (a dance Gurukul in Aurangabad, India) to receive intensive training from Guru Parwati Dutta. To gain better control of laya Antara receives taal vidya lessons from the legendary Guru ji Pandit Divvang Vakil. Antara is the artistic director of Anga Kala

Antara believes that learning Indian classical dance is a lifelong experience. She relentlessly strives for perfection. She has attended numerous workshop by the legendary Guru Pandit Birju Maharaj. To gain better control on laya she took laykari lessons from the tabla virtuoso Pandit Samir Chaterjee and currently undergoing training under Pandit Divyang Vakil. Antara Data has performed extensively in different parts of the USA, as well as India. The list includes solo and group performances in Cleveland (Ohio), Columbus (Ohio), Canton (Ohio),Pitsburgh (Pennsylvania), Seattle (Washington), Tacoma (Washington), Olympia (Washington), Chicago (Illinois), Grays Lake (Illinois) and Houston (Texas). She and her students have been regular performers at the Northwest Folk Life Festival in Seattle as well as the Asian Festival and the India Fest in Cleveland. In July 2012, she performed solo Kathak with live music at the Triguna Sen Auditorium in Kolkata, India. In 2016 she performed at the Madison Square Garden, New York, USA with Pandit Birju Maharaji's Company. In 2017, she performed at the International Dance Festival (Bharath Nriytasav) at Vishakhapatnam, India. In 2019 she performed at Kalpashree festival (Hyderabad, India), Bharat Sanskriti Utsab (Kolkata, India) and Naadam and Nrityalaya(New Delhi, India) Her innovative cho- reography has brought together seemingly unrelated dance-forms (such as Kathak and Tap Dance or Kathak and Flamenco), Kathak and Ballet in beautiful 'jugalbandi's, captivating audiences across cultures.

Twice Dora Award nominated Joanna de Souza received a Master’s Degree in kathak dance through Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad, India. Her study, premised in deep respect for the tradition, began in 1978 under her guru, the late Pandit Chitresh Das. Joanna is celebrated internationally as a dancer, a choreographer, and is a much sought-after teacher.

Joanna co-founded M-DO/KathakToronto, which since 1988 has been home to dance classes, master classes and workshops, at the highest artistic level. Her dance company Chhandam, has toured nationally and internationally with their innovative approach to kathak. In 2018, Chhandam, in collaboration with choreographer/dancer Misty Wensel, performed a five-city India tour of their contemporary work BARDO.

Show Highlights

(0:02:20) How did Kathak find you/?

(0:08:07) What is it about Kathak?

(0:10:07) How is the physicality of Kathak different?

(0:11:53) Balancing Chakkars on both sides

(0:13:01) The importance of stamina

(0:15:54) Pt Chitresh Das ji's Father Prohlad Das ji

(0:22:29) A day's worth of training

(0:25:06) The process of learning

(0:28:58) Length of depth of training

(0:35:19) Life in California

(0:42:38) MDO Toronto

(0:52:52) What draws people to you?

(0:55:03) How do you teach differently from your guru?

(1:02:17) Contemporary Work in Canada

(1:09:49) The versatility of Kathak

(1:11:58) Future of Kathak in Toronto

(1:16:18) Topping the Master's Kathak Exam

Show Highlights

(0:02:21) Driving force behind collaborations

(0:07:41) Performing Spontaneously on stage

(0:10:51) What happens behind the scenes during collaborations

(0:12:34) Work with Purbayan Chatterjee

(0:14:09) Level of readiness needed for collaboration

(0:16:24) The importance of listening to music

(0:18:51) Riyaaz rituals and nuances

(0:24:41) Using a mirror for riyaz

(0:26:31) The importance of finding the right apartment

(0:28:08) Behind the scenes: Mharo Pranam

(0:31:05) Dancing on rough surfaces

(0:31:41) The beginnings of Rujuta soman Cultural Academy

(0:38:43) Trends in previous decades

(0:41:18) When students go their own way

(1:00:56) Outreach work: Orphanages and NGOs

(1:08:09) Legacy and Impact

Rujuta Soman is one of the international leading Kathak dancers of India and founder of the

Rujuta was honed and polished under the tutelage of late Guru Pandita Dr. Rohini Bhate for

She is mentor at M.E.S. College of performing arts, is on panel of Guru at Lalit Kala

Rujuta is empaneled with 'Established Category' of ICCR's (Indian Council For

Rujuta has performed in various prestigious music and dance festivals across India like

FACETS

Rujuta has on her facets a video CD "Kathak Ranga"- A duet performance based on traditional

WEBSITE : www.rujutasoman.com

YOUTUBE : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW_ZX9AkWYFg0L7sGbNmPWw

SOLO PERFORMANCES : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1peKDJqWWk4LXa7rERrGy?HQ9EfhS3oRX

FACEBOOK PAGE : https://m.facebook.com/rujutasomanculturalacademy/

LATEST PRESS REVIEWS :

https://epaper.thestatesman.com/m5/2077227/

Guru Smt Radhika Sathe

Radhika has been a pioneer in the field of Kathak, for the last twenty flourishing years, under the tutelage of Late Shri Bode Guruji, Guru Smt Madhurita Sarang and currently Guru Shri Rajendra Gangani. She has travelled across the globe presenting her art form, right from UK, France, Reunion Islands to performing in some of the prestigious festivals within USA and Canada.

Having trained more than a few thousand students till date at kathak school titled, Kathak Nritya Mandir, and producing some of the excellent young dancers active today, KNM stands home to numerous National Award winners of this country in the field of kathak, along with numerous scholarship holders of the Cultural Ministry of the Government of India, having been granted the scholarship to train under Guru Smt Radhika Sathe.

Radhika Sathe also is a member of the ABGMV, one of the highly accredited institutions in the field of Indian Classical Art forms within India and abroad, and has been appointed to be a part of the judgement panels of many events and competitions across the nation. Guru Smt Radhika, as a well known name today, in the field of kathak, not just for her work as a teacher, but also for her charisma as a performer. Some of her most accredited dance productions include “Srirangayan” , “Shri Ram Rasrangayan” , “ Genesis” and her recently launched premiered solo production titled “Satva”.

(0:02:19) The Meaning of Taalim

(0:06:57) How to find the right Guru

(0:10:05) Teaching kids vs teaching adults

(0:12:39) how to guage progess/interests in students

(0:16:33) Oral vs written traditions

(0:24:35) Taal Lipi

(0:30:40) Trends from past decades

(0:40:31) Kathak in akola

(1:02:43) Stories from dance dramas

(1:11:04) The process of lifelong learning

Maneesha is the senior disciple of Late Guru Rohini Bhateji. She has taken intense

Hampi Festival

Show Highlights

(0:03:37) Favorite thing about Abhinaya

(0:04:50) Finding depth in abhinaya

(0:10:05) Developing an appreciation for Abhinaya

(0:16:40) Emoting Thumris at a young age

(0:23:49) Dealing with Jealousy

(0:24:58) Creative process

(0:28:03) Favorite Creation

(0:31:24) Effects of social media

(0:39:39) What is considered good feedback/engagement?

(0:44:18) Sukruti Kathak Academy

(0:49:41) When students open their own academies

(0:53:52) Ensuring uniformilty across different branches

(1:00:02) Most memorable performance

(1:04:19) Relationship with the word Guru

(1:07:50) Legacy

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