‘Kathak connects you with earth’

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The combination of grace and strength, spirituality and emotions, tradition and creativity in Kathak dance inspired the Russian-French dancer Olga Chepelianskaia, so much so that she decided to shift to Delhi and hone her skills. Expressing spirituality through her artistic footwork, Olga recently concluded the Nrityanjali Kathak Festival held in the capital.
“Kathak connects you with earth, unlike ballet or other forms where your foot is always in the air, plus the graceful movements of the dance inspired me to learn Kathak,” shares Olga. Attributing her skills to her guru Pooja Mani, Olga says, “Pooja not only is an exponent of Kathak, but also shares the intricacies of the dance form.” Olga is currently learning Kathak under the tutelage of maestro Pt Birju Maharaj. “With every passing year one grows gaining knowledge of Kathak’s compositions, rhythmics and theory,” says Olga. The dancer loves fusing Kathak with dances like ballet and ballroom. She fluently speaks five European languages and has a good knowledge of Hindi.
Olga is currently a senior expert on clean energy and eco-efficient urban development for the United Nations.