Leena Chhaganlal

🪔 About

Leena Chhaganlal is a prominent Kathak dancer and educator whose journey in Indian classical dance spans nearly five decades across three countries: Fiji, New Zealand, and the USA. Her foundational Kathak education was received in Fiji, where she was raised. Following her training, Chhaganlal established her own dance school in Auckland, New Zealand. This institution served as a vital cultural and artistic hub for the community, offering instruction in Kathak, Garba, Bollywood, and fusion dance styles. During her time in New Zealand, she notably choreographed and produced a highly acclaimed dance ballet of Prahalad. Upon relocating to Florida, USA, Leena Chhaganlal continued to contribute significantly to the dance community. She has been actively involved in choreographing, performing, and judging numerous prestigious dance shows and competitions in the region. Her extensive experience and dedication culminated in the establishment of a Kathak Dance Program in Orlando, Florida, where she and her two daughters, Trisha Chhaganlal and Ritisha Khatri, initiated performances as a distinctive 'mother-daughters group.' Leena Chhaganlal currently serves as the Artistic Director of LTR Indian Dance Company, also known as LTR Dance, based in Orlando, FL. Through LTR Dance, she continues to inspire and educate, focusing on the art of dance, costume design, and professional stage performance instruction. Her teaching legacy is evident in her daughters, both of whom are accomplished dancers and instructors. Trisha Chhaganlal, who began her Kathak training under her mother in New Zealand, later pursued further training from Saveeta Sharma in Canada and founded Orlando's first Kathak school. Ritisha Khatri also received her classical dance education from her mother and co-founded UCF Garba Knights in Orlando in 2009. Leena Chhaganlal's enduring commitment has fostered a vibrant environment for Indian classical dance in the communities she has served.