Interview with Graduating Youth Company Member - Anusha Kothari

As part of our YOUTH VOICES SERIES, we share an interview with Anusha Kothari. Anusha began learning kathak at Pandit Chitresh Das’ institution in 2011 at the age of seven, and auditioned and was accepted in to the youth company in 2015 when she was eleven. She has since performed at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Opera House, Zellerbach Hall, and many other prestigious events.

CDI interviewed Anusha in anticipation of her Youth Company Senior Graduating Showcase performance, Aadya on August 1, 2021 at Mexican Heritage Theater in San Jose, along with her fellow graduate and guru sister, Ishani Basak.

Question - What do you want people to know about your kathak journey?

Anusha Kothari - My favorite aspect of my Kathak journey is undoubtedly the people I’ve interacted with and the relationships I’ve formed along the way. I want others to know about the village of people that have contributed to the dancer and person that I am. I have learned so much from Tuesday night classes at the Cupertino branch where Anita Didi and senior members of youth company would break down compositions and choreography. I have improved immensely by observing senior guru sisters and teachers dance and attempting to emulate their movements. Even my experiences as a mentor and TA have helped me grow because they have forced me to take a closer look at my own dance. Of course, no person has had a greater hand in my development as a dancer than Charlotte Didi. 

The relationships I have made also transcend dance. I have studied for final exams with a fellow youth company member and I have received college advice from another. I have been fortunate to meet so many strong women, each with unique personalities, and they have all inspired me in different ways. I am grateful to Dadaji for trailblazing the Kathak tradition in this part of the world and for bringing this vibrant community together.

What has it been like working with Charlotte Didi to prepare for your graduating showcase?

Anusha Kothari - Working with Charlotte Didi as I prepare for this performance has been such an immersive and rewarding experience. She brings a contagious energy to every rehearsal that invigorates the whole room, and her creativity and spontaneity make the process so fun. I am always in awe as I watch Charlotte Didi improvise, choreograph, and dance and I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to work so closely with her. 

For our graduating showcase in particular, Charlotte Didi encourages us to make it as personal as possible, challenging us to come up with our own choreography and tirelessly brainstorming to bring out our strengths. She always pushes us to be our very best and doesn’t settle for anything less than what we are capable of. Without her passion and dedication, I would not be half the dancer that I am today. I am so grateful to her for believing in me and for constantly being a source of encouragement and motivation.

What is your favorite memory of your Dadaji (Pandit Chitresh Das)?

Anusha Kothari - One of the things I remember most about Dadaji was his playful nature, whether it was joking about ditching class to go on a field trip to McDonald’s or urging us to greet him with “What’s up Dadaji?” outside of the dance floor. 

Despite his seemingly carefree personality, Dadaji cared deeply about instilling a sense of pride for our culture in us. Every time someone mentions “ABCD,” as in “American-born confused Desi,” I think back to Dadaji strongly asserting that we were not confused, rather, we were “American born confident Desis.” At one intensive, I remember Dadaji going around the room asking every student to share the part of India that their family was from and the language that they spoke. He made a thoughtful remark after every girl’s answer, making us feel heard and proud of our backgrounds. I will also never forget Dadaji insisting that we practice enunciating a particular line in the Hindi alphabet, ta tha da dha na, to improve our pronunciation. At the time, I was learning to read and write Hindi, and when he mentioned that line, I was excited that I knew what he was referring to and that I was studying my language. 

What do you hope will be the outcome of your graduating showcase performance?

Anusha Kothari - For people who are unfamiliar with Kathak, I hope this performance inspires a newfound appreciation for the dance and for Indian classical art in general. Through my dance, I hope I am able to aptly convey the richness of Dadaji’s tradition and the nuances and complexities within Kathak, such as the organic math behind a rhythmic composition or the subtlety of a thoughtfully-placed expression. So many people have helped me to get to the level where such a performance is possible and I want my performance to reflect the impact they have made on me. 

Additionally, when we perform in the youth company, our synchronized movements and shared smiles create a palpable energy. I hope I am able to recreate that same energy as I perform solo—I am incredibly lucky to have such distinguished and dynamic musicians accompany me and I am excited about interacting with them on stage. Most of all, I hope my performance reflects the sheer joy I feel when I dance, and I hope I am able to share that joy with the audience. 

Where are you going to university and what are you most excited about learning there?

Anusha Kothari - I will be attending Emory University in the fall and I am most excited about the opportunities it offers to explore diverse disciplines from distinguished faculty and study niche topics even as an underclassman. I am particularly interested in learning about how social determinants, such as familial relationships or socioeconomic status, can affect physical and mental health. Emory is a hub of culture and innovation and I can’t wait to take advantage of the vast resources it has to offer, from talks with Senator Jon Ossof and Dr. Anthony Fauci to research opportunities at its medical school. 

What is one thing about learning kathak that you think people should know?

Anusha Kothari - Kathak is such an all-encompassing art form, so you are learning so much more than just a technique to move your body. As Kathakas, we are musicians, athletes, storytellers, and performers. 

Through our dance, we are exposed to India’s rich history and culture, whether it be Hindu mythology when dancing stories about Krishna or Mughal influences when performing pieces like Thaat. Through learning and sometimes even composing intricate compositions, we also develop layakari—an understanding of rhythm and beat within Indian classical music—and exercise the mathematical sides of our brains. The solo process has helped me dig deeper into my sense of layakari, especially when discussing pieces or rehearsing with such esteemed musicians. Because of the strong sense of musicianship that Dadaji’s school of training has instilled in us, we are even able to innovate within our musical compositions to make them our own. 

In addition, unlike many other dance forms, Kathak is incredibly versatile: it has both pure dance (nrit), which demands precision and physical strength, and storytelling (abhinaya), which requires us to be vulnerable and openly express ourselves. Whether it’s math, history, mythology, storytelling, or simply physical exercise, Kathak incorporates it all to form a vibrant world in itself.

If you were to send a message of advice to your 10 year old self, what would you tell her?

Anusha Kothari - When I was ten, I lived life more freely and without inhibitions. I think present-day me could actually benefit from advice from my 10-year-old self: Don’t stress out so much, don’t overthink so much. Everything does not have to be perfect, just have fun. On August 1st, I hope to take inspiration from my 10-year-old self and fully let go when I’m on stage, instead of getting caught up in small technicalities. 

There are limited tickets available for Aadya. If you are interested in tickets please contact Ajanta Basak at ajanta.basak@gmail.com or Sonal Kothari at kotharisonal@gmail.com. All guests of age must show proof of vaccination and all attendees must be masked.

For exciting upcoming future concerts check out our calendar page .

Photo by Rama Sivamani