Urmila Nagar
Charismatic Dancer & Teacher of Kathak

Urmila Nagar is one of the leading dancers of Kathak, a classical dance of North India. She is the Senior Professor of Jaipur Kathak at the prestigious Kathak Kendra of New Delhi. She studied Kathak under two masters of the Jaipur style: Sundar Prasad and Kundanlal Gangani, and vocal music from the late thumri legend, Siddheshwari Devi. Urmila has developed her a rare and distinct style that combines rhythmic precision, facial expression and melody. In addition to teaching Kathak, she has received numerous awards and honors, and has appeared in National Programs of Dance, All India Radio and festivals in both Europe and India. Urmila has been coming to Seattle with her son Vishal Nagar, tabla, for summer residencies since 1996 under the auspices of the Prabha Rustagi Memorial Trust. If you live in this area, you have a unique opportunity to study Kathak from one of the greatest exponents of the dance, right here in Seattle. Her students perform here under the name of Leela Kathak Dancers.

. Click here to see a slide show of Urmila Nagar. Urmila Slide Show.

Press review: "When Kathak dancer (Urmila) Nagar performed in Seattle last summer, she ended her program with an extended improvisation trading rhythms with her son, tabla player Vishal Nagar, like two jazz musicians. Even if you don't know the stories from Hindu mythology or see the specific detail in the gestures, you are carried away by the astonishing polyrhythms, watching and listening to such an amazing conversation...." - Sandra Kurtz, Seattle Weekly.

Where to Contact Urmila-ji
Prabha Rustagi Memorial Trust
E-mail: [email protected]
3056 NE 85th Street
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 522-4404