The living legend Pandit Birju Maharaj, who has been conferred with the Padmavibhushan Award will talk about the development of the classical Indian dance form Kathak through the ages and in particular, over the last 70 years since India’s independence.
Pandit Birju Maharaj is the fifth generation of the legendary Kathak lineage of Lucknow gharana and has been widely recognized and felicitated for his contribution to both classical and Bollywood dance. His ancestral home in Lucknow has been converted into a Kathak Museum.
The lively evening of discussion and clips from his archives will be moderated by Kathak exponents Saswati Sen and Sujata Banerjee
The evening will be the finale of Hemantika Festival 2017, a weeklong celebration of Kathak featuring a variety of performances, workshops, master classes and competitions. Now in its second year, the festival features UK-based and international artists and opens its doors to amateur and advanced Kathak practitioners.