Jolafin Hostettler

🪔 About

Jolafin Hostettler is a Swiss-based Indian classical dancer and teacher, specializing in Kathak, who also works as a biotechnology engineer and is a mother of two. Born and raised in Cologne, Germany, to Indian parents, she began her journey in classical Indian dance at the age of five, receiving Bharatanatyam training from Prasanna Oomen (a disciple of US Krishna Rao in Pandanallur style) from 1992 to 2000. In 2002, she co-founded the Mohayathi Dance Company, through which she has performed and taught Bollywood and semi-classical Indian dance across Europe. Her passion for Kathak led her to begin intensive training in 2010 under Guru Surangama Lala Dasgupta from Kolkata, India. She follows the curriculum of Prayag Sangit Samiti and the Lucknow Gharana, maintaining the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara through a combination of in-person intensive private lessons in Köln, Basel, and Kolkata, and modern technology. Since 2017, she has also received additional personal training from Guru Pali Chandra, who encourages her to pursue the ISTD vocational training. Hostettler is further expanding her musical knowledge by learning Tabla from Guru Saibal Chatterjee from Kolkata. Based in Basel, Switzerland, Jolafin Hostettler actively teaches Kathak to beginners and intermediate students. She also organizes intensive Kathak workshops and master classes, often featuring experts like her Guru Surangama. Her dedication to Kathak is recognized by her gurus, and she is committed to spreading the art form in Basel. A notable milestone in her career includes organizing a successful Kathak dance concert titled "Melody Rhythm Storytelling" in Basel in June 2017, which was funded through crowdfunding. She is currently on a sabbatical to deepen her studies in Kathak and Tabla.