2026 Artist Lineup

Sandip Mallick

Kolkata, India

ARTIST PROFILE

Born into a family devoted to music, Sandip began his formal Kathak training under the tutelage of Srimati Srilekha Mukherjee. He went on to receive intensive, in-depth taleem (advanced training) from a lineage of legendary luminaries, including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pandit Ram Mohan Mishra, Pandit Chitresh Das, Guru Bela Arnab, Guru Bandana Sen, Srimati Saswati Sen, and Pandit Vijai Shankar. To deepen his command of rhythm, he also underwent specialized training under the revered tabla maestro Pandit Kumar Bose.

By blending the rigorous traditional training received from these masters with his own innovative imagination, Sandip has brought a distinct, contemporary dimension to the classical Kathak repertoire.

ACADEMIC & ARTISTIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Post Graduate Degree in Dance (First Class): Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata

• Bachelor of Commerce (Honours): The University of Calcutta

• Titles: Nritya Prabhakar, Visharad, and Upadhaya (awarded with a Gold Medal)

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

• Empanelled Artist with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and an auditioned artist for Doordarshan.

• Secured 1st Place in prestigious Kathak competitions conducted by both the West Bengal State Music Academy and the Dover Lane Music Conference.

• Recipient of a Production Grant from the Government of India’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture for his acclaimed production, Nritya Darpan.

• Under his mentorship, three students have received national scholarships from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and one student has been awarded a CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training) scholarship.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

India

Sandip has performed extensively across India’s premier classical arts platforms. Notable festival appearances include:

• National Festivals: Kathak Kendra (New Delhi), Sangeet Natak Akademi (including Swarna Nritya Pratibha celebrating 50 years of SNA), Dover Lane Music Conference, and the Uday Shankar Dance Festival (invitation includes three solo features and two group presentations).

• Regional & Cultural Platforms: West Bengal State Music Academy, EZCC, ICCR, Anamika Kala Sangam, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs (Government of Andhra Pradesh), Virasat (Lucknow), Nritya Bharati (Pune), Guru Purnima Festival (Patna), and Kalanand (Nashik).

• Special Engagements:

  • Featured as one of only four main soloists at Vasantotsava 2007, the milestone 70th birthday celebration of Pandit Birju Maharaj.

  • Presented high-profile solo Kathak recitals accompanied by legendary tabla maestros Pandit Kumar Bose (2005) and Ustad Sabir Khan (2010).

  • Performed at Natyanjali (Chidambaram and Tiruvarur), sponsored by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

International

Since 2002, Sandip has maintained an active international touring schedule spanning the US, UK, Canada, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Singapore.

• Kathak at the Crossroads (San Francisco, 2006): Participated as a featured soloist at this landmark international festival alongside masters such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Kumudini Lakhia, Pandit Chitresh Das, Pandit Rajendra Gangani, and Smt. Saswati Sen.

• The Mahabharata Tour (UK, 2007): Played the prominent roles of Shiva and Nakula in a major touring production by Kalapi Jani and Sadler's Wells Theatre. The production was directed by Stuart Wood, choreographed by Gouri Sharma Tripathi, with a score by Nitin Sawhney.

• Cross-Cultural Collaborations: Explored flamenco movement through an artistic residency with the Sujata Dance Company (London) and performed as the lead artist for the Namaste Greetings project under the Annapurna Indian Dance Company (Yorkshire).

CHOREOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS

Sandip has conceptualized and choreographed several acclaimed group ballets, including Khoj, Ananta Prabaha, Alingan, and Nritya Darpan.

As a soloist, his theme-based production Upalabdhi received critical acclaim from connoisseurs for its seamless integration of spiritual philosophy with rigorous, traditional Kathak technique. His other notable solo choreographies include Suddh, Purush, and Shanti Bhavna.

