Kathak Kendra

Kathak Kendra
Name	Kathak Kendra
Established	1964
Type	Institution
Location	New Delhi, India
Campus	Urban
Affiliation	Sangeet Natak Akademi

Kathak Kendra is the premier institution for classical Kathak dance training located in New Delhi, India. Founded under the aegis of the Sangeet Natak Akademi during the mid-20th century, it has served as a hub for practitioners from the Lucknow Gharana, Jaipur Gharana, and Benaras Gharana lineages. The Kendra has close ties with institutions such as the National School of Drama, Doordarshan, Rashtrapati Bhavan, and cultural ministries, and its graduates have performed at venues including the Prithvi Theatre, Kamani Auditorium, and international festivals like the Edinburgh Festival.

History

The establishment was initiated in the aftermath of initiatives by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and leaders associated with the Ministry of Education (India), influenced by figures linked to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Jawaharlal Nehru's cultural policies, and patrons such as Rashtrapati-era trustees. Early pedagogues and administrators included maestros with associations to the Lucknow Gharana, masters trained under courts of the Awadh region, and artists who collaborated with the Benaras and Jaipur traditions. Over decades the Kendra underwent administrative reforms paralleling changes at the Sangeet Natak Akademi and participated in national cultural missions alongside the Archaeological Survey of India on heritage dance documentation. Its history intersects with landmark events like state cultural delegations to the United Kingdom, exchanges with the Soviet Union, and participation in festivals such as the Kolkata International Theatre Festival.

Campus and Facilities

Located in central New Delhi, the campus is proximate to cultural nodes like Connaught Place, India Gate, and the National Gallery of Modern Art. Facilities include multiple rehearsal halls, a dedicated auditorium used for recitals at venues comparable to the Kamani Auditorium, costume and makeup workshops that echo practices at the National School of Drama, and archives modeled after collections at the Sangeet Natak Akademi Library. The Kendra maintains a performance studio equipped to host collaborations with ensembles from the Bharatiya Nritya Kala Mandir, visiting artists from the Kathakali and Bharatanatyam traditions, and delegations from institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dance and the UNESCO cultural programmes.

Academic Programs and Curriculum

The curriculum integrates practical training, theory, and history rooted in the pedagogy of the Lucknow Gharana, Jaipur Gharana, and Benaras Gharana, with courses that reference treatises and repertoires paralleling material from the Natyashastra era. Programs include diploma- and certificate-level training, workshops for repertoire drawing from works by choreographers connected to the Sangeet Natak Akademi and performance modules suited for tours organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Students study talas and compositions associated with artists linked to the Mughal-era courts, rhythmic systems used by exponents who performed in Princely States, and contemporary choreographic methods influenced by collaborations with faculty from the National School of Drama and visiting teachers from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Faculty and visiting gurus at the Kendra have included artists with lineages traceable to stalwarts whose names appear alongside institutions like the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardees. Alumni have gone on to perform with companies and festivals such as the Zee TV cultural specials, Doordarshan broadcasts, international tours sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and collaborations with dancers from the Bharatanatyam and Odissi communities. Graduates have been featured in productions at the Prithvi Theatre, invited for scholarships by the Ministry of Culture (India), and recognized in forums like the Kala Ratna and regional honours administered by state cultural academies modeled on the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Performances and Festivals

The Kendra organizes regular recitals, utsavs, and seasonal festivals showcasing solo and group presentations linked to the repertoire of gharanas participating in national circuits such as the Surajkund Crafts Mela, Khajuraho Dance Festival, Delhi International Arts Festival, and international stages including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Performances often feature collaborations with instrumentalists associated with the All India Radio circuit, tabla players from the Benares Gharana (tabla), and choreographic projects co-produced with entities like the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Outreach, Research, and Publications

The institution conducts outreach initiatives, documentation drives, and research projects in collaboration with entities such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi, National Folklore Support Centre, and cultural wings of the Ministry of Culture (India). Its publications and pedagogical material draw parallels with archival work at the Sangeet Natak Akademi Library, monographs similar to those produced by the Rabindra Bharati University and research outputs showcased at conferences organized by the Indian Council of Historical Research. The Kendra has participated in digitization projects, field surveys of dance traditions from regions like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, and has contributed to symposia involving scholars from the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Delhi.

Category:Kathak