Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is just around the corner. Celebrations are set to brighten up Ottawa’s arts and culture world, showcasing the victory of good over evil.
One of the artists shining light into the arts community is Anjali Patil — a Canadian-born, professionally trained Kathak dancer and choreographer. Patil took the classic Indian dance discipline’s precise techniques and rhythmic tempo off the stage, founding her own dance company, Aroha Fine Arts, and Indian art and culture festival, ArohaFest.
The Charlatan attended one of Patil and her students’ final rehearsals. Between running routines and ironing out fine details, Patil spoke about the journey Kathak has taken her on before their upcoming performance “Darbar Kathak” on Oct. 16 at the National Arts Centre.
The Charlatan (TC): Kathak comes from the Sanskrit word “story.” Can you tell me more about this history and how it applies to the dance?
Anjali Patil (AP): Kathak means storyteller, and the form started many, many centuries ago in the temples of India where stories of Krishna were told or passed down. Over time, they started to add instruments and musical elements to it. It really evolved from this oral tradition into a movement-based tradition.
In the 14th century, there was the Mughal invasion and these practitioners of Kathak were invited into the courts of these Persian kings and royals. They brought a lot of Persian culture, instruments and their own artists to come. There was this real fusion or enrichment of the form.
Today we have the storytelling aspect of Kathak, which is the root of the form and then you also have the abstract, highly technical movements which are not telling a story, they’re actually just the technical part of Kathak.
TC: How would you describe the performance and the style of dance?
AP: It is a feast for the senses. It is highly rhythmic with a lot of storytelling, and really delightful to watch in terms of the costumes and the expressional part of the work. You’re going to see the whole range of dance and movement in this production.
Darbar means a court, so it’s actually an experience for the audience to come and be a royal and to experience how this dance would have been presented in a court.
TC: Tell me a bit more about your journey as a Kathak dancer and choreographer.
AP: On a trip to India when I was younger, I happened to watch a Kathak show and I said to my aunt, “I really want to go and do it.”
I have no memories of my childhood or of myself without the dance form. It just took me in and when I started to show some promise in my late teens, my parents enrolled me in one of the top Kathak schools in India.
From there, the professional journey took me in and I’m just following that path.
TC: How did this path lead you to start Aroha Fine Arts?
AP: One thing I learned at a young age was you need to have a company or organization and have some base resources to do work because arts is not a highly lucrative field.
I started Aroha Fine Arts in 2005 with very small projects. As they say, if you do the time, things grow, and here we are.
Twenty years later, my dance company has toured in India, the Middle East and we are performing on Canada’s premier stage, the NAC.
TC: Why do you think it’s important to keep teaching this style of dance?
AP: It’s a vehicle to do a lot of great work in the community. It offers a great space for collaborations, for like-minded people to come and work towards a common goal.
There’s a real need for Kathak to be presented, to be taught and to be learned. It’s well-recognized by the arts councils and people like it. We sold out shows and we’re hoping to sell out this show.
TC: What does “aroha” mean? And why do you use it in the title of your businesses and festivals?
AP: Aroha comes from a musical term. In a musical scale, aroha means “ascending.”
I didn’t want it to be after my name, I wanted to grow and be its own thing. I wanted it to be all encompassing. Yes, Kathak is the bedrock, but now under Aroha Fine Arts we have introduced ArohaFest where arts of India and Canada are presented.
TC: What do you hope people see or feel when they attend ArohaFest or Darbar Kathak?
AP: I hope they walk away feeling like they’ve had a royal experience. I hope they have a chance to experience the glory of the Indian arts in the National Arts Centre — being in this space is an experience in itself.
What I love is seeing young Canadians who come in and see a bit of themselves here. They see, “Oh, wow, it’s not just the ‘other arts,’” there’s something for them as well.
ArohaFest will be running at the NAC from Oct. 14 to 19, featuring more than 100 artists. Tickets for Darbar Kathak and details on the other free events can be found through the ArohaFest website.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image by Kyla Silva/The Charlatan.
