Labonee Mohanta

🪔 About

Labonee Mohanta is an internationally renowned Kathak artist, teacher, and choreographer, celebrated for her dynamic performances, fiery footwork, graceful movements, and mesmerizing spins. She began her Kathak training at the age of eight under the tutelage of the late Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, becoming one of his senior disciples. Mohanta is a leading practitioner of "Kathak Yoga," an innovative technique developed by her Guru, where she simultaneously sings the rhythmic cycle, dances complex mathematical patterns, and plays an instrument. As a prominent solo artist, Labonee Mohanta performs regularly across India, Europe, the United States, and Canada, gracing major venues such as NCPA (Mumbai), Rabindra Sadan (Kolkata), Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco), and the Ailey Dance Theater (New York City) at the New York Kathak Festival. She toured extensively with the Chitresh Das Dance Company and served as a center director and senior teacher at her Guru's institution, the Chhandam School of Kathak, for many years. In late 2017, Mohanta transitioned from a career as an actuary to dedicate herself fully to Kathak. In early 2018, she founded the Lavanya Academy of Indian Arts in California's Bay Area, where she serves as Artistic Director, training over 70 students and leading the Lavanya Dance Company. She is also known for her innovative collaborations with diverse musicians, including Oliver Rajamani's "Flamenco India," the Indo-fusion band "Ganapati," and the Toronto Tabla Ensemble. Mohanta is a recipient of the 2024 Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency award, through which she is developing "Milana," a new collaboration blending Kathak with Jazz and South Indian percussion, set to premiere in Spring 2025. Awards & Honours: Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency award (2024).