Shyam Dattani

🪔 About

Shyam Dattani is a London-based Kathak dancer and choreographer, recognized as a rising star in Indian classical dance. He began his Kathak training at the tender age of two and a half, and by 2017, he had been practicing the art form for over 17 years under various teachers, gaining exposure to all three gharanas of Kathak. Since 2016, Dattani has been training professionally with Guru Urja Desai Thakore at Pagrav Dance Company. His dedication and talent were recognized when he won the South Asian Dance category of BBC Young Dancer 2017, subsequently performing as a grand finalist at Sadler's Wells. In the same year, he also secured second place in the Kalaashram Kathak Contest, European Leg. Dattani launched his professional solo performance career in September 2019 with his debut work, 'Uday'. He has collaborated extensively with leading South Asian dance choreographers and companies in the UK and internationally, including Akademi, Amina Khayyam Dance Co, Beeja, and SRISHTI. As a choreographer, Dattani combines his unique perspective as a queer diasporically-trained dancer with a keen eye for costuming. He has received seed commissions from organizations such as Sampad Arts, Akademi, Without Walls, and The Mehfil Project to create new works, including 'Garbh', which incorporates Gujarati folk dance. His work often explores and challenges innate gender roles within Kathak. Awards & Honours: BBC Young Dancer (2017), Kalaashram Kathak Contest, European Leg (2017).