Pallavi Degwekar

🪔 About

Pallavi Degwekar, born in Mumbai, India in 1980, is an internationally acclaimed Kathak exponent, educator, and cultural ambassador based in New Jersey, USA. She began her Kathak journey at the age of ten, becoming a disciple of Smt. Asha Tai Joglekar. She further refined her artistry under the guidance of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj and Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, who groomed her in Taal and Laya. Degwekar holds an Alankar (Master's) in Kathak from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, earned in 2003, and a Visharad Purna (Bachelor's) in 2000. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Indian Philosophy from Mumbai University. Her professional teaching career commenced in 1999 at Archana Nrityalaya in India, where she taught Kathak and assisted in choreography. After moving to the United States in 2009, she served as Vice Principal at Archana Arts, USA (2009–2014), and later as Director of Nrityanjali Arts, New Jersey (2015–2020). In 2021, she founded and became the artistic director of Pallavi Kathak LLC / Nrityavali Gurukul in New Jersey, an institution dedicated to the rigorous preservation and holistic transmission of Kathak through disciplined training and immersive artistic practice. The gurukul maintains an academic affiliation with the Bharati Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts, Pune, where Degwekar has served as Center-In-Charge and Examiner for over a decade. In 2023, she established The Mahadeo Degwekar Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at serving, preserving, and promoting classical arts, in memory of her grandfather, Shri Mahadeo Degwekar, a respected Hindustani classical vocalist. Degwekar has performed extensively on prestigious stages globally, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Indian Consulate in New York, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Festival, and the Sadhana Festival at Kalashram. She is recognized for her technical mastery, flawless style, rhythmic accuracy, and a fine combination of vibrancy and elegance in her performances. Awards & Honours: Nrityangana (1999), Singar Mani (2005), Indian Raga Fellowship (2019), Rays of Hope Award (2020), Individual Artist Fellowship (2020), Akhil Bharatiya Pratibha Puraskar, Abdul Kalam Bharat Puraskar (2021), Nakshatra Samman (2021), Best Teacher Award (2021), Certificate of Commitment (2021), Dance New Jersey Regrant support.