Guru Shambhavi Dandekar

🪔 About

Guru Shambhavi Dandekar is an internationally acclaimed Indian classical Kathak dancer, master performer, teacher, and choreographer, widely recognized as a torchbearer of the Banaras Gharana of Kathak. Her foundational training began at the tender age of four under the tutelage of her mother, the renowned Guru Pandita Maneesha Sathe. She further honed her rhythmic expertise, or 'Laya and Tala,' through intense training with Tabla virtuoso 'Taalyogi' Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Dandekar also specializes in the Lucknow gharana, a fact highlighted by her mentorship of students in both the Benaras and Lucknow traditions. Academically accomplished, Shambhavi Dandekar holds a Bachelor's in Commerce and two Master's degrees in Dance, including a Nritya Alankar (M.A. All India, First Rank) from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and a Master's in Performing Arts from the University of Pune. She also possesses diplomas in French and Sanskrit. Her illustrious career spans 34 years of active performance, during which she has graced stages in over 120 cities across 13 countries worldwide. She is an A-grade artist of Indian National Television, with her performances and interviews broadcast on TV channels in the USA, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and India. Her solo performances have garnered rave reviews, including two from The New York Times. Shambhavi Dandekar commenced her teaching journey in 1991 under her mother's institution, Maneesha Nrityalaya. In 2010, she founded "Shambhavi's International School of Kathak" (SISK), an institution dedicated to promoting Kathak globally. SISK, initially established in Pune, India, expanded its reach when Dandekar moved its base to the San Francisco Bay Area (Sunnyvale, California) in 2012. SISK now operates five branches across India and the US, with its Indian operations in Pune managed by Tejaswini Sathe. In 2021, she pioneered a Distance Learning Program for adult beginners, enabling hundreds of students from various countries to learn Kathak remotely. She has mentored 19 young dancers who have chosen Kathak as their full-time profession. Awards & Honours: Singaar Mani, Nritya Ratna, Bharatashree, Kala Teertha, P. L. Deshpande Youth Award, 101 social change makers of Silicon Valley (2023), National Scholarship for Dance.