| Kathak's journey from past to present and towards the future was once described to me as a great river. Since the inception of its ancient roots, this dance style from the Northern regions of India has run towards us from the past, always allowing its flow to absorb the passing currents and obstacles of the changing terrains through history. Never losing the pure storytelling purpose of its birth, Kathak has always included rather than excluded what the riverbanks of shifting environments, patrons, and audiences has offered it. Like this, the river of Kathak has been able to survive, growing increasingly beautiful and powerful through the centuries. -- Natalia Candelaria Armacanqui Hildner At the tender age of four, Natalia Candelaria Armacanqui Hildner watched a woman perform Kathak, a classical dance from North India, at a local Madison festival. She was fascinated. What started as a young girl's fascination, however, has since transformed into one woman's journey to become a renowned Kathak dancer. At the age of 23, Armacanqui Hildner is training with one of the most famous Kathak performers in India and has begun to make quite a name for herself as a Kathak dancer. Armacanqui Hildner has long been encouraged by her parents in both her dancing and in her exploration of global cultures. She grew up in an apartment near UW-Madison campus. Her father, a Madison native with German ancestry, is a UW-Madison Spanish Literature professor and her mother, born and raised in Peru, runs the Spanish Language Institute on Monroe St. From an early age, Armacanqui Hildner was exposed to the diverse cultural experiences that Madison offers. Coupled with her rich and diverse ethnicity, these experiences cultivated a genuine interest in global art forms. "I really feel like I'm a product of Madison," Armacanqui Hildner said. "Madison has such a rich, ethnic community and the attitude that there is a lot to learn from each other." So, while some are perplexed that Armacanqui Hildner took up classical Indian dancing, given her Wisconsin and Peruvian roots, she finds it quite natural. She said aside from the fact that she loves the dance form and finds it beautiful, it also reflects who she is as a person. "Kathak is a fusion of many different ethnic groups and religious groups," she said. "I'm also a product of fusion." Kathak originated in Northern India and involved Kathakaars, performers born into the lineage who became Kathak dancers by trade. Originally, Kathakaars dramatically interpreted Hindu stories and legends in a narrative dance performance. When the Mughal Empire reigned in most of Northern India, the art form shed some of its religious ties and gained popularity for its entertainment value. "With the onslaught of the Mughal Empire over most of North India, it was the invitation from and faithful patronage of a few aficionado kings during mostly the 16th to 18th centuries that created the perfect multicultural atmosphere of musicians and dancers for Kathak to develop and thrive into the art form we see today," Armacanqui Hildner said. It was during the reign of the Mughal Empire that Kathak developed many of the components that continue to define it; geometric rhythmic patterns, fast turns, and delicate gracefulness. Today, Kathak continues to be a popular art form in India and is considered a cultural and historical relic. It was named one of India's eight national dances after the country gained independence from Britain in 1947. Armacanqui Hildner first became fascinated with Kathak because of its beauty. "I just saw it as beauty, music, and rhythm," she explained. Later she developed a passion for it's rich history as well. Armacanqui Hildner's journey with Kathak began at the age of five when her mother, a proponent of cultural dance and music, signed her up for Kathak lessons with Professor Mekhala Natayar. She began publicly performing Kathak soon after. "My first performance was at the South Asia Conference at UW-Madison when I was five," she said. Armacanqui Hildner then studied with Purnima Shah, a disciple of the famous Kathak dancer Padmashri Kumudini Lakhia. For the past seven years, Armacanqui Hildner has traveled to Illinois every weekend to study. For the past four years, she has also traveled to India to study intensively with the best of the best, Kathak maestros Padmayibbushan Biriu Maharaj and Padmashri Kumudini Lakhia. It was while in India that Armacanqui Hildner really mastered the essence of Kathak. "To really learn an ethnic dance, you have to go to the homeland," she explained. "There is so much that you just can't teach without experiencing the culture. You have to live it yourself in India." Armacanqui Hildner has performed at numerous events throughout the years including the 2004 International Kathak Festival, the 2006 Dance India Choreographing Traditions Festival, and with the Call for Peace Dance and Drum Company. She has also performed at various venues in India including performances at the 2006 Kalashram Dance Festival and with the Lokchandha Dance Troupe. Armacanqui Hildner will complete her undergraduate studies at UW-Madison this December and will once again return to India to further study and perform Kathak. She has been awarded a performing artist fellowship from the American Institute of Indian Studies for 2007-08. After that, she plans to continue as a professional Kathak dancer. "These past few years, I've been getting so many professional opportunities with Kathak," she said. "I've spent all these years learning Kathak, now I'm just ready to show people my dance." For Armacanqui Hildner, Kathak is appealing for many reasons. It's inclusion of varying religious and cultural groups and its emphasis on beauty over violence, make a Kathak a unique venue to promote peace and cultural understanding. Armacanqui Hildner sums it up like this: "For me, Kathak is such a complete art form. It has a rich history. It has spirituality, intricate rhythms, beauty, grace but also sharpness, and storytelling. It keeps its traditions, but is always open to innovation." To learn more about Kathak and view Armacanqui Hildner's upcoming performances, visit www.mypace.com/nataliakathak. |
| Natalia Armacanqui Hildner performs at India Day Cross cultural excellence By Laura Salinger |
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