Kathak – An exploration of Time Space and Energy

Internationally acclaimed Kathak Guru

Prerana Deshpande

Live in Concert In Brisbane, Australia on 4th Nov 2017
Public Workshops 5th November 2017

VIP (front Row Tickets) – $150
General Admission – $55
Concession – $45
Kids (under 12) – $35
Family Pass (2 adults and 1 kid under 12) – $120

Refreshments will be provided in the Interval

Book Tickets

It is with great pleasure that Infinity Kathak Dance Company welcomes Prerana Deshpande, Internationally acclaimed Kathak Danseuse to Brisbane. She will be performing with her Disciple Dr Helena Joshi (Director of Infinity Kathak) in Brisbane on the 4th of Nov 2017 with live musical accompaniment by local professional musicians:

Tabla: Shen Flindell
Viola: Richard Grantham
Flute: Darshil Shah
Sitar: Sudha Manian
Vocal: Dr Mansey Kinarivala

Kathak Dancers:
Prerana Deshpande
and Disciple,
Dr Helena Joshi (Director of Infinity Kathak)

Sponsorship Opportunities: We would like to offer you a wonderful opportunity to promote your business or service’s name before a Crème de la crème audience from both Indian and Australian communities. Please get in touch: kathak@infinitykathak.com

Public Workshops

Book Workshops

Class Schedule

Time	Sat 21st October	Sat 28th October	Sun 29th October	Sun 5th November	Sat 11th November
10:00 – 11:00	Infinity kathak Intensive 1 (3hrs)	Infinity kathak Intensive 1 (3hrs)	Infinity kathak Intensive 1 (3hrs)		Absolute beginners (2hrs)
11:00 – 12:00				Rhythm in Dance Public Workshop (2hrs) Book now	Absolute beginners (2hrs)
12:00 – 1:00				Rhythm in Dance Public Workshop (2hrs) Book now	Break
1:00 – 2:00	break	break	break	break	Dancer Intensive (TBA)
2:00 – 3:00	Infinity kathak Intensive 1	Dancers Intensive (2hrs)	Dancers Intensive (2hrs)	Rhythm in Dance – Master Class (2hrs) Book now
3:00 – 4:00	Infinity kathak Intensive 1	Dancers Intensive (2hrs)	Dancers Intensive (2hrs)	Rhythm in Dance – Master Class (2hrs) Book now
4:00 – 5:00

Class	Description	Cost
Infinity kathak Intensive	For Infinity Kathak Students only. Dancers who have completed the Level 1 Foundations in Kathak Course as a pre-requisite.
Dancers Workshop	For those with prior extensive dance background in any other eastern or western genre of dance e.g. Ballet, Bellydance, Flamenco, Jazz, Tap, Odissi, Bharatnatyam. No prior experience in Kathak required but dance background preferable.	$60/2hr
Rhythm in Dance Public Workshop	Public Lecture demonstration format. All dancers, artists, musicians, art connoisseur welcome. No prior dance experience required. The workshop will cover the universal concept of Rhythm and its application in Kathak. Particularly interesting for percussionist/drummist.	$60/2hr
Rhythm in Dance Master Class	For those with prior extensive dance background in any other eastern or western genre of dance e.g. Ballet, Bellydance, Flamenco, Jazz, Tap, Odissi, Bharatnatyam. No prior experience in Kathak required. This Masterclass will universal concept of Rhythm and its application in advanced Kathak.	$60/2hr $100/4hr
Absolute Beginners	All welcome, for absolute beginners with no prior dance background. An opportunity to learn the art from first hand from a master. For all ages.	$60/2hr

All classes held at our wonderful studio
River City Ballroom, 4 Mollison Street, West end.

Don’t know which class to join? Inquire now for more info. Please note, that there is also the option of gaining private classes

Please note that Guru Prerana Deshpande also offers Private one-on-one classes. This is traditionally how Guru-shishya (master disciple tradition) is conducted. If you would like the opportunity to have private classes please enquire now.

