Kadamb, Centre for Dance and Music was started in 1967 with the purpose of promoting the appreciation of Kathak dance in Ahmedabad and in the State of Gujarat. Now in its 31st year and with more than 150 students on roll, Kadamb has gained the reputation of an institution which imparts a holistic view of dance education.

Kadamb’s dance company is one of the most outstanding performing groups in the country. It has a unique style of its own. Creative innovations and an intelligent approach, in themes and choreography, have provided a new dimension to the Kathak dance technique. Kadamb’s performing unit has produced over fifty dance productions which have been staged and appreciated by audiences throughout India. The group has also given a number of performances in many countries around he world.

Kadamb’s forte is the manifestation of creative imagination in dance choreography, performed by ably trained dancers. Strict classicism is the treatment of some numbers and yet other items have incorporated new elements of abstract dimensions. These include thematic content , costumes , colors , sets and of cours, music.

For the past 25 years, Kadamb’s performing group has enjoyed wide popularity and a busy touring season throughout India and abroad. Countries where Kadamb performed are - USA, UK, USSR, Sweden, Germany, Seychelles, Portugal, Indonesia, Thailand, Mongolia, China, Korea, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Italy.

From ‘Variations in Thumri’ in 1969 and ‘Venu Nad’ in 1970, Kadamb has been producing, between two to three creations per year and their last presentation was ‘Chaturang’ in 1999.

Kumudini Lakhia has been the force behind Kadamb since its inception. She was orn in Bombay in May 1930 in a family, where music and dance were as important a part of growing as the daily bread. Kumudini had her schooling at the Queen Mary’s college in Lahore (now in Pakistan) and joined the Agriculture college in Allahabad from where she received her degree in Agriculture Science.

A career in dance came to her accidentally when the famous Indian dancer Ram Gopal offered her a role as his partner. With him she toured the world and it was this experience which laid the foundation for a holistic approach to dance.

Kumudini Lakhia is India’s best known choreographer on the dance scene today. She has made an indelible mark with her innovative choreographic skills which are unanimously acclaimed by connoisseurs in many countries over the world.

After a long and successful career as a dancer with performances in over forty countries she chose to give up her career as a solo performer to start the Kadamb dance centre in Ahmedabad where she trains students in the art of classical Kathak dance. Kadamb is a nationally and internationally known dance institution and many of her past students are well-known dancers and choreographers on the dance scene today.

She has been associated with the Kathak dance for the past 56 years in different capacities, which demonstrates her intense love, concern and commitment. She has enriched the vocabulary of Kathak dance by interpreting the technique in a more systematic way and her understanding of the “time and space” concept of the Kathak dance is very individual and contemporary.

Kumudini has choreographed for two very successful Hindi Movies ‘Umrao Jaan’and ‘Sur Sangam’ (a Hindi remake of ‘Shankarabarnam’). She has also presented a number of dance productions for Television. She has done some extraordinary work with children. She has collaborated with choreographer’s from different countries in major International productions in Russia, America, Italy, France , Germany etc.

Her unique contribution to Kathak has widened the thematic range of the form and her ably trained dance company has opened new venues for Kathak both in India and in many countries around the world. Choreographers from around the world have invited Kumudini’s students as dancers for their dance projects because they see a very universal and contemporary quality in them.

Lakhia has been showered with many laurels and awards. Some of them are: Highest Artistic Merit Award in Cuba (1973); Sangeet Natak Akademi, National Award , New Delhi (1982); Honorary Doctorate, Vishwa Unnayan Sansad (1983); Padma Shree (1987) and Pundit Omkar Nath Thakur Award, Gujarat State (1990).

NOTE: The above article was compiled from staff files.