In a city that reveres and celebrates Bharatanatyam and where every neighbourhood has a a school that teaches the dance form, Kathak, another form of classical dance, finds itself in an alien world. There is hope — for example, there is twenty-two-year-old Shritha Baskar who is striving to popularise Kathak in her own way.
Her studio Taraana in Nungambakkam offers a space for dancers to express themselves with grace and style.
“This dance form has no boundaries and I have designed the classes in such a way that the students can perform to contemporary music. I have books in the studio for the students to understand the theory. Also, I record our performances and the students get to watch them later. By doing this, they can figure out the mistakes they make and understand the movements better,” says Shritha, who has been dancing since the age of five.
She says that being young helps her connect with her younger students. “Most of the time, there is a huge age difference between the guru and the students. Things are different in my case. I can understand their needs and teach them accordingly,” she says. A resident of Nungambakkam, Shritha has learnt Kathak from Dubai. She’d often travel to Hyderabad and Delhi to learn the nuances of the art.
She has also trained under the legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj. “I moved to Chennai for higher studies. It was around the time that Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam was released. Thanks to the movie, there was some buzz around Kathak and people began noticing it. I started the studio with a few students and now I have around 100,” she says.
Shritha plans to popularise this dance form and make it accessible to young dancers.
“Like yoga, which has now become a global phenomenon, Indian classical dance forms like Kathak can be taken to many. I want more youngsters to learn this form,” she says.
Taraana Academy of Kathak dance is located at 3 E Gee Gee Emerald Complex, Nungambakkam (The Pizza Hut Building near Sterling Road Signal). For details, call 9500081900.
