(upbeat music) (upbeat music fades) - Kaladharaa Dance School focuses on promoting and preserving Kathak, which is one of the eight major classical Indian dance forms.

Sonali Loomba and Sujanya are here to tell us about the upcoming Indian Classical Dance Showcase.

Hi.

First, why don't we start with you, Sonali, talking about the dance school and about Kathak.

- Yeah.

So, Kaladharaa Dance was established in 2018, with an aim to promote Indian classical art in general, in the Utah Valley.

And today the dance school focuses on promoting one of the forms called, Kathak, which is a form of storytelling, like other classical forms.

And it's trained several dance enthusiasts, and Sujanya happens to be one of the practitioners with our dance school who would, you know.

- Yeah, so we have an upcoming event on the 23rd of April, which is Sunday at 4:00 PM, where all our students are gonna be showcasing about Kathak.

- Journey.

- So this is called, Yatra, which means the journey, and this is like the evolution of Kathak from ancient times to modern times.

So, we request all people to come and watch us, support us.

Yeah.

- Support the local art.

- Yeah.

- It will be absolutely beautiful.

And I know you've trained a lot of dancers.

- Yeah.

- Okay, I'm gonna ask you to do something.

You showed me some of the arm movements.

Beautiful.

I'm gonna let you do them.

- Okay, perfect.

Alright.

1, 2, 3, and (counting in Hindi) (counting continues) - Ah, it is beautiful!

- Thank you.

- This is what people will get to see.

- Yes.

- This is wonderful.

So, tell me how many dancers you've trained here, in the valley.

- There have been over 200 dancers that we've trained and currently we have 45 practitioners of Kathak in, with us at Kaladharaa.

And one way interesting fact about the dance form is that we wear ankle bells, or the ghungroos - Oh yeah.

Okay, well we're going to go out with you playing them.

(Sonali and Sujanya laughing) So play them and thank you so much for being here.

- Yeah, thank you so much.

- And if you would like to know more about that upcoming dance performance or about the Indian Classical Dance Showcase, it's April 23rd at 4:00 at the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center.

Go to multicultural.utah.gov.

multicultural.utah.gov I'm Mary Dickson.

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Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

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