ADITI MANGALDAS - INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCER

Aditi Mangaldas (born 1960) is a renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer, who works with the traditional repertoire of Kathak. A former student of both Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj, she remained one of the principal dancers in latter's troupe for several years, before starting her own dance institution in Delhi, the Drishtikon Dance Foundation, where she is the artistic director and principal dancer.

Born in 1960, Aditi Mangaldas was brought up in Ahmedabad, where she also did her Bachelor of Science from St. Xavier’s College.

She started training in Kathak dance under Kumudini Lakhia at Kadamb Centre for Dance in Ahmedabad at a young age. Later at the advice of her aunt Pupul Jayakar, she moved to Delhi to explore dance avenues in the city. Here she became a student of Birju Maharaj at Kathak Kendra, Delhi. After completing her dance training, she travelled to many part of the world as a part of Birju Maharaj's troupe

She has given Kathak performances in major dance festivals in India and has been featured in the Festivals of India in UK, US, and the Soviet unions.

Besides directing solo items, Aditi Mangaldas has also choreographed a number of group ensembles that have been an arresting blend of traditional and contemporary styles. Over the past years she has produced several choreographic works including Cheekh, Swagat Vistar, The Sound of the universe, Vrindakriti to name a few. She has also conducted several workshops and presented papers at dance seminars.

In 2005, the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company with a troupe of six dancers and three musicians made its US debut at the Asia Society with "Footprints on Water."