In this episode we connected with our first dance-maker specializing in Indian Kathak dance! Barkha Patel gave us a fascinating, in-depth look at the intricacies and history of Kathak technique while describing her own experience learning and presenting Kathak. Along the way, we talked about how dance can reflect, imbibe and transform a dancer’s personality, and Barkha told us about her first full-length production with Barkha Dance Company, set to premiere in 2019. We hope you’ll be as excited to follow Barkha’s work as we are after this interview! See a video of Barkha in action here and be sure to subscribe to her channel. You can also follow Barkha on Instagram.

Barkha Patel is an Indian Classical Kathak dancer based in New York. She has been trained in the Jaipur and Lucknow style of Kathak by her Guru, Rachna Sarang, and is currently also training in Bharatanatyam with Deepak Mazumdar and Hindustani rhythm with Pandit Divyang Vakil. Barkha completed her Master’s in Kathak Performing Arts from the Kalidasa Sanskrit University in Nagpur, India.

Through Barkha Dance Company, Barkha teaches classes in New York and New Jersey that help students become more aware of their physical strength and grace while learning the history and culture of the Indian heritage. She is currently working on her first full length production due to premiere in 2019!

Under her Guru’s guidance, Barkha has assisted in teaching productions that have been presented in both the United States and India. She presented her own debut solo in New York City in 2014, and she has travelled to many cities in the U.S and India (Gujarat, Bangalore, Mumbai) to perform Kathak solos. Other notable performances have been for former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and music virtuoso Pandit Jarajji.