SWAYAM-PARICHAY
The Indian Classical Dance, which is essentially an expression of Divine Grace and subtle Divine Beauty, very much emphasis is laid upon Beauty and Elegance of the dance-movements as well as the appearance of the dancer.
It’s beautiful to be Indian and share the wonderful cultural heritage that the country offers. Blessed are those who have the privilege to do something for the uplifment or our age old culture.
Foundation for krishna kala Kendra & Education was established with a view to promote India’s rich and diversified cultural heritage. It is registered nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of classical and contemporary music and dance.
The primary objective of foundation for Krishna kala Kendra & education is to entertain, enlighten and educate the upcoming generation about our ethnic heritage. To achieve this mission, the society has planned to organize cultural shows across the length & breadth of the country. Another important objective of the society is to encourage and promote those who have the talent but not the opportunity and organize cultural program to help them blossom.
Our Guru ji
Pt. RAJENDRA KUMAR GANGANI
Kathak Exponent
ANU SINHA
Kathak Dancer
Director & Founder
Foundation for Krishna Kala & Education (Society)
Born in 1966 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Shri Rajendra Kumar Gangani inherited the tradition of Jaipur Gharana of Kathak Dance from his father Guru Kundan Lal Gangani. He has also acquired proficiency in playing Pakhawaj under the tutelage of Guru Purushottam Das and Guru Totaram.
An outstanding performer of Kathak, Shri Rajendra Gangani has evolved a distinct style of presentation expressing the quiddity of the dance. Though best known as a soloist, he has choreographed a number of production including Prakriti, Jhalak and panchamukhi; and has composed music for these works within the traditional format. He has performed extensively within the country in important festivals of arts. Performance abroad have taken him all over Europe, the middle East, Russia and the United States.
A committed teacher of Kathak, he is working at Kathak Kendra, Delhi, since 1983. He has made a significant contribution in grooming young dancers. He has also conducted workshop in dance in India and other countries.
Shri Gangani has been honoured for his work by the Karnataka Sangeet Nritya Akademi in 1994.
Shri Rajendra Kumar Gangani received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for his contribution to Kathak dance.
Pandit Rajendra Gangani is one of the most brilliant exponents of Indian classical dance today. Endowed with a magnetic stage presence and a complete command over his art form, Rajendra is a rare artist who gives his art new directions.
Born into a family of hereditary dancers who has been practicing Jaipur gharana of Kathak for centuries, Rajendra did not take his privileged position and inborn talent for granted. He honed and polished it with years of hard work and single-minded dedication, resulting in what he is today- a torch-bearer of Jaipur school of Kathak. Rajendra’s talent lies in preserving the distinctive traditional style of the centuries-old dance form of Kathak, yet infusing it with fresh creative thinking and a contemporary approach of presentation. He is a master in maintaining the delicate balance between old and new, between structural purity and thematic innovations, thus stretching the boundaries of traditional Kathak without distorting it.
guru ji
Rajendra has performed and held workshops extensively in India and abroad. In India, he is one of the most sought after artists to perform in major national dance and music festivals. He has also given numerous performances across the globe, including one at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London; Festival of India in USSR; USA, Italy, Germany, France, Scandinavian countries, China, Japan, Afghanistan and Middle-East countries. In a recent performance in Delhi, he matched his skills (and beats) with Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, driving the audience wild with his unparallel footwork and command over rhythm.
Rajendra’s multi-faceted talent comes out in his choreographies. His sensitivity and creative thinking has made him experiment with themes as wide ranging as a concern over environment; dealing with abstract elements such as hidden moods in rhythm and melody; creating works on themes of Indian mythology and folk legends. One of his most interesting works “Jhalak” which means glimpses has been inspired by the daily lives and activities of people of his home state, Rajasthan. A gifted musician, Rajendra not only composes the music of his choreographies himself, he is an accomplished player of various Indian musical instruments.
Rajendra has been honored with many prestigious awards. In 1995, he received the “Best Performer” award in a dance festival in Beijing, China in which participants from 11 Asian countries performed. In 2003, he received one of the most prestigious awards in the field of performing arts in India, the “Sangeet Natak Academy Award”. He is presently associated with Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, one of the premier dance institutions in India.
