Episode Notes

Vaishali Trivedi || Sangati Vaishali Trivedi (@vaishali_sangati) • Instagram photos and videos Vaishali Trivedi is a Kathak dancer, singer, choreographer and a teacher based in Ahmedabad, India. Acclaimed as a rare dancer with a melodious voice by artists and connoisseurs, Vaishali combines perfect technique with flowing grace and a very fine sensitivity. She began her training in Kathak, under Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, India’s path breaking choreographer and Kathak dancer, at an early age and later became a principal dancer, teacher and a choreographer at Kadamb Centre for Dance in Ahmedabad. After working at Kadamb for several years, Vaishali branched away and formed Sangati Centre For Performing Arts in 2017.

Vaishali has given Kathak performances in major dance festivals in India and has been featured in Festival of India in USSR, Sweden, Germany, Thailand, Brazil, Bhutan, Japan and Canada. She has also performed in many theatres, festivals and events worldwide, including Biennale de la Dance in Lyon, France, Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary, Le Biennale di Venezia in Venice, Italy, Kremlin Palace theatre in Moscow, Russia, London’s South Bank Centre, UK, Theatre National de Chaillot, Paris, and Montpellier Dance Festival, France. Vaishali has danced in the great sitar maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar’s musical theatre 'Ghanshayam' and also danced and sang in the production of Pt. Birju Maharaj in the Festival of India in Germany at a young age. Recently she has done several collaborative works with world renowned choreographers like Kader Attou, Karine Saporta from France, Joachim Schlomer from Germany, Ivaldo Bartzzo from Brazil, TTB theatre group from Italy and also with choreographers from Switzerland, USA, Pakistan, Spain to name a few. Apart from her solo performances, she has also choreographed a number of group productions which have a blend of traditional and contemporary sensibilities. Her choreographic work has been presented in several prestigious events including Kathak festival organized by Kathak Kendra New Delhi, Tigad festival in Algeria, Voloubilis festival in Morocco, Brazil, Turkey, USA, UK, France, Switzerland, etc. Vaishali has directed large-scale public cultural shows involving hundreds of artists. She has also conducted several workshops and written articles in noted dance magazines such as ‘Attendance’.

In 2017 her solo works ‘Project Ravi Varma’ and ‘Urban Sufi’ were presented at “Indika Festival’, UK. In 2019 she choreographed a full -length work, ‘Still Water’ involving live visuals and music with 12 dancers for the Abhivyakti Arts Festival.

Show Highlights

(0:02:17) Rehearsing for World Dance Day

(0:03:40) Working with dancers of all levels

(0:06:36) How do you teach differently than how you were taight?

(0:09:26) How her teaching style has changed over time

(0:11:06) Going out on your own

(0:14:45) Getting new work and opportunities without being outgoing

(0:18:14) The responsibility of being a dancer from Kadamb

(0:23:32) Introducing newcomers to Kathak as a choreographer

(0:25:22) The importance of being curious about other dance forms/vocabulary

(0:28:28) Energy, timing and space in dance

(0:29:44) Jamming sessions for projects

(0:33:43) Tips on observing dance

(0:36:17) Having a generous teacher in Kumiben

(0:39:29) Discussion on productions : Still Waters

(0:41:45) Inspiration for Still Waters: Living in a big city

(0:43:57) Work on Erasing Borders

(0:50:01) Future projects and mission

(0:52:25) Memorable moments from past performances

(0:54:45) Being quarantined in France

(0:57:51) Managing people as a choreographer