MUMBAI, INDIA — Swati Pillai, founder of dance school Navdha Kathakalaya inspires a lot of young girls into learning Kathak, the only dance form influenced by both Hindu and Muslim cultures.
The evolution of Kathak through the eras, starting in the temple period, evolving through the royal courts of the kings and emperors, ending with today’s proscenium stages. When Kathak started in temples hundreds of years ago, it arose as a form of storytelling, moral instruction, and a prayer offering to the Lord.
“I feel I was born to propagate Kathak in bringing its past glory. India is one culturally rich country, where almost every state has its language, cuisine, and dance forms. When it comes to dancing, India has traditional, classical, folk, and tribal dance styles, and all are simply amazing. As classical dancers, most of us do have the divine power in the back of our minds, and we offer our dance as a prayer to the Lord, as well as to entertain the audiences through that prayer,” Pillai said.
“I would say my teaching style is a mix of being both warm and demanding. My love and passion for dance reflect my teaching style. I provide caring and emotional support but also have high expectations from my students. Having said that, I make sure my students are having fun in the classroom by finding the right balance between their artistic development and enjoyment. I try to be a positive role model so my students not only learn this beautiful form of Indian classical dance but also use discipline and practice in their lifestyles.”
Kathak is commonly regarded as one of the seven classical dances of India and is the only one from North India. Kathak has been enriched greatly by the contributions of musicians, dancers, professional women artists, and court and landlord patronage. Kathak is an elegant dance form of Northern India and revolves around the concept of story-telling related to Indian ancient and mythological culture. It is further characterized by intricate footwork, body movement, and precise rhythmic patterns. Kathak is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling birds in ancient Northern India known as kathakers or storytellers.
“I hope when my students leave the classroom they feel energized and eager to come back to the next class. I also hope every dance practice session is a stress reliever for my students after their busy day at school or at work. Finally, my hope is that they take away the joy and happiness from dance that will ultimately provide a more focused approach in whatever they choose to do.