Inquire Now

More about Prerana Deshpande

Acknowledged by connoisseurs as a solo dancer of repute and a creative choreographer of rare calibre, Prerana Deshpande is among the leading complete solo Kathak dancers of her generation. Internationally acclaimed as a creative dancer whose work reveals the perpetually expanding horizons of the traditional form, Prerana is regarded for her exquisite command over the fundamentals of Kathak – Rhythm, Grace, & Expression and for her creativity rooted in the tradition of this dance form. Greatly appreciated by all audiences for her expertise in Kathak, she is regularly invited to perform as a solo artist at all major venues and festivals in India and abroad.

Recipient of numerous awards, Prerana has been felicitated by legendary Pt. Birju Maharaj with ‘Gaurav Puruskar’. Prerana has also been honoured with the title of ‘Nrityashri’ and was conferred the title of ‘Singar Mani’ by the Sur Singar Samsad of Mumbai.

Prerana believes it to be divine blessing that the great maestro, Guru Dr. Rohini Bhate accepted her as a disciple and thought fit to impart one-to-one teaching of Kathak. Prerana is a first student of Rohiniji who passed Master of Arts (M.A.) form University of Poona and stood first in the Dance. She was awarded National Scholarship by Government of India for two years for special training under Guru Rohiniji. In her own words, “In my studentship with Rohiniji of over 22 years, I had the good fortune not only to learn under her special guidance but observe and be a part of her creativity. I was greatly influenced both intellectually and emotionally by the genius of Rohiniji. I am proud to say that my dance is greatly influenced by Rohiniji both in style and substance. The most important learning for me from Rohiniji was that Kathak was a way of life to be lived respecting tradition and innovating at the same time. Prerana encourages and promotes Kathak as a traditional, pure, solo art form.

Find out more info about Prerana Deshpande and her Institute Nrityadham based in Pune, India.

Nrityadham

Prerana depicts the rains of the monsoon as she awaits her beloved purely by her facial expressions. Majority of the story is conveyed from a seated position focusing your attention on her subtle expressions.

Prerana performing a musical form called Tarana in Raag Bhairavi. The musical as well as dance composition of this Tarana is done by Prerana herself.

Traditional Kathak composition called Kavitta and some Parans in 16 beat cycle, Teentaal. Kavitt is dance poetry and paran is abstract dance composition highlighting energy and speed. Here Prerana depicts the spoken aspect of kathak as well called phadhant and a sequence of pirouettes at the end.

Her YouTube channel for more videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCma-T_KZbqsEbc8LpyCSnLA

About Dr Helena Joshi

Dr Helena Joshi, is a medical doctor by profession and a dancer by passion. Helena is a solo kathak artist who has performed kathak recitals with live musical accompaniment in both India and Australia. Previously a dancer of various genres including contemporary, ballet, jazz, tap and Bollywood she developed an intense calling to turn to her Indian roots with a resonance towards kathak dance. Whilst studying medicine, and during her travels to India, destiny answered her intention by introducing her to Guru Prerana Deshpande, a leading exponent of kathak dance in India. Helena has learnt dance in a guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition) and with daily ‘riaaz’ and discipline, kathak soon became her means of artistic expression.

Helena is the creative director of Infinity Kathak, a Brisbane based Kathak Dance Company. Infinity Kathak held “7 Beats and Bells” a highly successful kathak production in Diwali 2016, at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts. It presented a fusion of Traditional Kathak Dance with a live musical ensemble of eastern and western musicians. Helena was the recipient of the inaugural Sangeet Mela Rising Star Awards in 2014, and returned to Sangeet Mela 2015 to perform the feature item after high audience appraisal. Helena has previously performed a fully fledged kathak recital with internationally acclaimed musicians in Pune, India.

Helena believes that Kathak dance is a field that has exquisite depth. Kathak is a form of mental, physical and emotional discipline which has lead her through a journey of self discovery. It brings ecstatic joy and the art form is the ultimate form of prayer. She finds kathak a tangible means of exploring both realistic elements of rhythm, grace and expression and abstract elements of time, space and energy. Helena is deeply committed to revive the richness of Kathak, which gaining increasing popularity, as its dynamism is electrifying to western audiences.