Baithak: Ashta Nayika {Kathak Dancers}

Kathak Dancers

The two kathak dancers, Shaalini Desai and Rupali Bhave will be presenting Nayika pieces from their Kathak repertoire. All 8 pieces deal with EIGHT conditions (awastha) of the heroine with respect to their hero, as prescribed within the Natyashastra by Bharata muni. 2 of these pieces will be portrayed by the dancers. Bios below:

Shaalini Desai

Shaalini started learning Kathak from her Guru Purvi Bhatt at Lasya Academy when she was 6-years-old. She has also been blessed with the opportunity to learn multiple pieces from the renowned Guru Pandita Maneesha Sathe ji, the torchbearer of the Banaras Gharana. Shaalini’s passion for dance has led her to earn 2 diplomas (Visharad Purna) in Kathak from Bharati Vidyapeeth University of Performing Arts in Pune, India, highlighting her mastery in the dance style and making her formally eligible to become an instructor. She completed her Rangapravesh in the summer of 2018 after graduating high school.
Shaalini is now a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia and plans on pursuing a career in health. At school, she is a member of HooRaas at the University of Virginia, a nationally acclaimed raas and garba team. She also continues to perform Kathak at various events in the DMV area and occasionally teaches classes at Lasya Academy. Apart from dance, Shaalini enjoys volunteering, conducting research at her university, and exploring the food scene in Charlottesville.

Rupali Bhave

I started learning kathak 20 years ago under the guidance of my mother and Director of Nrityanaad Academy, Uttara Bhave. I am currently training under the guidance of my guru Pandita Maneesha Sathe. I have completed the first part of the Alankar exams in Kathak from Bharati Vidyapeeth University in Pune with Distinction. During my career as a dancer, I have performed on many stages such as the Kennedy Center and George Mason University. I have also had the opportunity to perform on the same stage as my guru at the URMI show. Currently I am pursuing my second Alankar certification, and have passed the first certification in November of 2019. I am a teacher at Nrityanaad Academy of Kathak where I teach students from Foundation level to Diploma 2 level. My experiences from teaching, taking exams, and performing have given me a scope to understand the art of Kathak on a deeper level. My passion for this art form grows with every class taught, every practice, and every performance.

Currently I live in Reston, Virginia. I have a Bachelor’s in Finance, and am working at a small tech company in Herndon as a Credit Analyst. 

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Check the other dancers out here