We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Radhika Joshi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Radhika, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started Kathak when I was just 6 years old. Honestly, at the time, I had no clue what Kathak was, and I definitely didn’t know it would become such a big passion of mine. My mom enrolled me in classes, and before long, I started really enjoying it. I’d come home and practice the dance routine over and over again, with my mom being my ever-patient audience. I think I picked it up faster than some of my friends, so I ended up moving to the next levels of Kathak quicker than most.

Later, as my love toward Kathak grew, I was transferred to a better school, Nrityabharati, founded by one of the Kathak legends, Pandita Rohini Bhate. The style was different than what I had learned before. At Nrityabharati, the focus was given to every aspect of dance – hand movements, footwork, coordinating torso along with hand movements, expressions, padhant (recitation) as well as how to perform on stage. I started to understand the importance of ‘riyaz’, a disciplined, regular practice.
A usual class would be 2 to 3 hours long, two to three times a week. It would usually begin with rigorous footwork, and then we would work on routines involving complex rhythm. Sometimes, we’d repeat same thing over and over again in front of our Guru till she is satisfied (or not sometimes). Learning intricacies of rhythm was fascinating. Slowly, our guru, Amala Shekhar started to include me in the performances.
I started to understand and learn various aspects of stage performances, including the costumes, makeup, stage presence, lighting, and how the stage space can vary from one venue to another, among many other elements.

After my marriage, we moved to USA. I joined Archana Arts, an institute by well known Kathak exponent, Archana Joglekar. It was one hour forty five minutes drive for me to get to Archana Art’s. But, it was worth the drive as I learned some fine nuances of dance, especially expressions. Being an adult helped me understand emotions much better, especially Shringar Rasa (romantic love). Later, we had to move to India for a few years. But my journey in Kathak continued with Guru, Aabha Wamburkar.

I completed ‘Visharad’ of Akhil Gandharva Mahavidyalay, a graduate degree in Kathak. I founded ‘Nupoor Dance School’ to share Kathak with others. As I began teaching, my understanding of the art form deepened. It has been a great journey.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi! I am Radhika Joshi, a professional Kathak dancer, teacher, choreographer and entrepreneur. Kathak is an Indian classical dance form that conveys story through movement. Kathak is amalgamation of intricate footwork, graceful movements, and exquisite expressions. Although I participated in various dances for school competitions, it was Kathak that truly captivated me. I had my first Kathak solo at the age of ten. After high school, I graduated majoring in Computer Science while simultaneously pursue my passion of Kathak. I moved to USA after my marriage. Although, I was working in IT industry, Kathak remained my happy place. It took some time for me to realize that dancing was my true calling. Eventually, I quit my job, completed my graduation in Kathak and founded my own school ‘Nupoor Dance School’ .
Initially, I started with just a few students including my daughter. In few months, I was teaching to a sizable group of students as word spread about my school. And in the next few years, Nupoor had expanded to three different locations across two states. My students vary from energetic six-year-olds to empty nesters who have finally found the time to chase their dreams of dancing.

I strongly feel that dance is a great outlet to relieve stress. After a long day at school or a work, when my students step into the dance class, they enter a whole new world. They get to become a totally different character, express a story which they have never experienced, and immerse themselves in the complexity of rhythmic patterns. I feel that I am just a guide, holding their hands, helping them navigate this enriching journey.

Although I’m a teacher, I learn so much from each of my students. Sometimes, I use real-life examples to help them understand a particular movement or expression. Kathak, at its core, is storytelling through dance, and it’s essential for the dancer to convey the story effectively. I’ve introduced warm-up exercises that focus on mastering one movement at a time before progressing to the next. We sometimes focus on exercises like eye movements or specific concepts we’re working on to strengthen their technique and expression.
Through these methods, I aim to build a strong foundation for each dancer, helping them connect more deeply with the art form and convey the story with more clarity and emotion.
Kathak has three main Gharanas. A Gharana refers to a particular style or tradition of dance that comes from a particular region. There are three main Gharanas in Kathak -: Lucknow, Jaipur and Banaras. I have learned all three styles and that gives me an edge as a teacher.

I am proud to have trained over a hundred students over the past decade. It’s been more than ten years to Nupoor Dance School began and journey has been incredibly rewarding.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Dance has brought me pure happiness and taught me to live in the moment. When I am dancing, I can not think of anything else; if my mind drifts to another thought, I lose the connection to dance.

Similarly, when I started my own school, I wondered if teaching Kathak would eventually become monotonous. But, I was wrong. Even though, I am teaching same syllabus, each class feels different from last class. The energy of my students and the way each performance unfolds, makes every lesson feels fresh, challenging and rewarding. It is this constant evolution as a dancer and teacher that keeps the joy alive.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Looking back, I wish I had come across resources that focused on the business side of running a dance school earlier in my journey. While I had a strong foundation in Kathak, learning about marketing, finances, and how to build a student community took time. Today, there are so many valuable resources available that would have been incredibly helpful to me earlier, especially when it comes to connecting with other dance educators and getting support in managing the business aspects of a creative venture.

In 2020, we all faced an enormous hurdle. Like many others, It forced me to explore online teaching platforms. After some time, I became comfortable with this new mode of learning. I wish if I knew this platform earlier, I would have switched to online mode during inclement weather, making it more convenient for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nupoordanceschool.com
• Instagram: @danceradhika
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NupoorDanceSchool

Image Credits
Fotolaya Sumod Photography