Songs of Dusk: dance

Anurekha Ghosh is one of the finest internationally acclaimed award-winning Indian Classical Kathak dancers. Her technique and style is a combination of “tradition and modernity”. Anurekha has shown her excellence in Choreography in both the classical and contemporary genres.

She received extensive training under the renowned Kathak exponent, Begum Nahid Siddiqui, from Pakistan.

Anurekha has performed in major theatres and Festivals all over the world as a soloist and with company productions. She has performed in the USA, Canada, all over Europe, India, Estonia, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the UK.

Anurekha has choreographed and created many classical and contemporary productions, which have received critical acclaim. Her time is shared between India and the west, teaching classical Kathak to many young aspiring students across the world, propagating Indian Culture.

Mom Ganguly Chatterjee is a senior disciple of Padmashree Bharati Shivaji, and a serious practitioner,exponent,educator,choreographer,and independent scholar of the same. Her contributions in the field of Mohiniyattam includes some memorable performances in the esteemed festivals of India and some her choreographic work in productions like ISHTARA and THE BALLADS OF SHREE RAMA.At present, she resides in Kolkata and is the creative head of her institute and art NGO, Kaishiki Arts and Research Centre, Kolkata where propagation, teaching and Indepth study of the dance form of Mohiniyattam is practised with full enthusiasm and encouragement. Mom is an empanelled artist of the ICCR, SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY, and also a Graded Artist of the Doordarshan Kendra (National Television Channel). She is also a Senior Research Fellow,under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India,2018.Find further info on her website :-  www.momganguly.com

Kohal Das, son of Shri Chira Ranjan Das and Smt. Minakshi Das, the 33 year old is a biochemist by profession. Kohal moved to the USA for higher studies after finishing his PhD at the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) . Kohal always had twin desires to pursue ‘Dance’ and ‘Scientific Research’ hand in hand. The only child of dancer parents has always had an innate love for Indian Classical dances that has flourished as he grew up.

He began his Odissi training from a popular dancer Rina Jana in Kolkata which he had to discontinue when he got into the PhD programme of IISc.  Recently enough he revived his Odissi training under Smt. Madhulita Mohapatra at Nrityantar, Bengaluru. 

Apart from Odissi Kohal has learnt Bharathanatyam under Shri Parshwanth Upadhye and Smt. Shruti Upadhye. As a part of Upadhye School of Dance and Nrityantar, he has performed in various prestigious events like Perur Natyanjali (at Pateeshwarar Temple), 2016; Sharadotsav, Bengaluru, 2016,Kerala Kalamandalam Festival, 2017, Nrityakalakshetra Festival, 2017, IIDF, Hyderabd, 2017, etc. 

Kohal feels privileged to have dancer parents from whom he continues to learn Bengal’s ‘Srijanshil Nritya’/folk/’so-called creative dance style’.

Kohal believes in creativity and innovation which is central to science and dance. Further, he wants to pursue a scientific career which could accommodate his passion (dance) enabling him to contribute to the Indian Heritage.

Sreyashi Dey is one of the foremost exponents of Odissi in the US, and the Founder and Artistic Director of two arts organizations – Srishti Dances of India and Akshara. She is a disciple of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan in Odissi and was also a disciple of Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan in Bharatanatyam. As a thoughtful artist, she constantly expands her creative horizons with new choreographies and collaborations across artistic genres. Sreyashi regularly tours the US and has performed all over the world – in Europe, Asia and India.

Her work has been critically acclaimed by well-known critics in leading newspapers and magazines in the US, such as the New York Times, as well as in India. She has been the recipient of several awards, notably the Harry Schwalb Excellence in the Arts award, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and several premier foundations in the US. Sreyashi was instrumental in founding two arts festivals – the annual multi-arts Rasa Festival in Ann Arbor, and the annual KathaAngika classical dance and theater festival in Kolkata, India.

Sreyashi’s educational background includes an MS in Economics and an MBA, and she has parallel careers in marketing, University of Michigan administration and non-profit.