Rachana Upadhyay

🪔 About

Rachana Upadhyay is a distinguished Kathak artist, teacher, and choreographer, recognized for her contributions to Indian classical dance in both India and the United States. She received extensive training in Kathak for nearly fifteen years under the tutelage of esteemed gurus including Dr. Puru Dadhichi, Purnima Pandey, Subhash Dixit, and the legendary Lucknow maestro Birju Maharaj. Upadhyay holds a Nipun (Master's degree) in Kathak from the renowned Bhatkhande Music University, Lucknow, and a Prabhakar degree from Prayaag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. Her performing career in India spanned many years, during which she toured extensively as part of the Bhatkhande performing troupe from 1975 to 1991 and choreographed for national Indian television from 1987 to 1991. She has performed in numerous Kathak productions, including those on Doordarshan Television, and directed several Kathak dance dramas such as Yashodhara and Geet Govind for stage and television. After moving to the United States in the 1990s, Rachana Upadhyay began teaching Kathak in the San Fernando Valley in 1998, aiming to make the art form accessible to the local Indian community and beyond. She founded the Kathak Kala Academy in 1998 and later established the Indian Performing Arts Center (IPAC) in 2010, where she serves as Executive Director and Choreographer. Her teaching methodology emphasizes the core principles of Kathak: Tayari (systematic practice), Layakari (rhythm), and Bhav and Khubsurti (expressions and beauty), with her students exhibiting the graceful movements characteristic of the Lucknow Gharana. Upadhyay has received awards from organizations such as Kalakar Sangam, Munaal Sanskrit Manch, and Kala Niketan for her contributions to Indian classical dance. Her dedication to education is evident in her patient and individualized approach to teaching, fostering a new generation of Kathak dancers. Awards & Honours: Best Upcoming Artist, Best Upcoming Artist.