Driven by a commitment to pedagogy, Sandip systematically codified a foundational syllabus consisting of 64 basic movements and steps (adapted similarly to adavus) specifically designed to streamline technical training for contemporary Kathak students.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Founder & Principal Teacher: NADAM (Training institution established in 1993)

• Senior Faculty: Padatik (Joined in 2003)

• Kathak Instructor: The Heritage School, Kolkata (Since 2005)

• International Workshop Leader: Conducts intensive masterclasses and workshops across India, the UK, Canada, Singapore, Italy, Germany, and the Czech Republic. 

Shivani Sheth & Dr. Neeha Jhala

Boston, USA and Ahmedabad, India

Shivani Sheth and Dr. Neeha Jhala are senior disciples of Smt. Madhavi Jhala, founder of Madhavi Jhala’s Kathak Dance Institute in Ahmedabad, India. A distinguished exponent of Kathak, Smt. Jhala is a disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj ji and Padma Vibhushan Smt. Kumudini Lakhia ji. With over twenty years of dedicated training under her guidance, Shivani and Neeha have built a strong foundation in the Lucknow gharana style of Kathak.

Both artists have earned their Bachelor of Music (B.Mus) degrees in Kathak from the prestigious Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Miraj, and currently serve as faculty members at the institute. Shivani Sheth, based in Boston, Massachusetts, balances her artistic pursuits with a professional career as a Senior Research Associate in the biotechnology field. Dr. Neeha Jhala, based in Ahmedabad, is a practicing radiologist (M.D. Radiodiagnosis) and is also pursuing a B.Mus in Hindustani Classical Vocal, further enriching her artistic expression.

They have presented their work at various cultural platforms, festivals, and community events, engaging diverse audiences in India and abroad. Together, Shivani and Neeha are committed to preserving, performing, and promoting Kathak through stage performances, teaching, and cultural collaborations.

Bhargavi Sardesai

Dallas, Texas

Bhargavi Sardesai is a passionate kathak performer, dedicated educator, and choreographer with over 16 years of training under the esteemed guidance of Pandita Shama Bhate. She holds a Master of Arts in kathak with distinction from Lalit Kala Kendra, Savitribai Phule Pune University, and graduated with an M.F.A. in Dance from California State University, Long Beach, where she expanded her artistic practice into contemporary explorations.

Bhargavi’s performances have taken her across India and international stages, sharing the rhythms, storytelling, and expressiveness of kathak with diverse audiences. She performed at the 2018 Beethoven Festival in Bonn, Germany, collaborating with flute maestro Pt. Rakesh Chaurasia and percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger, and at the World Conference 2019 by Deutsche Welle at WCCB, Bonn. More recently, she has continued performing in the United States, presenting kathak to new communities and exploring how classical forms resonate in contemporary, diasporic contexts.

As a choreographer, Bhargavi blends traditional kathak with contemporary movement, creating innovative interpretations of Indian narratives. Her works range from intimate solos to collaborative ensemble pieces, and she has contributed significantly to choreographic projects at NADROOP — School of Kathak Dance.

With a commitment to both tradition and experimentation, Bhargavi’s artistic focus lies in exploring how Indian classical movement can speak to contemporary audiences, particularly in diasporic spaces. Through performance, choreography, and teaching, she seeks to share Indian stories and cultural heritage with global audiences in ways that are both engaging and resonant—fostering connection, curiosity, and appreciation for the depth and versatility of kathak.

Arpita Roy

Virginia, USA

Arpita Roy is a Lucknow gharana kathak dancer, choreographer, and passionate teacher. She holds a Nritya Prabhakar from the prestigious Allahabad Board and a Nritya Visarad (gold medalist) from the Tailakka Board of India. Arpita began her training at a young age under Shri Parimal Krishna and further honed her artistry under Vidushi Smt. Chetna Jalan and Pandit Vijay Shankar. She currently continues her advanced training with Shri Souvik Chakraborty, recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. She has also attended master classes led by renowned maestros such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Kumudini Lakhia, and Vidushi Saswati Sen.

An accomplished performer, Arpita has presented kathak across India and the United States, including at the Embassy of India’s IDEA Festival and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She has performed at several prestigious venues in Kolkata, and her recent performance at Gyan Manch was featured on Doordarshan TV.

