INNOVATION IS DOING NEW THINGS

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” Says Kumkum Dhar the famous Kathak dancer and lecturer also (Head of Department-Dance-Bhatkhande) in an interview with HT CITY.

Born in the family of an IAS in Nagpur, Kumkum used to love dancing since her childhood. She used to perform in marriages and parties, but then she was unaware of the work Kathak.

Kathak for me was accidental, due to my father’s transfers in various cities, and so was my arrival in Lucknow.At that point of time, my guruji Lachchu Maharaj was especially called from Mumbai to teach in Lucknow in Kathak Sansthan, says Kumkum.

She agrees that now-a-days people are opting more of western dance forms, but according to her people who also know classical dance forms, will stick only to it because it is stable.

She feels happy and proud to be the HOD of dance Bhatkhande.But she also agrees that when comes position also come responsibility along with that. And also we try to maintain the standards we have set.

Talking about Kathak as not a very glamorous field, Kumkum says, “It has no glamour as such, except the makeup we put in. It just needs hardwork.Also it needs a lot of experimentation and keeping the form intact, and that’s what I am still trying to do, she adds.”