Rajendra is one of those rare artists who are capable of playing various roles at the same time. He is a star performer, a brilliant choreographer, a composer, a musician. But the most important role he is playing today for the future generation and for the future of his chosen art form is that of a Guru- a teacher. Though quite young himself, he has produced a number of talented and brilliantly skilled students who are already working as professional dancers. Thus, Rajendra’s contribution in the field of Kathak not only limits itself by his personal and present status as a dancer, but ensures that it carries forward the art form which he and his forefathers has devoted their lives for
Devotion, perseverance and commitment have placed Anu Sinha as the finest among kathak dancers of her generation. Nurtured under the able guidance of eminent Gurus Maharaj Harish Chandra Rawat and Pt. Rajendra Gangani, she has evolved a strong individual style combining the technical brilliance of Jaipur Gharana.
Anu especially excels in the abhinaya aspect of kathak. Nimble movements and the pristine purity of her expressions, helped by her intrinsic charisma and irrepressible cheerfulness, create spellbinding magic, holding the watcher in thrall. Her dedication to dance is total and kathak is richer by her experience, expertise and most importantly devotion.
She has the honour of performing for the prestigious festivals which include Ganga Mahotsav, Akhil Bhartiya Kalidas Samahroh, Khajuraho Dance Festival, Taj Mahotsav, Rann Utsav, Mahabalipuram Dance Festival, Bhramotsavam, Tirupati.
Her unique skill and versatility make her the recipient of many awards and accolades, including the Manjushri Samman by Bharat Bhawan Cultural Trust, Mathura, Delhi Ratna Award by All India Conference of Intellectuals & JP Award by Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Dev Centre for her contribution to the field of Art & Culture.
Apart from dance, Anu has also established herself as an excellent choreographer. Some of the items in her repertoire include the kathak dance ballet “Kamaayani”, “Dhruvswamini”, “Urvashi”, “Meera”, “Draupadi” & “Raadhika” etc.
Anu has conducted over 100 lecture demonstrations for several scholars of kathak organized by CCRT. She has been also teaching students in her own institution Foundation for Krishna Kala & Education Society as associated with the centre as Founder & Director for the last 17 years.
Anu Sinha, Equally adept in both balletic and solo works, has been captivating audiences around the world and earned great acclaim in the media and from the connoisseurs of art.
MISSION AND OBJECTIVE OF THE SOCIETY
To Entertain, Interest and to Educate the upcoming generation about our multiethnic heritage.
To bring forth enhanced Exposure, Awareness and Appreciation of the rich legacy of India's ancient and diverse culture.
In the ever-westernizing ethos that our younger generation is dithering, we have the responsibility to inculcate, sustain and keep alive our glorious past.
To form a non-commercial organization which will work for the benefit of society and not for any personal benefit.
To organize at least four cultural programs in a year.
To perform workshop in various parts of the world.
To bring forward and promote talented artists from all over India & world.
To institute a centre for training Classical Dance, Folk Dance, Classical Music, Instrumental Music and other related activities.
To institute a centre where there will be provision for teaching dance and music, free of cost to poor and under-privileged children.
To make an orphanage which will be free for orphans from all over the world.
To provide primary and basic education for children along with music and dance.
To start a day boarding school for the poor children.
To provide vocational education to children and also to the adults.
To form an Art Gallery to promote the talents of new and talented artists.
To form a drama center for the realization of our five sense.
To form an old-age home for the destitute parents who are driven out by their children.
To bring about AIDS awareness, organize camps & provide counseling to HIV+ and AIDS patients.
To generate awareness about Polio and organize camps for giving Polio drops.
To form an institute for shelter-less women with an aim to provide them vocational training and employment opportunities.
To provide counseling for Commercial sex workers and rehabilitation for their children.
To form an Yoga and Meditation center for helping today's generation in their pursuit of self-realization.
To establish libraries with all types of books for all age people.
To publish papers, magazines and other publicity materials for promoting the name of the society.
No member of the society shall have any claim on any movable or immovable properties of the society.
All the incomes, earnings, movable or immovable properties of the society shall b utilized and applied towards the promotion of its aim and objectives only. No profit shall be paid/transferred directly/indirectly to any member of the society.