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With rhythmic spinning and sounds of bells, the gorgeous evening culminated in a dance of intense devotion and joy…
– Joanne DiVito, LA Dance Chronicle | Review of Encounters with Beauty
The Artistic Directors of Leela Dance Collective have chosen an ambitious mission, to honor ancient traditions and bring them forward, made relevant to the present. There is no question that they are successful…
Mary Pat Cooney, LA Dance Chronicle | Review of Son of the Wind
Mehta radiated calm, even when her feet blurred at breakneck speed, her spine erect as she spun through tight, whirlwind revolutions.
– Carla Escoda, Bach Track | Review of SPEAK
While these genres (kathak and tap) have been crossed before, rarely have the participants been such masters of the art
– Brian Seibert, New York Times | Feature of SPEAK with Rukhmani Mehta, Rachna Nivas, Michelle Dorrance & Dormeshia
Her body seemed both inside of and inseparable from the score…creating a beautiful rhythmic duality punctuated by swift turns and moments of statuesque stillness.
– Denali Huff, LA Dance Chronicle | Review of Sandhi
Biography
Rukhmani Mehta is a kathak artist, choreographer, and educator working at the intersection of classical Indian dance, contemporary performance, and embodied inquiry. She approaches kathak as a living, evolving practice—one that bridges tradition and innovation while speaking powerfully to the present moment.
A senior disciple of the legendary kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das, Mehta is both lineage bearer and contemporary voice. She engages classical Indian dance as a dynamic system of rhythm, storytelling, and improvisation—capable of restoring connection to self, to community, and to the sacred. Her work spans traditional productions as well as cross-cultural collaborations that bring kathak into dialogue with other genres and artistic disciplines.
Mehta is Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective. Her original works include SPEAK, a kathak–tap collaboration; Son of the Wind, a dance drama based on the Indian epic Ramayana; and Encounters with Beauty, inspired by the poetry of India’s mystic poet-saints. Her solo work, Sandhi, re-centers the traditional kathak solo, foregrounding improvisation, narrative depth, and the exchange between dancer, musician and audience. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally at venues including the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Mumbai), 92nd Street Y, The Broad Stage, NC State Live, Maui Arts & Cultural Center, and more.
Mehta is also the Artistic Director of Leela Youth Dance Company, a pre-professional ensemble dedicated to training and mentoring young South Asian women. Through her teaching, she cultivates not only technical rigor and lineage literacy, but the development of voice, confidence, and embodied self-knowledge.
Prior to founding Leela, Mehta was a principal dancer with the Chitresh Das Dance Company for nearly fifteen years, touring extensively in the United States and India. She is a recipient of a Fulbright Award that supported research on classical dance as a vehicle for empowerment and self-actualization. Mehta is frequently invited to speak on embodied knowledge, lineage and mentorship, and dance as a path to consciousness and transformation.
Selected Press
SPEAK Review, Bach Track
SPEAK Feature, New York Times
Sandhi Review, LA Dance Chronicle
Sandhi Preview, LA Dance Chronicle
Encounters with Beauty Review, LA Dance Chronicle
Building a Future for Kathak Dance, Stance on Dance
Rukhmani Mehta on Movers & Shapers Podcast
Artist Spotlight, SF Classical Voice
Son of the Wind Review, LA Dance Chronicle
Innovationg Within a Tradition, ODC Dance Stories
SPEAK Preview, Asian Age
SPEAK Preview, Times of India
Leela Dance Collective
23650 Community Street
Los Angeles, CA 91304
E: info@leela.dance
