Kathak Dance Collective

This week, I’ll be planning summer intensive programs, workshops, fall season performances and prepping for dance competitions & show rehearsals. I’ll be happy to answer questions, respond to inquiries, and connect with both new and continuing students as we prepare for an exciting season ahead.

If you’d like to be part of our dance community, drop us a message or send us a quick ping. I’d be sure to share more information and help you find the right program for your journey.

Philadelphia studio locations: Bluebell, Devon, Exton
Chicago studio location: Vernon Hills
Learners can also join us virtually from anywhere in USA for virtual classes held on zoom platform.

[email protected]

About ten years ago, I stood beside fellow learners from different cities and countries in Mumbai, learning this thumri directly from param guru Pt.Birju Maharaj ji. It has remained one of my most cherished compositions ever since.

I still remember the way Maharaj ji would sing it for us, bringing every nuance, emotion, and gesture to life. Long before this recording existed, there was an older recording of him teaching and singing this very composition—one that I still return to often. Each time I hear it, I am transported back to those precious moments of learning, listening, and absorbing.

Today, as I share this thumri with my own students, I find myself reflecting on what it truly means to inherit and pass on a composition. It is more than teaching movements or choreography. It is sharing something that has lived in my heart for years—something that has shaped my understanding of music, poetry, expression, and tradition.

My hope is that the next generation will come to love it as deeply as I have; that they will enjoy it, perform it, discover its history, and make it a part of their own artistic journey. And perhaps, one day, they too will pass it forward with the same love and generosity with which it was given to us.

There is something profoundly fulfilling about being a small link in that unbroken chain.

A proud moment for our KDC Chicago chapter. ✨ These dancers have trained online for years, separated by distance but united by a shared commitment to the art. Learning a classical form through a screen requires extraordinary focus—from a teacher carefully observing every detail and nuance, to students who take responsibility for their own growth through countless hours of practice beyond class time.

To progress from online lessons to performing confidently with live musicians is no small achievement. It demands deep understanding, rigorous preparation, listening, adaptability, and sustained commitment to the craft.

A big round of applause for these senior dancers, whose perseverance and love for Kathak made this moment possible. We are incredibly proud of what they have built together, one class, one practice session, and one step at a time. 👏🏽❤️

Organizers: Vernon Hills High School

Dancers:
Ganpath Priya Muthukaruppan Richa Saoji- Kulkarni Stacey Mae Stewartson

Providing melody Ketki Oak Marathe

Raining rhythms Sidhdesh Kulkarni

Kathak Dance Collective

These compositions may have been created centuries ago, yet they continue to resonate within us — echoing through the rhythm of our footsteps and the sound of ghungroos even today. Timeless poetry, timeless movement, timeless emotion.

KDC’s youth ensemble presenting Taal Damar

Building our Lavashika - like a vine climbing the trellis

Form flirting with formless 🔱

In the name of my ‘Ishta Devata’ — I dance

Today, we celebrate Pandit Priju Maharaj ji—my Guru, Paramguru, and one of the true architects of the Kathak art form as we experience it today. Through him, Kathak found a contemporary aesthetic while remaining deeply anchored in its classical soul.

It has been my life’s great privilege to study under him, to imbibe the bhaasha (language) of this art as he has shaped and transmitted it. Along with the gift of movement, rhythm, and aesthetics, he has given me something far greater—a community, a way of life, and an identity.

He has taught us that Kathak is not merely something we perform, but something we live. Every nuance, every silence, every expansion of the self through dance carries his imprint.

On his birthday, with deepest reverence— सादर प्रणाम, गुरुवर्य।
I bow at your lotus feet (चरणकमले नमनम्), in gratitude and humility.

Every performance we offer, every language we speak through our bodies, every experience and inner growth we arrive at—will always be in remembrance of you. Our Kathak community stands on the foundation you have laid, and we remain forever indebted.

This offering, and this moment, is in his honor.
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। 🙏🏽

Kalaa Tapasya – Sādhana se Siddhi Tak was conceived as a space where discipline meets readiness.After an audition process, these two young dancers stood out unanimously—chosen by all four judges and invited to open the evening as curtain raisers for our Student Spotlight performance.

They are the youngest of our learners, yet they move with a quiet authority that feels lived-in. As Krishna and Radha, they brought charm and elegance, allowing clarity of movement, musical sensitivity, and presence to speak for itself. A reminder that when sādhana is sincere, mastery begins to reveal itself early.

KDC’s young learners:
Aekanshi as Krishna and Laavi as Radha

Event:
Kalaa Tapasya – Sādhana se Siddhi Tak (From Discipline to Mastery) — a student spotlight performance series celebrating dedication and growth.This is for students (all grade levels and age group) who show exceptional commitment, take initiative and are ready to take their learning to the next level and pursue excellence in their craft.