Kathak By Sushmita Sharma: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR KATHAK BY SUSHMITA SHARMA

There are some things that money cannot buy. We do not know if a performance by Susmita Chatterjee is one of them. Fortunately, we do not have to find out - this one is free!

The Kathak Kala Kshetra, in association with the Department of Culture, is organising The Deccan Dance Festival from 6th to 8th March, at the Ravindra Bharathi. The 3-day festival will feature some of the best classical dancers of the country, like Susmita Chatterjee, Bimbavati Devi, Pallavi Krishnan, Meenakshi Chitranjan, Dr Shobha Naidu and Sujata Mahapatra, sharing the stage.

Today, the inaugural day, Susmita Chatterjee will be performing a Kathak recital. Susmita was initiated into the world of dance and music at a tender age. Her dance is a configuration of the Lucknow gharanas of Kathak and hence is a harmonious amalgamation of grace and vigor. A performer, teacher and a choreographer par excellence, Susmita has carved a niche for herself and has given a new dimension to Kathak.

She was initially trained in Lucknow gharana of Kathak under the guidance of Guru Bandana Sen, and continued under her for 8 years. After that she joined the Padatik Dance Centre and learnt the nuances of the Lucknow gharana from the renowned Kathak maestro Pt Vijay Shankar, and later from the legendary Padma Vibhushan Pt Birju Maharaj, and Saswati Sen.

A recipient of the Senior National Scholarship in Kathak from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India, she has participated at the Kalka Bindadin Mahotsav (Delhi), the Surya Festival (Trivandrum), the Panchmari Utsav by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, the Sangeet Natak Academy Dance Festival, the Mysore Dasara Festival, the Gwalior Festival, the Khajuraho Dance Festival, the prestigious Kathak Utsav by the Kathak Kendra New Delhi, the Uday Shankar Dance Festival in Kolkata, the Pataliputra Sangeet Samaroh in Patna, the Konark Dance Festival in Orissa, the Vasant Utsav in Delhi by Kalasram, and the Dover Lane Music and Dance Festival, West Bengal.

Kathak Kala Kshetra was started by Pandit Anju Babu, a Kathak dancer, choreographer and percussionist, in 1980. He himself was a popular dancer, having performed in countries like USA, France, England and Japan. Pandit Babu teaches many students in this institute, and has even conducted international training programs with Anjali Papa, Director of the Anjali Centre of Houston, where he trained many Indian and American children in Kathak.

The entry to the festival is free. For further details, please contact 98492-59133.