Interview: Kathak instills Discipline And Creativity in Young Kids -- Avantika Bahuguna Kukreti

Kathak -- one of the most well-known classical dance forms from India has a fascinating history. The form that originated during the Bhakti movement in India and draws from the ancient myths and epics offers a holistic view of Indian heritage and history.

However over the recent years purveyors of this dance form have been concerned with the diminishing interest in this art. As the younger generation moves towards globalization, there has been a tendency to overlook our own ancient heritage. Kathak -- a discipline that requires years of dedication and informed techniques has been seeing low student enrollments and a lack of participation over the past few years.

However, as a silver lining there are also young enthusiasts who are ensuring that kathak not only is revived across the world but also finds a resonance with younger generation.

Meet Avantika Bahuguna Kukreti, a talented kathak performer who finds time for her passion even while managing a highly demanding corporate job. Bahuguna who works as Head of branded content at Momspresso, India's leading website for mums, is determined to promote the art form. When she's not heading corporate meetings ensuring that young mums find a voice, she is busy learning as well as teaching young girls Kathak as a hobby or creating awareness about the dance form.

BWW talks to Avantika on why she thinks Kathak should be taught young and how it can be an empowering lesson for young kids.

BWW: Tell us a bit more about Kathak?

AB: Kathak is a beautiful dance form that originated in Uttar Pradesh and initially started off as a storytelling art. The special feature of Kathak is its beautiful footwork, which is also known as tatkar. There are various sequences of tatkar that are primarily weaved around the bol ta, thai, tat, and vary as per the composition. When taught to young kids it can have positive impact as it teaches discipline, dedication, rhythm and movement in a creative way. Needless to say, it also connects young kids to their roots.

BWW: When and how did you begin learning Kathak and how do you find time for it with your full-time job?

AB: I was always inclined towards Kathak but I would say, I rediscovered it after I became a mom. Indian moms normally give up on their lives after the birth of their baby, but for me, it was not the same. I realized that when I can create a new life there is so much more to me that I still have to explore. That's when I decided to learn Kathak again and pick up from where I had left it a decade ago. We, mothers, are creators and we can do whatever we want and it is extremely important for me to be happy first and pursue my passion. On how I manage my creative pursuits along with a corporate job, I believe it's all about finding a similar philosophy. This is something which we at Momspresso also believe in and we have a whole new campaign running right now which is based on the thought #happystartswithme. When I am on stage performing I feel happy and that for me sums up both my professional as well as personal happiness.

BWW: You have been advocating kids to learn Kathak. Why?

AB: Kids have this restless energy that needs to be channelized properly. Dance forms like Kathak teach them how to be disciplined, focused and also increases their creativity. It gives them a channel to express themselves and bring out their thoughts in a beautiful, creative manner. It's also a great physical activity an keep them fit and healthy. Kathak in particular increases their ability to express and gives them a deeper understanding of rhythm, music, movement and poetry. Dance can also be a great stress buster for them when they come face to face with the hardships of tough life later on.

BWW: Do you remember your first stage performance?

AB: While I have performed at various dance festivals and fests when I was in college, my first professional Kathak performance was in August 2016. I felt as if I was back in school again. It was an out of the world experience and while I was dancing I felt how much I loved dancing and how it lets me be free.

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