Oakland Asian Cultural Center Presents
North Indian Kathak Dancer
and Scholar Purnima Jha

     Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) presented a free, outdoor performance by internationally acclaimed North Indian Kathak dancer Purnima Jha.  Ms. Jha accompanied by renowned guest musicians Giridhar Gamang - Dhamp and Kansa, Sukhawat Ali Khan - Vocals, Riffat Ali Khan - Vocals, Richard Michos - Tanpura, Brian Wallace - Sarod, Rajiv Parikh - Tabla, and Srinivas Reddy - Sitar. This very special event was dedicated to the healing of the Indian State of Orissa, which was devastated by a super-cyclone last year. This presentation was a part of the 4th annual "Performances in the Plaza."

     The Artistic Director of Dance and Rhythm of India, Ms. Jha, conceptualized and created this unprecedented event which will combine Sanskrit chants, Sufi music, and tribal rhythms that echo the spirit of Orissa with Kathak dance acting as the unifying force. Kathak is one of the major dance forms of Northern India. Originally performed in Hindu temples as a religious rite, it evolved into a court dance featuring elaborate costumes under the Mughals patronage.

     It is a story-telling dance, encompassing graceful movements, mime, and intricate patterns of rhythm created by footwork that rings strands of bells wrapped around the ankles. Performing with Ms. Jha is Dr. Giridhar Gamang, who hails from the Koraput region of Orissa. Dr. Gamang will perform on Dhamp and Kansa, two tribal drums rarely heard outside of India.

     This performance was dedicated to the recovery and healing of Orissa, a state of India recognized for its artists, cultural contributions, and magnificent architecture, which was devastated by a super-cyclone last year. Through her performance, Ms. Jha wishes to increase awareness of what is happening in Orissa and to create an energy and positive force to aid in its healing as well as to request people's aid in the relief process. Ms. Jha feels that there is a relationship between the rhythmic cycles of Kathak and the majestic, creative, destructive, and re-creative, powers of the cyclone. Through her performance she will acknowledge this connection.

     Ms. Purnima Jha was trained from an early age in Kathak dance by her father and guru, the legendary Natraj Shanker Dev Jha, one of the great Kathak artists of the 20th  century. In addition to her work in the strictly authentic tradition of Kathak dance, Ms. Jha has made a unique contribution in cross-cultural artistic experimentation through her ground-breaking collaborative work with Flamenco artist Rosa Montoya and body-musician/percussionist Keith Terry.

     A reviewer has noted "Ms. Jha's control of movements... so exquisite that she can cause a single bell to sound without disturbing the others." Her critically acclaimed performances have received Isadora Duncan Dance Awards and she is the recipient of India's "Great Daughter of the Soil" award in the arts. Ms. Jha is a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley, a faculty member of the East Bay School for the Performing Arts, and a member of the Alameda County Arts Advisory Board.

     Dr. Giridhar Gamang is a former Chief Minister and Member of Parliament of Orissa.  He has dedicated his life to the study and performance of the tribal art forms. He specializes in the performance of two unique tribal drums, the Dhamp and Kansa, which are rarely performed outside of India. He has composed works for, as well as conducted, orchestras that have been broadcast throughout India. It has been written about Dr. Gamang that "he has the inherent nativity of India in all its manifestations."

     Sukhawat Ali Khan came from a 500 year lineage of musicians of the Samcharasi garana, descendants of two famed court musicians to the artistically-devoted ruler, Akbar the Great. His father, Ustad Salamat, and uncle were internationally renowed artists and Sukhawat Ali Khan represents the next generation of this esteemed family. He is a dynamic performer as well as a supreme Vocal Instructor in Indian Classical Music.

     Riffat Salamat Ali Khan represented the first female vocalist of this esteemed musical family to sing professionally in the west. She specializes in traditional and devotional Sufi songs. Her beautiful voice and stunning stage presence captivate audiences.

     Richard Michos is a graduate of both the University of California at San Diego and Berklee School of Music in Boston. He is a producer and musician who has performed throughout the US and Asian. He will accompany Ms. Jha on Tanpura.

     Brian Wallace performed on Sarod. He is a professional singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is a graduate of Harvard University and a student of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

     Tabla artist Rajiv Parikh is a graduate of UC Bekeley and a student of Zakir Hussain.  He performs throughout the Bay Area with his world/rock/fusion band, Azigza. He has accompanied Ms. Jha at the City of Hercules' 22nd Annual Cultural Festival.

     Sitarist Srinivas Reddy holds a BA from Brown University in South Asian Studies with a concentration in Sanskrit and Ethnomusicology. He studies sitar under the tutelage of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Partha Chaterjee and has also accompanied Ms. Jha at the City of Hercules' 22nd Annual Cultural Festival.