Rediscovering Dance by Prachi Vora

Kathak transports me to a place where I feel free to learn, push my limits, and grow. It is a privilege to wear ghunghroos again and to be a part of a group that is committed to dance. Seeing the other dancers immersed into their dances during the “end-to-end” practices is a wonderful experience! I am reminded of how much I miss going to Kathak classes, trying to mirror my guruji’s graceful abhinay, contributing to the rhythmic buzz in the dance studio through strong footwork and timely recitation, and comparing notes with fellow students about taal, tatkar, and chakkars. I learned Bharatnatyam as a child and took up Kathak in my mid-20s. I studied under Gretchen Hayden in Cambridge, MA for three years and was captivated by Pandit Chitresh Das’s style of storytelling. Eager to get back to the dance, I tried a few options in the Seattle area over the last two years. For some reason or another, I didn’t find my Kathak home in WA. Consequently, I started practicing on my own—here-and -there, now-and-then.

When Mou approached me about the prospect of doing Kathak in Chitrangada, I initially feared that my hectic travel and work schedules would prevent me from fully committing to the team. I am very pleased that I was able to overcome my hesitation! My co-dancers—Sapna, Maitreyee, Roopali, and Ritu—amazingly blend together their busy personal and professional lives with a passion for dance. Sapna’s beautiful choreography and gentle leadership has enabled me to recall why I fell in love with the essence of Kathak in the first place. I look forward to my practices with my co-dancers and to helping each other put on a successful piece for the show.

It’s an honor to be a part of Chitrangada and to share the stage with some truly incredible women and men who give more than their hearts to showcase their enthusiasm for the arts and to promote cultural awareness to the greater community. Thank you, Pratidhwani, for giving me the opportunity to rediscover and rejoice in dance.

Prachi