Katha Dance Theatre Press Kit Dance. Discover. Transform. Office: 5444 Orchard Avenue N., Crystal, MN 55429 | Studio: 5806 W. 36th Street, St. Louis Park, MN 55416 | 763.533.0756 |
[email protected] Mission Katha Dance Theatre creates, performs, and educates through the art forms of dance, music, poetry, and storytelling. Rooted in Kathak, the classical dance style of North India, KDT is dedicated to making dance accessible, inclusive and relevant. It enhances the local community by bridging diverse cultures and audiences to contribute to life’s infinite artistic expressions. History Founded in 1987 by Artistic Director Rita Mustaphi, KDT is a non-profit organization based in Crystal, Minnesota. The company was founded with the intent to advance Kathak, the classical dance tradition native to North India, and integrate it into the Twin Cities dance community. To this end, KDT offers performances, education, and other cultural activities of the highest artistic and cultural quality throughout the state of Minnesota. Furthermore, KDT is the only organization of its kind, scale and scope in the Midwest, ensuring its strong cultural and artistic impact. The word “Kathak” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Katha,” meaning “story”. As a dance form, Kathak has its origins among traveling storytellers (called “Kathakas”) who traveled throughout India’s villages sharing dramatized versions of Hindu epics and lore using songs, gestures, and subtle expressions. Centuries of exposure to Indo-Persian cultures enriched the art form, manifesting within it a unique synthesis of Hinduism and Islam. In the 16th Century, Persian rulers introduced Kathak to the royal courts, where it acquired secular elements of sophistication, especially in its pure dance passages.