Bhavana Lele

🪔 About

Bhavana Lele is a distinguished Indian classical Kathak dancer, guru, and choreographer, recognized for her versatile performances and profound contributions to the art form. Born in 1967, she commenced her Kathak training at the tender age of eight under the tutelage of Guru Mrs. Sanjeevani Kulkarni from Nashik. Lele further honed her skills, earning a Kathak Nritya Visharad (Purna) from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and an M.A. in Kathak from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapitha, Pune. She has also been fortunate to receive special guidance from eminent personalities in Kathak, including the legendary Pt. Birju Maharaj and Guru Munnalalji Shukla, aligning her practice with the esteemed Lucknow Gharana. Throughout her career, Bhavana Lele has captivated audiences with mesmerizing performances across India in cities such as Pune, Jalgaon, Hyderabad, Indore, Tirupati, Nashik, Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, and Bangalore. Her international performances include showcases in Mauritius and at the Aksra Theatre in Thailand. Notable appearances include the Pt. Ram Marathe Sangeet Samaroh in 2006 and 2008, the Sanskar Bharti Gurupurnima Utsav, and the International Dance Day celebration in Pune in 2014. An accomplished choreographer, Lele has conceptualized and presented numerous dance dramas, including "Shakuntala," "Krishnaranga," "Ramayan," "Dashavatar," and "Panch Mahabuta." Her choreographed work "Krishnaranga" notably secured the first prize in a competition organized by ABSS UNESCO. In 1992, Bhavana Lele founded the Kalanand Nritya Sanstha in Thane, an institution dedicated to propagating and teaching Kathak in its purest form. As the Director, she has led the academy to train hundreds, and even thousands, of students over more than two decades, with Kalanand being affiliated with Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. Her teaching legacy emphasizes rigorous training and a deep understanding of both the practical and theoretical aspects of Kathak.