Sumita Dutta

🪔 About

Sumita Dutta is an eminent Kathak dancer and teacher, primarily based in Perth, Western Australia, known for her significant contributions to promoting Indian classical dance abroad. Her Kathak journey began in Kolkata, India, with initial training under Guru Parimal Krishna. She furthered her education by graduating in Indian Classical Dance, Kathak, from Allahabad Prayag Samity and earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Calcutta University. A pivotal period in her training was under the tutelage of Pt. Vijay Shankar, a respected disciple of Padmabibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj. Sumita Dutta subsequently received advanced training directly from Pandit Birju Maharaj, joining the first batch at the Padatik Dance Institute in 1982 to learn from the maestro. After her wedding, Sumita Dutta began her teaching career by running her own dance school in Jamshedpur, where she also choreographed and directed group dance programs for the Tagore Society. She migrated to Australia in 1992, initially arriving in Melbourne, and later settling in Perth via Kalgoorlie. Her debut performance in Australia took place at the Phoenix auditorium in Swinburne University in 1992. Despite moving to a new continent, she continued her passion for Kathak, establishing full-fledged weekend classes in 2002. In 2012-2013, she formally founded the Tarana School of Kathak Dance in Perth, Western Australia, where she serves as the choreographer and instructor. Through Tarana, she imparts Kathak lessons to students of all ages, from five years old to adults, and actively works to cultivate cultural exchanges and provide performance opportunities for local talent. She is also an active member of Ausdance, Australia, and in 2011, she collaborated on the “Hummingbird” project with award-winning dance filmmaker Dawn Jackson.