Sheetal Mavlankar

🪔 About

Sheetal Mavlankar is a dedicated Kathak dancer and teacher, a close disciple of Padma Shri Smt. Sunayana Hazarilal, a doyen of the Jankiprasad Kathak Gharana of Banaras. Mavlankar was drawn to Kathak from a young age, mesmerized by its postures and spins. She completed her Visharad in 1997 under the tutelage of Guru Sunayana Hazarilal. She has been associated with Natawari, an NGO dedicated to preserving and promoting the Jankiprasad Kathak style, for over 25 years. Encouraged by her guru, Sheetal Mavlankar began teaching Kathak in 2013, establishing her own dance academy in Borivali and Kandivali, Mumbai. She aims to cultivate an interest and love for classical dance among her students from an early age, providing performance-based training in a joyful environment and offering a platform for them to perform. Her students have achieved recognition, winning top prizes in the Nritya Mahotsav 2020 competition sponsored by the Atharva Foundation. As a performer, Mavlankar has accompanied Sunayana Hazarilal in various shows and lecture demonstrations by SPIC MACAY across India. Her notable performances include Natawari tributes to Guru Pt. Hazarilalji at Ravindra Natya Mandir and NCPA & Nehru Center in Mumbai (2016-2020), the 20th Kala Ghoda Festival in Mumbai (2019), and the Sanskriti Festival at Banaras Hindu University (2014). Sheetal Mavlankar also serves as the Treasurer for Natawari, which is registered as a charity under the Indian Society Registration Act since 1980.