Arpita is also the founder and artistic director of the Jhanak Dance Academy in Virginia. With over two decades of teaching experience, she has trained numerous students whose performances have earned recognition for their quality, choreography, and presentation. Her students have showcased their talent on prominent platforms including Zee TV’s Dance India Dance (North America), Boogie Woogie competitions, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Wolf Trap’s International Children’s Festival, and the Reston Multicultural Festival.

Surabhi Kulkarni

Sunnyvale, California

Surabhi began her kathak training at the age of seven under Smt. Shambhavi Dandekar and further refined her artistry under Amruta Paranjape. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance with a Gold Medal and a Master’s degree with Distinction, earning a Silver Medal from Lalit Kala Kendra, Savitribai Phule Pune University. She has also completed her Advanced Diploma from Bharati Vidyapeeth and is a Nritya Alankar of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya under Asmita Thakur.

A dynamic and versatile performer, Surabhi has presented her art at prestigious festivals including India’s International Dance Festival, Bengaluru Ganeshotsav, and the Pt. Rohini Bhate Nrityotsav. She has also represented India at the Maharashtra Cultural Centre in Japan. In 2025, she presented full-length kathak solo performances at the IFAASD Youth Festival and across several cities including San Diego, Houston (TX), Sunnyvale, and Dublin in the Bay Area. Her artistic excellence has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Pt. Lacchu Maharaj Ji Award and the Pt. Rajendra Gangani Kathak Alankaran 2022. She is also a part of NrityaChakra—a landmark initiative recognized by both the World Record Books of India and the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of kathak compositions performed collectively by dancers.

Since 2015, Surabhi has been actively involved in teaching under her guru’s institute, Ábhivyakti. She currently serves as an assistant teacher at Shambhavi’s International School of Kathak (SISK) in San Francisco and is a member of the SISK Dance Ensemble. Beyond performance and pedagogy, she works as a freelance social media strategist, passionately advocating for classical arts in the digital age. Her Master’s thesis, "Changing Aesthetic of Kathak on Social Media during the Pandemic," was widely appreciated for its insightful exploration of evolving artistic expression and audience engagement.

Surabhi has also contributed as a movement development teacher for autistic children, integrating therapeutic dance techniques to nurture motor skills, confidence, and self-expression. She remains actively involved with the Baithak Foundation’s Anubhav Sessions, bringing meaningful artistic experiences to school students and fostering cultural appreciation among younger generations.

Surabhi’s dance is deeply rooted in traditional kathak yet transcends conventional boundaries, as she continuously explores innovative narratives and choreographic styles. Her penchant for storytelling breathes life into her performances, fueled by her analytical nature and appetite for research—evident in her impactful thesis that resonated with dancers and critics alike. Driven by a fervent desire for collaboration and artistic exploration, Surabhi embarks on a journey to push the boundaries of kathak while remaining anchored to its rich cultural heritage.

Aakriti Kathak Academy

Cary, North Carolina

Aakriti Kathak Academy, located in Cary, North Carolina, is dedicated to the teaching, preservation, and promotion of kathak, one of India’s most celebrated classical dance forms. Founded with a vision to blend tradition with artistic innovation, the academy offers structured training for students of all ages and backgrounds, fostering technical excellence, creativity, discipline, and cultural appreciation. Rooted in the rich traditions of the Jaipur and Banaras gharanas, the academy emphasizes rhythm, storytelling, expression, and performance while creating a supportive environment where students can grow both artistically and personally.

The academy is led by accomplished kathak artist Dr. Kriti Rakesh, whose training reflects years of rigorous study under renowned gurus. Kriti was initially trained under Dr. Shashi Sankhla in Jaipur and later pursued her Bachelor’s and Master’s training under the guidance of Pandita Maneesha Sathe. She is currently receiving advanced training under the legendary Pandit Rajendra Gangani, one of the foremost kathak maestros of the Jaipur gharana. Her diverse training brings authenticity, depth, and a strong classical foundation to the academy’s teaching approach.

