Amita has taught and guided the workshops in several parts of the world and thereby popularizing Kathak.

International Workshops

Workshops on Kathak dance and choreography conducted at Washington DC, Virginia and New York in October and November 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.

Workshop on Kathak dance and choreography conducted at the Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA, in October 2003.

Workshop on Kathak dance and choreography conducted at the Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, in November 2004.

National Workshops

2004: 3-day workshop at Malda. Organized by Creative Workshop. 70 students participated.

2003: 3-day Workshop at Burdwan. Organized by Arup Ratan. 70 students participated.

2002: Conducted workshop on Kathak Dance under the aegis of Ananda Chandrika, Purulia at Bikas Bhavan, Purulia. 85 students participated.

Friday, January 18, 2002: Under the aegis of Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan, Tinsukia Branch. 30 students participated.

June 4- 5, 2001: Conducted workshop on Kathak dance organized by Ananda Chandrika, Purulia. 50 students participated.

Conducted workshops in Kathak under the aegis of the West Bengal State Academy in Malda, Purulia and Siliguri. Average of 30 students participated in each.

Workshops designed and coordinated

Workshops by Pdt. Birju Maharaj and Sm. Kumudini Lakhia at West Bengal State Music Academy, Kolkata.

Workshops by Kalakshetra on Bharata Natyam, Hojagari Dance and Innovative Dance at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.

Workshop in Kathak

Workshop may be organized for one day or several days.

For one day:

1. Basics of pure abstract dance movements taught for one hour.
2. Basics of major rhythmic patterns with corresponding footwork taught for one hour.
3. Break for half hour.
4. Short history of dance with special emphasis on Kathak dance discussed: Power Point presentation of the duration of one hour.
5. One dance item, combining abstract and expressive dance and of the duration of approximately five minutes taught. This will take approximately two hours.

This one-day workshop gives a comprehensive idea of the dance form and students who are familiar with dance can learn and in future perform the item taught.

For several days:

1. Basics of pure abstract dance movements taught and practiced every day at the beginning for half an hour.
2. Basics of major rhythmic patterns with corresponding footwork taught for one hour in the first day. Subsequently rhythmic compositions and how to perform them taught every day for one hour.
3. Break for half hour.
4. Short history of dance with special emphasis on Kathak dance discussed: Power Point presentation: duration of one hour. This is on the first day.
6. Several dance items, combining abstract and expressive dance and of the duration of approximately five to seven minutes taught. Number of items will depend on the ability of the participants to learn them. This will take approximately two hours.

This workshop enables participants to learn and perform Kathak dance items as well as have an idea of the history and aesthetics of Indian dance.

All items are on recorded music that is on CDs and cassettes.
There must be arrangements for playing the music and showing the Power Point presentation.

Copies of the music for the dance items will be given to the students. The workshop may be concluded with a performance by the students of what they have learnt in the workshop in the first half, and my performance Mandir se Manch (cf. relevant attachment) that highlights representative items from the different stages in the history of Kathak.

 

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