Bhilwara :Kathak dancer Shivlika Kataria will present four performances

Bhilwara -Under the initiative of Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) and with the support of the district administration and education department, the Virasat 2024 is organizing four presentations on May 3rd and 4th, 2024, at Swami Vivekananda Government Model School, Suwana, Mandlagarh, Sahada, and Raipur.

Providing information, national executive member Kailash Paliya stated that Shivlika Kataria is a renowned Kathak dancer from the Jaipur Kathak Gharana. She is a Grade A artist of Doordarshan and a associated artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Since 2016, she has also been associated with SPIC MACAY. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor in Kathak at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. She received training in Kathak under the guidance of Kathak Guru Pt. Sundarlal Gangani at Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara, and also learned from renowned gurus Nandini Singh and Prerna Srimali at Delhi Kathak Kendra.

She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Performing Arts from MSU, Vadodara, where she received the Urmila Ben Hansmukh Lal Memorial Gold Medal in her Bachelor's degree and the Urmila Ben Hansmukh Lal Memorial Silver Medal in her Master's degree. She has performed in various national and international dance festivals, including the Red Cross Festival, Indian Embassy, New Delhi Heritage Festival, and in countries like Algeria, Vietnam, Laos, and Sri Lanka. She has also been honored by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

In the olden days, this dance was associated with the royal courts. Even today, the traditions of this dance style are preserved within the Kathak Gharanas. Despite the complexity of the rhythms, the dance is performed with ease. Emphasis is given to expression in this tradition, particularly in the form of poetry and storytelling. The dance predominantly expresses emotions through rhythm and melody, focusing on the nuances of footwork, body movements, and expressions.

Program coordinator Anu Prajapati informed that on May 3, 2024, performances will take place at 8 a.m. at Model School Suwana and at 11 a.m. at Model School Mandlagarh. On May 4, 2024, performances will be held at 8 a.m. at Model School Raipur and at 11 a.m. in Sahada.