Aakriti Kathak Academy actively contributes to the cultural landscape of the Triangle area through performances, workshops, recitals, and community engagement programs. The academy believes in using dance as a medium for education, self-expression, and cultural connection, inspiring students to embrace both artistic excellence and their cultural roots. Through dedication to tradition and innovation, Aakriti Kathak Academy continues to nurture the next generation of passionate and confident kathak dancers.

Shivani Joshi

Portland, Oregon

Shivani Joshi is a distinguished, Portland-based performing artist whose work bridges the disciplines of Indian classical dance and Hindustani vocal music. Raised in a rich cultural environment, she began her rigorous training under local maestros, eventually earning a bachelor’s diploma in Hindustani vocal music under the guidance of her mother, the esteemed musician Dr. Nisha Joshi. Shivani’s foundational dance journey began with Bharatanatyam, culminating in her Arangetram under the tutelage of Ms. Sivagami Vanka.

While Shivani holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Oregon, her artistic calling led her back to the roots of her craft. Inspired by her studies with Vidushi Urmila Nagar (revered disciple of Guru Kundan Lal Gangani), she traveled to India to refine her skills under Dr. Santosh Vyas and Dr. Ranjna Chhabra. Her dedication earned her a prestigious scholarship from the Government of India (ICCR) to attend the National Institute of Kathak Dance, Kathak Kendra, in New Delhi. There, she advanced her repertoire under the world-renowned Pandit Rajendra Kumar Gangani (son and disciple of Guru Kundan Lal Gangani).

An accomplished performer on both stage and television, Shivani has appeared on Doordarshan and participated in premier festivals, including the Kathak Mahotsav in Delhi and the Maha Kathak Utsav in Ujjain. Beyond dance, she has lent her voice to dance productions and recordings, and regularly performs ghazals, bhajans, and Rajasthani folk songs.

Currently, Shivani continues to enchant audiences across India and the United States, serving as a vital ambassador for Indian classical arts through performance and pedagogy.

Chhandika Dance Ensemble

Boston, USA

Chhandika Dance Ensemble is composed of advanced dancers who have trained for many years at Chhandam Institute of Kathak Dance (Chhandika) in Boston, MA. Chhandika was founded in 1992 and is directed by Gretchen Hayden, a senior disciple and one of the early students of the late Pt. Chitresh Das. The ensemble dancers carry on the legacy and unique style of Pt. Das, performing old and new works in Chhandika shows, solo performances, and other events and festivals around Massachusetts.

Anita & Sreeja

Toronto, Canada

Anita and Sreeja are Toronto-based kathak dancers.

Anita received advanced training under Urmila Sharma in India and continues to expand her movement vocabulary under the guidance of the Sanjukta Sinha Dance Company.

Sreeja’s training began under the guidance of Brojen Mukherjee. She completed her Visharad from the Prayag Sangit Samiti and continues her advanced training with Sandip Mallick.

Highlighting a few of their many solo and ensemble performances, Anita toured Canada with the kathak production Khoj (Usha Gupta Dance Ensemble), gracing prestigious stages such as the Triffo Theatre in Edmonton and the Michael J. Fox Theatre in Vancouver. As a soloist, Anita has performed to full houses at venues including the Sampradaya Dance Centre in Toronto, Theatre Rialto in Montreal, the Shenkman Arts Centre in Ottawa, and the Sanskritik Kendra in India. Her newest dance work, Astitva—created in collaboration with Gouri Kundu—premiered at Dusk Dances in 2024. Anita placed first in the Sangeet Natak Akademi state-level competition and has earned media coverage in Dainik Jagran, CBC News, and Burnaby Now.

Sreeja has performed extensively across Kolkata, Bangalore, and Toronto. She has had the privilege of performing at popular events such as the Toronto International Dance Festival, Taste of India, Terrace Concerts, and Sampradaya Dance Creations’ productions Salaam Rehman and Summer Skies.

