Youth Voices - Heeya Das
Heeya started studying kathak at 8 and has been dancing for around 10 years. On August 3, 2024 Heeya and fellow Chitresh Das Youth Company graduates Reya Lakhani and Sanjana Rao, performed their Youth Company Graduating Showcase “Jagriti” under the guidance of their Guruji Charlotte Moraga and accompanied by incredible musicians Ben Kunin on sarod, Saneyee Purandare Bhattacharjee on vocal, and Nilan Chaudhuri on tabla. Heeya is now a freshman studying Economics & Political Science at UC Berkeley. This interview is to learn more about Heeya’s journey and perspective on being part of the legacy of Pandit Chitresh Das.
Q: What do you want people to know about your kathak journey?
Heeya Das: I’ve been dancing for nearly all my life, and it’s truly something I’ve adopted as an integral part of me. It's impacted everything in my life, down to the way I stand- in a perfect V at all times. From the nine principles to the simple “Practice, practice, practice” motto, each lesson passed down to me from my many teachers and guru has been something widely applicable to all sectors of my life. I wouldn’t be the same person without the hours I spent in the dance studio.
Q: What was it like working with Charlotte Didi to prepare for your graduating showcase?
Heeya: Charlotte Didi is a wonderful teacher, one who truly pushes you to the max and makes you want to do the same. I started the process hesitant if I could complete it but towards the end I found myself wanting to implement harder compositions and challenge myself on stage- all due to Charlotte Didi’s encouragement.
She also taught me what it meant to compose my own pieces, selecting parts of the dance I really enjoyed and taking them to new levels. Charlotte Didi’s level of artistry is unmatched and it was wonderful to have a hint of that guiding my own compositions.
Q. What did you learn most from the preparation process and the performance?
Heeya: It takes a lot to put on a show this big! Looking back, I truly was eat, sleep, breathing dance in the few months leading up to the performance. But, once I got on stage, it felt as natural as breathing. I truly believe my home is on a stage somewhere, but the feeling took a new meaning when it was during my graduating showcase. To this day, I remember walking onto the stage and being confident that it was all going to be fine- a testament to the endless hours working with Charlotte Didi, the musicians, and of course by myself. At the end of the day, practice does make permanent, and when you’ve practiced enough- once you're on stage it's simple muscle memory.
Q: How does it feel to be carrying on the tradition of Pandit Chitresh Das?
Heeya: I unfortunately had only gotten the chance to take a class with Dada ji once- I believe I was about 8 at the time. Suffice it to say, he very much ensured my choice to stay and pursue the dance further. Although he passed only a month later, I knew his legacy was one I would be honored to carry forward. As I grow older and watch clips of his dance, I am awestruck at the pure power and finesse he had. I can only hope, through all my research of his dance and teachings, I achieved to learn 0.005% of what he had to offer, and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to learn more.
Q: What is something that you have discovered through dance that you would like to share?
Heeya: Nothing will ever be perfect, it’ll only be as good as the amount of work you put into it. I doubt I’ve ever had a performance where everything went right, but there is a very clear trend between the hours I practiced and the quality of my performance. Especially with composing, I’ve learnt to keep working at something until I am satisfied, let it rest for a couple days, and then get back onto it with brand new ideas and ways to make it better. It's a never ending process that I’m ever so grateful for.
Q: Where are you going to university and what are you most excited about learning there?
Heeya: I’m currently attending the University of California, Berkeley, where I’m pursuing a degree in Economics and Political Science, with a minor in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. At least, that’s the current plan! I’m quite indecisive- I might end up staying in school forever collecting degrees. I’m most excited about learning about the world around me- something I hope to achieve through my political science degree, and then using tools to fix it (my economics degree!) I’ve thus far enjoyed joining as many clubs as I can possibly fit into my schedule- meeting so many new people and consistently being in awe of how incredible everyone here is, at whatever they choose to do!
Q.: What is one thing about learning kathak that you think people should know?
Heeya: You’ll get out of it what you put into it. If you choose to commit all the way to learning Kathak as deeply as is taught at the highest level CDI provides, it will be a long hard process that is so so so rewarding in the best way possible. Learning kathak extends your physical and mental capabilities in ways I can’t imagine anything else would even come close to.
Q: If you were to send a message of advice to your 10 year old self, what would you tell her?
Heeya: Keep dancing!! It’s going to be so fun. Although my 10 year old self might’ve already known this– she might’ve even eaten me alive. I think she needed a little more confidence taking new leaps, going outside the safe zones. I would tell her it's okay to draw outside the lines every now and then, no harm done in being wrong every now and then.