Passion for the art form has bound together dancers of all genres into a community.

Ahead of World Dance Day on April 29

Kathak dancer Swati Sanjay Pillai on World Dance day

Swati Sanjay Pillai Inspires A Lot Of Young Girls Into Learning Kathak

Swati Sanjay Pillai: The emerging talent in Kathak

Kathak: The cultural gem is my breath & life'

Katha kahe so kathak kehelave…

(Narrate a story and that shall be Kathak…)

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.

All the incredible classical dances that originated in the country during ancient
times are very special and precious. Among all these dance forms one is Kathak
which is the cultural gem of Uttar Pradesh.

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.

Throughout history, quite unlike most classical art forms, Kathak has seldom been
performed as an offering to a deity, instead from its earliest stages, it has been
a recital directed at an audience comprising its patrons as well as the common
people.

Indian classical dances – celebrated across the globe for their enriching and
mesmerising virtuosity – can be traced back to centuries-old ways of storytelling,
performed as much for entertainment as for the spread of cultures and knowledge.
Each classical form is built upon layers of complex histories that often converge
at the intersection of culture, art, politics, and even conflict, readjusting its
structures and boundaries in the light of revolution and reform. Consequently,
varying styles of the art form find new homes and families to become gharanas, yet
other dance forms are added to the ever-dynamic definition of what constitutes as
classical.

Innovating with Kathak

Kathak, one of the Indian classical dances that once flourished in the country with
the support of the kings and rich

Her passion for Kathak and her desire to promote it among the young, particularly
girls, led her to become a Kathak instructor

Talking about her passion for Kathak, Ms. Swati Sanjay Pillai stated, “ My breath
and my joy is Kathak. “Dance has been a breakthrough for me personally. Through
dance I found myself, and within myself, I found God.”
Swati believes it is important to think deeply about the form, continue training
rigorously, and attempt one’s own interpretations to shape your journey.

She stated that evolving with the dance form to find your own artistic voice is
truly important. “My gurus have inspired me to keep questioning, find new ways of
expressing creativity. People might love it or hate it, but one must have the
courage to dance your own dance, to express your truth.”

It opened up for me a new life. I feel I was born for propagating Kathak in
bringing its past glory. Our main effort is to take classical dance to the country
and abroad and to introduce all the children to Indian dance.”

Where every Indian classical dance is rooted in the rhythms of the taal, Kathak is
in fact the only one in which the taal itself is brought to life. Some of the most
well-known taal structures like the tritaal [16 beats], jhaptaal [10 beats],
chautaal [12 beats], and dhamar [14 beats] are often taken to the stage by a
performer and highlighted through compositions like thaat, amad, toda, paran, and
tatkaar [footwork].

Swati is undoubtedly an inspiration for all the young girls out there who are
aiming to learn kathak, as she makes it look easy and mesmerizing, making us want
to try it out ourselves.