Anita and Sreeja have also trained collectively under Sandip Mallick in residencies curated by Parul Gupta. Dhamaar, the piece they are presenting at this year’s New York Kathak Festival, was learned during those residencies.

Ananya Goswami

Delaware, USA

Ananya Goswami is an accomplished kathak artist, visual artist, and educator based in Delaware. A 2025 Delaware Division of the Arts Established Artist Fellow, she serves as a kathak professor at the University of Delaware and as the artistic director of Srishti — The Kathak Academy. Her lineage is rooted in the mentorship of legends, including the late Pt. Birju Maharaj ji, Vidushi Saswati Sen ji, and Sri Rama Prasad Chattopadhyay.

Ananya’s career bridges classical rigor with contemporary community engagement. As the Head of Dance at Udaan Inc. and a panelist for Mid Atlantic Arts, she is a vital leader in the cultural landscape. Her performances have graced prestigious platforms worldwide, including the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Biggs Museum of American Art, and Pt. Birju Maharaj’s renowned production, Srishti.

Her accolades reflect a lifetime of dedication:

• National Scholarship (CCRT), Government of India

• Nritya Ratnakara Vidhushi Award (Griffin College of London)

• Sri Jaydev International Award

• Delaware Artist Grant Award

An active member of NDEO and CID—UNESCO Paris, Ananya is also a Full Teaching Member at ISTD and an IndianRaga Fellow. Her pedagogy spans from early childhood to university levels, emphasizing technical excellence alongside a personal artistic voice. Through her dual mastery of dance and visual arts, Ananya continues to curate inclusive spaces that harmonize ancient traditions with modern expression, fostering deep cultural exchange across the United States and India.

Anjali Tanna

New Jersey

Anjali Tanna is an emerging kathak artist based in Toronto, working at the intersection of classical form and contemporary creation. She trained in India under Sanjukta Sinha, alongside earlier training with Kumud Bhatt and David Bomble. Her practice has been shaped through extensive ensemble-based work across India, the UK, the US, and Canada.

Working across multiple cultural contexts, Anjali’s journey as a performer has led her toward questioning authorship and her place within inherited traditions. Much of her early work has been rooted in collaborative processes, and she is now transitioning toward a more self-led artistic practice.

Grounded in kathak, her current work explores how the form can expand beyond its traditional frameworks while maintaining its structural integrity. She engages with contemporary creation to investigate themes of diaspora, belonging, and the in-between spaces shaped by migration and shifting identities. Her practice is driven by an interest in embodiment, rhythm, and the negotiation between structure and freedom.

Alongside her artistic work, Anjali is a yoga and movement instructor, bringing a somatic awareness to her approach to performance and creation.

Smita Alves

Orange County, California

Smita Alves is a distinguished kathak artist and educator dedicated to the rigorous preservation of Indian classical dance within the Southern California landscape. Born and raised in California, Smita occupies a vital role as a cultural ambassador, possessing the unique ability to translate the deep nuances and rhythmic complexities of kathak for her first- and second-generation student base. She carries over 30 years of training and a professional repertoire as a lead dancer under Smt. Anjani Ambegaokar, touring the U.S. and Canada at venues and events including the Kala Nidhi Dance Festival, Lincoln Center, the United Nations, and the Emerging Artist Showcase through the Music Circle, to name a few.

As the founder of Bhakti Bhav Dance, Smita has developed a pedagogical approach that deconstructs the art’s mechanics to ensure clarity, precision, and discipline remain uncompromised across borders. She provides a specialized roadmap for students born in the U.S., helping them find an authentic voice within the tradition while maintaining an uncompromising standard of technical excellence. This mission is most evident in the Bhakti Bhav Elite, an ensemble of high school dancers Smita mentors to help them transition from hobbyists to professional-level technicians.

Under her direction, her students have earned accolades for choreography and technical execution at numerous festivals and events. Smita’s work is defined by intellectual artistry—interpreting the historical evolution of kathak to ensure it remains a living, transformative discipline. By fostering a community rooted in dedication, she continues to prove that the endless wealth of kathak is a universal language, flourishing with vibrancy and precision in the modern world.

