The week long prestigious Khajuraho festival of classical dances, concluded on 26th February, featuring some of the best classical dancers of the country, in different classical dance styles.

The festival was organised by Ustad Allaudin Khan Sangeet and Kala Academy and Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parishad and was held at the backdrop of the famous Khajuraho temple.

On 22nd February, accomplished Kathak exponent from Mumbai, Dr Tina Tambe, enthralled the audience with her brilliant performance. Besides being a teacher and choreographer, Tina is also the founder director of Ninad Centre for Performing Arts and has organised several concerts promoting arts and artists.

Tina was initiated to Kathak at a tender age, under the tutelage of Ranjana Thakur, who is the disciple of the veteran mentor Dr Puru Dadhich. Furthering her passion for Kathak in the Raigarh gharana, seeking guidance from  Dr Suchita harmalkar, who was among the foremost disciples of maestros Pandit Kartik Ramji and Ram Lalji. In Jaipur gharana, Tina sought guidance from veteran exponent Uma Dogra, who was also the disciple of mentor Reba Vidyarthi. Hence imbibing the "Lucknow ang" of kathak, Tina has also been privileged to attend the workshops conducted by renowned Kathak maestors like Pandit Birju Maharaj and Pandit Pratap Pawar.

Tina commenced her performance with an invocation to goddess Bhavani, set to the pakhawaj music and Keharva taal, following with Taal dhamar, incorporating varied pure dance pieces like upaj, that, tukde, paran, parmelu, tatkaar, etc, revealing her "teyyari" and "Layakari", Tina's performance had the vitality of the Jaipur Gharana, the "nazakhat" of both Lucknow and Raigad gharana.

Tina dances with effortless ease and precision, winning acclaim from the packed audience. In an expressional number portraying the saint poetess Mirabai, interpreting the love of Radha and Krishna and the devotion of Mirabai with natural and heart touching expressions.

Tina received fine orchestral support from Satyaprakash Mishra on Tabla, vocal and harmonium by Vaibhav Mankad, Sitar by Alka Gujar and padant by Nisha Nair. It was nice to see Tina sharing the platform with other brilliant dancers like Parshavanath Upadhyay and Neena Prasad.  

By Guru Vijay Shanker