Founder & Artistic Director
“School of Kathak Dance & Performing Arts”
Anurag Sharma
Anurag Sharma is the Founder & Artistic Director of the KalashramUSA School of Kathak Dance & Performing Arts. KalashramUSA is affiliated with Pandit Birju Maharaj’s Kalashram School of Dance & Music, India. Anurag’s goal is to promote Kathak dance of Lucknow tradition in USA under the lineage of his Guru and Kathak Maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj.
Anurag’s passion for dance inspired him to begin learning Kathak from Rita Mustaphi of Katha Dance Theatre in 2004. After ten years of rigorous training under Rita Mustaphi, Anurag had the opportunity of a lifetime to get further training directly from the legendary and Padma Vibhushan-awardee Pandit Birju Maharaj in New Delhi, India. During the intensive six months training in Guru-Shishya parampara (Teacher-Disciple tradition), he stayed, traveled and performed with Pandit Birju Maharaj & Company in several states in India.
Anurag is a recipient of ‘Travel & Study’ grant from the Jerome Foundation to research and study traditional Kathak dance in India. He also participated in the Chicago’s International Kathak Festivals in 2004 & 2009. Attending conferences and workshops conducted by the Kathak exponents from all over the world was a great learning experience. Anurag has been performing locally, nationally, internationally and has had the fortune to perform at some of the prestigious places:
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In 2016, he performed in a Kathak Ballet Romeo & Juliet with Pandit Birju Maharaj & Company in Wisconsin, Chicago and New York’s Madison Square Garden
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In 2008, he performed as a lead dancer in a Kathak dance drama Beauty and The Beast with Katha Dance Theatre at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota
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In 2017, he performed as a lead dancer in a dance opera titled Karna–The Abandoned Hero with Katha Dance Theatre at the Khajuraho Dance Festival in India. He had an exhilarating experience to perform at such a famous and historical monument from the 12th century
Over the years, Anurag collaborated with some of the prominent organizations / Guru(s) and performed as a Guest Artist with:
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Anila Sinha Foundation production’s Kumar Sambhav & Rajnartaki with Kiran Chauhan at Chicago, Illinois in 2007 & 2009
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India Center of Westchester, New York, as a lead dancer with Katha Dance Theatre production Sundari Aur Nag in 2010
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Katha Dance Theatre production In Retrospect, Kathak collaboration with Flamenco dance and Gospel music in 2010 & 2012
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North American Bengali Conference (NABC) with Katha Dance Theatre at Toronto, Canada in 2013
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India Dance Festival organized by Indian Classical Music Circle (ICMC) with Rita Mustaphi at Dallas, Texas in 2013
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Upasna Dance Company at Pandit Birju Maharaj’s 80th birthday tribute concert Aashirwad with Saveeta Sharma at Ottawa, Canada in 2017
