Tara Catherine Pandeya
Bharatanatyam Performer • Teacher
20+
Years of Experience
1+
Students Taught
1
Followers
About
Tara Catherine Pandeya is a Bay Area-born dance artist, choreographer, scholar, and cultural activist with a diverse background in global dance forms. Exposed to dance and music from infancy, she began her training in Indian classical dance at the age of three, and later in tap dance at eight. Her mother, Barbara Framm, is a dance artist who has practiced…
Journey Timeline
Infancy
Exposed to dance and music
Age 3
Began Indian classical dance training
Age 8
Began tap dance training
Teenager
Joined Middle Eastern dance troupe 'Aywah!'
Age 16
Started performing Central Asian dance with Ballet Afsaneh
2006
Helped launch Tajik Dance Initiative NGO
2010
Began as principal dancer with Cirque du Soleil's Dralion
2015
Concluded Cirque du Soleil's Dralion tour
2015
Became first Westerner to perform with Lola, the National Dance Company of Tajikistan
2016
Awarded Asian Cultural Council grant for Kathak research
2017
Won prize at Berlin's 'Forecast' Festival for 'Raqsistan'
2018
Began Fulbright Scholar at Roehampton University
2019
Concluded Fulbright Scholarship
2020
Performed in Abbos Kosimov's jubilee concert
2021
Mentored Krystle A. in Afghan dance through ACTA apprenticeship program
2022
Concluded annual collaborations with Billy Chang
Photo Gallery
Photos will appear here.
Video Library
Performance videos will appear here.
Signature Performances
Signature repertoire pieces will be showcased here.
Performance Map
A world map of performances will appear here as tours are recorded.
Awards & Honors
- Asian Cultural Council Individual Artist grant — Rockefeller Foundation-Funded
- CECArtslink residency fellowship — CEC ArtsLink
- Selected master artist for the apprenticeship program — California Alliance for Traditional Arts
- CHIME (Choreographers Mentorship Exchange) grant — Margaret Jenkin's
- Rauschenberg Foundation individual artist grant — Rauschenberg Foundation
- Creative Work Fund grants
- Isadora Duncan Dance Award nomination
- Christensen Foundation funded dance work — Christensen Foundation
- 2017 · Prize at Berlin's 'Forecast' Festival for 'Raqsistan' — Forecast Festival
- Fulbright Scholar
- Merit for creative work — California Expressions Committee
- Merit for creative work — The Partnership for Customary Expressions
- Merit for creative work — Marin Expressions Gathering
Media Coverage
Press features and interviews will appear here.
Dance School
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Students
Testimonials
Student & peer testimonials will appear here.
Upcoming Workshops
No workshops scheduled yet.
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