Mulla Kathak Classes

Our dance classes happen inside the Dhanori Navjivan Mill Compound in Gandhinagar. It’s an interesting place because it used to be an old mill area, so the rooms have high ceilings and a certain feel to them. We’ve been teaching Kathak here to kids and adults from around the neighborhood. The floor is the most important part, and we try to keep it clean and smooth for the footwork. It’s not a fancy studio with mirrors on every wall and air conditioning. It’s more basic than that. You can hear the sound of the ghungroos echoing in the compound when a class is going on. We have students coming in at different times, usually in the evenings after school or work. Sometimes the compound gets a bit dark at night, but we have our lights on. There’s a lot of tradition in what we do, but we don't make a big show of it. We just teach the steps and the rhythm. The parents often sit outside on the benches or lean against the wall while they wait. It’s a very local atmosphere. We don't do much advertising; word usually spreads through the families in Gandhinagar. It’s a bit dusty because of the old buildings around us, but once the music starts, nobody really cares about that. We just focus on the dance and the beat.