Chinna: Split your being

Kaustavi Sarkar demonstrates brilliance in her use of learnt forms, particularly in Odissi and contemporary Indian dance.

- TAPATI CHOWDHURIE

An artist and an academic, she has emerged as a powerhouse, capable of translating any story, be it from our ancient classics or contemporary literature, into her choreographic works.

Sarkar has been performing and teaching the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra style of Odissi for over a decade. She is the artistic director of an India-based organisation, Kaustavi Movement Centre, while at the same time pursuing a career in US academia. She is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has taught at Kenyon College and The Ohio State University (OSU).

She holds a PhD in Dance Studies from the Ohio State University (2017).

Kathaka Ritusree Chaudhuri had a chance to learn the nitty-gritty of dance theatre and choreography at Duke University in North Carolina, USA. Being a mere Kathak performer, it was rather challenging for Ritusree to use her knowledge to choreograph dance theatre. Persistence and perseverance were her motto to face this challenge.

Ritusree Chaudhuri opted for a US Fellowship in the Asian Culture Council in the USA for six months, which was a substantial achievement for her because she could showcase Indian culture and tradition through Indian classical dance styles abroad.