On February 10, 2019, KDT and the Hindu Society of Minnesota hosted their annual festival, Saraswati Puja and Basant Panchami! This traditional Indian spring festival honors Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art, while ushering in the first day of spring with ritual and dance. The event brought the KDT community closer in a…
The Hungry Stones is based on a short story “Kshudhita Pashan” (1895), by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Set in a fantastical version of colonial India, the story paints an ecstatic portrait of passion where ancient stones come alive as witnesses to history. Its themes include the danger of greed, the power of regret and the…
This event has passed.Hungry Stones Program Insert On November 16-18, 2018, Katha Dance Theatre presented a new version of its award-winning dance-drama, The Hungry Stones, at The Cowles Center in Minneapolis. The Hungry Stones is based on Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s short story Kshudhita Pashan, which was originally published in 1895. KDT reimagined its 1994…
Parampara: The Tradition was originally performed at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on June 10, 2018. It featured what would be the final in-person performance (in Minnesota) of KDT Artistic Director Rita Mustaphi’s guru, Pandit Birju Maharaj. It also featured live tabla by renowned musician Ustad Zakir Hussain, in addition to other acclaimed India-based performers. It was…
Sunday, June 10th, 2018 • 5:00pm • The O’Shaugnessy St. Catherine University • 2004 Randolph Avenue • St. Paul Tickets: $75-25 • 651-690-6700 • oshag.stkate.edu In June 2018, KDT invited Kathak master Pandit Birju Maharaj to perform at St. Catherine University’s O’Shaugnessy Theatre. He was joined onstage by Grammy-winning musician Ustad Zakir Hussain, as well as other…
Ritusamhara is a vivid portrayal of the Indian seasonal cycle, which both expands and subverts American expectations. Based on a lyrical poem of the same name by the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, Ritu depicts the six Indian seasons and celebrates nature’s beauty through Kathatk’s grace and subtlety. It was originally performed at the O’Shaugnessy at…
This groundbreaking production was the first-ever African American and Asian Indian dance opera. Pairing an original score by internationally known musician/composer J.D. Steele with choreography by Rita Mustaphi, Karna was inspired by the first text depicting Kathak dance in ancient India. It reworks an epic story, playing with tradition and modernity in depicting the conflicting…
https://www.tpt.org/mn-original/video/rita-mustaphi-9guhhg/ Thank you to TPT and MN Original for featuring us in your 4/20/17 episode! Per their description: “Founder of Katha Dance Theatre Rita Mustaphi gives historical and contemporary context to Kathak dance, the ancient North Indian Classical dance form.” Click here to view the lesson plan that goes along with the video clip.
Featuring live Hindustani music composed by McKnight fellow Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan and Kathak choreography by Rita Mustaphi, Sufiana captures the Sufi concepts of spiritual devotion and love of all mankind— also themes embodied in Sufi poetry. The production was a collaboration between Katha Dance Theatre, IMSOM (Indian Music Society of Minnesota) with acting support…