Vidhya Patel

🪔 About

Vidya Patel is a UK-based dance artist, choreographer, performer, and educator, primarily specializing in Kathak, one of the major Indian classical dance forms. Born and raised in a British Gujarati household in Handsworth, she began her training in Indian classical dance at a young age, initially exploring Bharatanatyam before focusing on Kathak. She received extensive training through the Yuva Gati Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) Programme at Birmingham's DanceXchange and under the tutelage of guru Sujata Banerjee. Patel gained national recognition as a finalist in the inaugural BBC Young Dancer competition in 2015, representing the South Asian category. Since then, she has established a prominent career, performing nationally and internationally with various companies and artists, including Sir Richard Alston, Gary Clarke, and Hetain Patel. Her choreographic work, which often merges classical Indian and contemporary dance with themes of identity, belonging, and empowerment, has been showcased at prestigious venues such as the Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre, Sadler's Wells, and Tate Modern. She was a Sadler's Wells Young Associate artist from 2020-2022 and is the Philharmonia's Artist in Residence for the 2024/25 season, where she plans to blend dance, movement, and choreography with classical music. Patel is also an advocate for accessibility and equality in the arts, serving on various boards and panels. During the pandemic, she founded "South Asian Dance Artists UK," a community network, and continues to mentor young choreographers. Her collaborations extend to music, poetry, and visual arts, exploring social, political, and autobiographical narratives. Awards & Honours: BBC Young Dancer Finalist (2015), National Dance Critics Circle Awards nominations.