ANJALI NATH & KHELNA DANCE

Experience Kathak dance artist, Anjali Nath, light up the stage in a traditional Kathak solo performance. A work that illuminates beauty and grace contrasted by rapid-fire footwork and spins, weaving together mathematically intricate compositions and stories that transcend time and place. Kathak, one of eight classical Indian dance styles, is from the northern region of India. Anjali hails from the lineage of Pandit Chitresh Das and will bring the audience through an exhilarating journey of rhythm, music, and expressive movement as she brings to light insights into the history, philosophy, and mathematical brilliance of the art. Anjali Nath began her Kathak journey in Boston in 1997 while studying at Tufts University, under the mentorship of Gretchen Hayden, founder and artistic director of Chhandika Boston. In 2003, she began formal training with Pandit Chitresh Das at his Chhandam School, immersing herself in his lineage as a practitioner, performer, and educator. While contributing to the growth of these prominent Kathak institutions, Anjali performed across the United States and India with the Chitresh Das Dance Company. Anjali has since continued her performance and teaching career and as a soloist while mentoring emerging artists. Alongside her artistic career, Anjali has spent 28 years in public health, a parallel path that has profoundly shaped how she understands learning, systems, connection, and well-being. These two worlds now converge in her work with “Khelna Kathak,” which she founded in 2024. Rooted in the power of play, Khelna invites people into the extraordinary richness of Kathak—its physicality, musicality, mathematical complexity, and expressive depth—not simply as an art to master, but as a pathway to presence, resilience, connection, and collective well-being. Anjali currently serves on faculty at the Harvard Dance Center and The Dance Complex in Cambridge. She has been a performer and teaching artist for the past 13 years with Arts for Learning Massachusetts. Run Time: Approximately 75 minutes, with no intermission. Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies. STANDARD or PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN options are available online for this event. Per ticket service fee varies depending on ticket price. Thursday, November 19, 2026 7PM Tickets are available for $22 in advance, $25 at the door, and $34 for preferred seating (Pay-What-You-Can available) MSA is a welcoming community arts center in the heart of Portland’s Kennedy Park neighborhood: the most densely populated, ethnically and culturally diverse square mile in Maine. The building serves as a performance venue, gallery, and gathering space, with affordable studios and rehearsal space for artists. 10 Mayo St Portland ME, 04101