Antara Datta

🪔 About

Antara Datta is a distinguished Kathak dancer, choreographer, and educator, recognized for her contributions to Indian classical dance in North America. She began her Kathak training at the age of five in Kolkata, India, under Srimati Laxmi Bannerjee. Datta holds double diplomas in Kathak from the Bangiya Sangeet Parishad in Kolkata and the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad, India. Her advanced training in the Lucknow gharana of Kathak was guided by "Sringar Mani" Srimati Anuradha Nag, a senior disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj. She further honed her skills through training with Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj and Vidushi Saswati Sen at Kalashram, New Delhi, during her annual trips to India. Additionally, she receives intensive training from Guru Parwati Dutta at Mahagami in Aurangabad, India, and Taal Vidya training from Guruji Pandit Divyang Vakil. She also received training under the late Pandit Chitresh Das at the Chhandam School of Dance in San Jose, California, and guidance in abhinaya from Guru Deepak Mazumdar. Datta is the founder and artistic director of Anga Kala Kathak Academy, established in Seattle, Washington, in 2010, with subsequent expansion to various cities in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The academy aims to impart holistic training in Kathak, following the Lucknow Gharana tradition, and offers certification programs accredited to ISTD. She also founded Arts Without Borders, a 501(c)(3) organization in 2015, dedicated to popularizing classical performing arts in North America. Datta has performed extensively across the U.S. and India, including a notable performance with Pandit Birju Maharaj's troupe at Madison Square Garden in New York. Her innovative choreography has explored fusions of Kathak with other dance forms such as tap dance, flamenco, and ballet. She has also served as adjunct faculty at Cornish College of Arts (Seattle), Kent State University (Ohio), and the University of Akron (Ohio). Awards & Honours: ALPHA Women Award (2017), Unsung Hero Award (2025).