Gretchen Hayden

🪔 About

Gretchen Hayden is an internationally recognized performer and teacher of Kathak dance and a senior disciple of the renowned master and guru, Pandit Chitresh Das. Born in Los Angeles, California, Hayden began her Kathak training in 1972 at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California, where she received rigorous instruction under Pandit Chitresh Das. Her training also included vocal and rhythmic instruction from sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khansahib and his staff. In 1987, during a stay in India, she furthered her studies with Pandit Das' parents, Nilima and Prahlad Das, earning a Senior Degree from their Nritya Bharati Dance Academy. Hayden became a principal soloist with the Chitresh Das Dance Company (CDDC) in 1980, touring internationally and performing leading roles in acclaimed productions such as *Giri Govardhana*, *Sita Haran*, and *The California Gold Rush*. She also served as a teacher assistant at Chhandam for ten years. In 1991, she resided and taught in Basel, Switzerland, presenting concerts across Germany, Holland, and Switzerland with her husband, sarodist George Ruckert. Upon moving to the Boston area in 1992, Hayden established a school of Kathak dance, dedicating nearly three decades to fostering the art form in New England. This school evolved into the non-profit Chhandika (Chhandam Institute of Kathak Dance) in 2002, where she serves as Artistic Director. Chhandika offers classes, immersive training, and outreach programs in the greater Boston area, including Cambridge, Andover, and Shrewsbury. Hayden has also taught accredited Kathak courses at Tufts University and Wellesley College for over two decades and is a frequent guest lecturer at MIT's World Music classes. Her collaborative original works with George Ruckert weave tradition into innovative dance dramas, including *The Legend of St. Lucy*, *The Story of Dymphna*, and *Kore*. Together, they also initiated the founding of MITHAS (MIT's Heritage for the Arts of South Asia). Awards & Honours: Lifetime Achievement Award (2017).