Rukhmani Mehta

🪔 About

Rukhmani Mehta, formerly known as Rina Mehta, is a distinguished Kathak artist, choreographer, and educator, recognized for her contributions to Indian classical dance at the intersection of tradition and contemporary performance. A senior disciple of the legendary Kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das, Mehta trained with him in the guru-shishya parampara (guru-disciple tradition) for over 15 years, beginning in 2000. She was a principal dancer with the Chitresh Das Dance Company for nearly fifteen years, touring extensively in the United States and India. Mehta's journey in dance began in Los Angeles, where she initially trained in Bharatanatyam as a child before discovering Kathak at the University of California, Berkeley. After completing her studies in immunology and public health, she made the pivotal decision at age 33 to dedicate herself full-time to dance. In 2008, she led the expansion of the Chhandam Chitresh Das Dance Company's programming to Los Angeles, eventually founding the Leela Institute (later Leela Academy) in 2015, four days before her guru's passing. As Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Leela Dance Collective, established in 2015 with fellow disciples Seibi Lee and Rachna Nivas, Mehta is dedicated to advancing Kathak globally and training new generations of dancers. She also serves as the Artistic Director of the Leela Youth Dance Company, mentoring young South Asian women. Her original choreographic works include "SPEAK," a Kathak-tap collaboration; "Son of the Wind," a dance drama; "Encounters with Beauty"; and "Sandhi," a solo work. Mehta instigated The Leela Foundation, the first endowment fund dedicated to Kathak dance and Hindustani classical music in the United States, aiming to create a financially viable future for Kathak artists. Awards & Honours: Fulbright Award (2012), Alliance for California Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant, Isadora Duncan Award Nomination (Company performance).