Dr. Suhail Yusuf Khan

Santa Cruz, California

Suhail Yusuf Khan is one of today’s leading exponents of Sarangi. He brings together expertise from a performance career that has extended over 25 years, a creative ability, and academic research to find new modes of expression in Hindustānī music. Trained under his grandfather, the pioneering sarangi maestro Sabri Khan, and uncle Kamal Sabri, Suhail carries forward a lineage of eight generations of musicians in his family. He is a PhD and Postdoctoral Associate Fellow at Yale Institute of Sacred Music for the Academic Year 2024-25. His doctoral dissertation, “Bridge Overtones: Lessons from the Sarangi” is the first in-depth ethnomusicological study of the North Indian bowed instrument tradition by a hereditary sarangi player. He has been featured on over twenty albums and signed to Domino records, U.K.

Tejas Tope

New York

Tejas Tope has been studying tabla with Samir Chatterjee, as well as with Ustad Zakir Hussain for over two decades - both of whom Tejas has also had the opportunity to perform alongside. He has performed globally with a variety of art forms (including as a soloist) across the U.S., Europe and India. Additionally, Tejas has studied Pakhawaj with Pandit Mohan Shyam Sharma, Pandit Manik Munde, and Shri Pratap Awad. Tejas is based in New York City.

Samarth Nagarkar

New Jersey

Samarth Nagarkar is a Khayal musician (Hindustani / North Indian classical voice music) - singer, educator and author, regarded as a flag-bearer of raga music globally. His music is often described as a rich blend of traditional authenticity with a deeply emotive, meditative, introspective and healing quality.

Samarth features in music festivals and venues around the world, some prominent appearances including, Lincoln Center (New York), Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center, Mumbai, UCLA Schoenberg Hall (Los Angeles), LearnQuest Music Conference (Boston), Central Park Summer Stage (New York), Festival of Tabla (Orange County), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Chicago World Music Festival, The Continuum Festival (San Francisco), ITC Sangeet Sammelan (Kolkata), Bangalore International Center (Bangalore) and Dakkhini Music Conference (Kolkata).

He has several solo as well as collaborative albums to his credit and has authored the much lauded book, ‘Raga Sangeet’. He is a Voting Member of the Recording Academy, popularly known as the Grammys. He was awarded a Fellowship by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and was one of the youngest to win the prestigious and highly competitive All India Radio’s National Music Competition. In 2022, Samarth was awarded the NAKA Outstanding Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts. Samarth is a Dr. Sambhi Visiting Artist at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

Samarth trained under two distinguished masters, Ulhas Kashalkar and Dinkar Kaikini, in the guru-shishya system, where the disciple lives with the guru for several years and acquires deep insight and mastery in the art form through complete immersion. He was also a scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. Through intensive training and decades of study and practice Samarth has earned a rare distinction of being proficient in three styles or gharanas - Gwalior, Agra and Jaipur.

As an educator, in addition to training gifted students deeply committed to raga music, Samarth frequently lectures at universities like NYU and MSM as well as at middle and high schools across the country, working relentlessly to make this genre accessible to listeners, through short courses, masterclasses and innovative presentations. Previously, Samarth served as head of the K. K. Kapoor Music Academy, Lucknow, and as Guru and Director of Academic Affairs at Chhandayan Center for Indian Music, New York. As a voice coach, he has worked with several prominent personalities, including star actor Priyanka Chopra, and musicians from other genres of singing such as opera and jazz.

He currently runs Raga Sangeet Creative, a non-profit initiative towards concert curation, music education and publication. He is a founding member of Brooklyn Raga Massive (a collective striving to make raga music mainstream and to create sustainable livelihoods for musicians) and a curator of their Colors of Raga deep-listening concert series. Samarth is among the first to scale digital platforms like Patreon in the Indian classical music world, pioneering new avenues of audience engagement, music education, mentorship and monetization.