From its origins in royal courts and intimate gatherings, Kathak – known for its intricate footwork, energetic movements and pirouettes – has traveled to the modern proscenium stage. This change was shaped by a number of eminent women dancers and gurus in independent India, who introduced innovative methods that gave a contemporary edge to the traditional form.
Kathak further developed under Mughal patronage. Beyond the palace courtyards, the form survived largely due to courtesans, who preserved and transmitted this artistic tradition through the generations.
How these women brought Kathak to the modern stage was the main theme of the sixth edition of the Dr. Maya Rao Kathak and Choreography Conference organized by the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography in Bengaluru. The institute is headed by senior dancer and choreographer Madhu Nataraja, daughter of Kathak exponent Maya Rao. She is also the founder of STEM Dance Company, known for its contemporary productions.
Madhu Nataraj is carrying forward the vision of her mother Maya Rao. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“After Independence, it was women who adopted Kathak from the gharanadars and male dancers and took it to different cities. Today, the cities where the gharanas originated are no longer major Kathak centres. Many gharanadars left these centers and moved to Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai to work in institutions founded by scholars like Kapila Vatsyayan and women like Nirmala Joshi and patrons like Sumitra Charat Ram,” Dancer-researcher Siddhi Goyal said in her talk, Women in Kathak: Architects of Modernity.
Dancer-researcher Siddhi Goyal Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Chiranjeev Singh, former director of information, culture and tourism, Government of Karnataka, said, “Maya Rao was responsible for creating the Kathak ecosystem in Bengaluru. She was not only a dancer but a visionary who brought a new approach to teaching and choreography.”
It was on the orders of freedom fighter and craft revivalist Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Maya Rao launched NIKC – said to be the first major institute of Kathak in South India, where she trained over 4,000 students during her lifetime. He also choreographed historical productions including ‘Amir Khusro’, ‘Venkateswara Vilasam’, ‘Kathak Through the Ages, Art and Life’ and ‘Surdas’. Chiranjeev Singh requested Madhu Nataraj to revive his mother’s ballet.
Discussing the evolution of the dance style after 1947 in terms of choreography, institution building, pedagogy, Siddhi Goyal said that today it has gradually shifted from solo dance to group choreography. In this context, he talked about Madam Maneka (Leela Roy-Sokhe), who was one of the first female Kathak dancers to perform on stage. Siddhi said, “He started a dance school in Mumbai and had a gradual course. From 1936-1938, he toured Germany and also choreographed for a German film.”
Siddhi also talked about Kumudini Lakhia and her important role in bringing group choreography into the mainstream through her experimental works like ‘Attah Kim’, ‘Duet’ and ‘Duvidha’. In a video clip played during the session, Kumudini questioned long-standing traditions: “Earlier generations always depicted mythological stories, but should there be a story for the dance?”
In 1964, Kumudini Lakhia founded the Kadamba Center for Dance in Ahmedabad, where she guided many renowned dancers including Daksha Sheth and Aditi Mangaldas.
Kumudini Lakhia played an important role in bringing group choreography into the mainstream through her experimental works. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Siddhi further said that, unlike the revered male gurus of the gharanas, it was mostly women who adopted modernity in Kathak. She highlights how women-led institutions shaped the form’s contemporary trajectory: Sumitra Charat Ram founded the Sriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra in the 1950s, while Nirmala Joshi founded Sangeet Bharati in 1936. Together, they laid the foundation of the Indian Center for the Arts, one of the earliest major institutions in India dedicated to classical music and dance.
It is hard to ignore the contribution of Reba Vidyarthi to Kathak – a teacher who prepared many leading dancers, many of whom later trained under famous male gurus. A trained classical dancer and singer, Reba was initially forbidden by her parents from performing in public. Nevertheless she became one of the finest Kathak teachers of her time. He developed a pioneering methodology to train physically challenged children and also designed the Diploma (Hons) course for the Kathak Centre.
Siddhi said, “Reba ji had extraordinary depth in her art, but very little is known about her. There is not a single video of her in the public domain because she never performed in public, although some recordings exist in the Sangeet Natak Akademi archives.”
published – February 17, 2026 05:26 PM IST