Astha Godbole Karlekar

Astha Godbole Karlekar Kathak Exponent and Theatre Artist This Lucknow-born Kathak performer received her professional training under the Guru Shishya Parampara from her mother, the famous Kathak dancer Smt. Savita Godbole, a sincere and hardworking disciple of the Kathak doyen Guru Acharya Lacchu Maharaj, of the Lucknow Gharana. Astha started getting her lessons in Kathak dance at the tender age of five years. Through her devotion, sincere efforts, and the rigorous training from her mother, she was molded into a promising artist. Astha started showing her spark from the eighth year of her age, where she gave her maiden stage performance at Bundelkhand Sangeet Samaroh, alongside her mother, Smt. Savita Godbole. The first achievement she received was at the All India Music Conference at Allahabad in 1988. This competition was organized by the Prayag Sangeet Samiti. Astha won this competition and also won the hearts of the audience when she performed at the prize distribution ceremony. Since then, Astha has never looked back. Astha has always shown her ‘class’, be it a scholarship test or a performance, at a local level or a national level. She was always cheered on by her parents at each and every achievement. After 15 years of Kathak training, Astha applied for three years of full-time training at the Drama School under the guidance of the then Director of the School of Drama, Mr. Vasant Josalkar, with teachers Mrs. Padmashree Josalkar and Afsar Hussain at the School of Drama, Kala Academy, Goa. It was her father, Dr. Udaykumar Godbole, who encouraged her to choose the field of arts as a career. The theatre element has made Astha's dancing style different from others; it has adakari (specialty of Lucknow Gharana), tayyari, and strong abhinaya. Marriage is a very important phase of any Indian woman's life, and even today, there are very few ladies who can continue their career after marriage. Astha is one of the lucky women who, with the full support of her husband, is pursuing her career. It has added grace by the award of the Junior Fellowship by the Government of India. Empaneled Artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Currently working as a Kathak Teacher cum Performer at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture, under the Embassy of India in Tashkent. I teach Kathak dance at my own institute named “Layashala” in India. Educational Qualifications: Diploma in Theatre Arts, 1999 School of Drama, Kala Academy, Goa M.A. Sanskrit Literature, 2005 Devi Ahilya University, Indore. M.A. Kathak Nritya, 2014 Raja Mansingh Tomar University, Gwalior. Scholarships: Junior – Center for Cultural Resources and Training, Government of India - 10 years Senior – Theatre Arts, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 2 years Senior – Kathak Dance, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 2 years Fellowship: Junior – Kathak Dance, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 2 years Languages Known: INDIAN – Marathi – Mother tongue Fluency – Read, Write Hindi – National/Regional Fluency – Read, Write Konkani – Regional Language Good Knowledge – Communicate Malvi – Regional Language Good Knowledge – Communicate Sanskrit – Traditional Language Good Knowledge FOREIGN English – Good Knowledge – Read, Write French – Good Knowledge – Communicate Russian – Communicate Foreign Tours: FRANCE - 2004 (2 Months), Performance and workshops, FRANCE - 2004 (1 Month) - Performance and workshops. Hong Kong – 2006 (1 and a half years), Teaching Uzbekistan – Presently working at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Center for Indian Culture, Teaching Greece, July 2017, World Dance Conference, represented India and Uzbekistan Recent Performances: ‘Horizon series’ by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Regional Center Mumbai Some memorable Performances: ‘Horizon series’ by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Regional Center Pune, Maharashtra. ‘Horizon series’ by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Regional Center Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Kathak Sandhya, Kathak Sansthan Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Birth Centenary celebration of Kathak Doyen Acharya Lachhu Maharaj Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. ‘Pratibha’ Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi Ustad Amir Khan Smriti Samaroh, By Allauddin Khan Academy, Madhya Pradesh, Kalidas Samman Arpan Samaroh, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Pratibha Utsav, NCZCC, Allahabad Pratibha Utsav, SCZCC, Bhopal National Sangeet Nritya Mohotsava, SCZCC, Nagpur Akhil Bhartiya Sangeet Samaroh, Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Miraj Kanpur, (Was blessed by the accompaniment of Ustad Afaq Hussain Khan, the great legend of TABLA, Khalifa of Lucknow Gharana) Durga festival, Shree Durga Mata Mandir, Miraj, Ganesh festival Sangli, Jhansi, Lucknow, Kanpur, National Sangeet Nritya Mohotsava, Khairagarh, Chhattisgarh. Vividh Kala Mohotsava, Government of Maharashtra CHIMUR, ARMORI, HINGANGHAT, PUSAD, ARVI, KATOL. Dance Festival Dhamtari And performed at many other places like – ALLAHABAD, AGRA, JHANSI, LUCKNOW, KANPUR, PARBHANI, MAHOW, NATHADWARA, KAKROLI, etc., in MP, UP, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Some experimental work in the field of dance: Samudra Manthan (Mythological dance drama Kathak style) blend of theatre and Kathak Nari Shakti, Textbook poetry dance drama (Presentation of textbook poetries in dance drama style). Save oil Dance drama, Social awareness to save oil. Pashupati Nath Poetic enactment by using theatrical elements, like mask makeup, dialogue The journey to light, Dance drama, Indian Philosophy, Duet Kathak and Bharatanatyam, Similarities in the dance forms. Direction: Choreographies: GROUP KATHAK, TRIO, DUETS, etc. Dance dramas: Above mentioned Workshops: Body movement for Theatre students of Bhartendu Natya Academy, Lucknow. Movement Workshop for Theatre students of ‘School Of Drama’, Kala Academy Goa. 10 days workshop for theatre at Wardha. Workshop for children on the streets. Kathak Workshop for Kathak Students, at Sangli. Astha has assisted Guru Smt. Savita Godbole for many Kathak Dance workshops. Some theatre experience: ‘The Private Life of the Master Race’, one-act play, B. Brecht, Hindi. Directed by Padmashree Josalkar. ‘Teen Farishte’, full-length play, Albert Husson Directed by Vasant Josalkar ‘Ek Samasya Pradhan Paramparik Kahani’, full-length play, Mansoor Ehtesham, Directed by Afsar Hussain. ‘Ek Ladki Panch Diwane’, Kahani Manchan (story enactment) Harishankar Parsai, Directed by Afsar Hussain (Konkani Translation of Molière’s Play ‘Le Fabuleux Scapin’) Manoharrai Sardesai, Directed by Vasant Josalkar ‘Sangati’, one-act play, Marathi. Directed by Shreeram Jog. Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja, K.D. Patil, Full-length Play, Marathi. Directed by Padmashree Josalkar. Adam Khor Nova Santinego, full-length play, Hindi Directed by Afsar Hussain. Adhe Adhure, Mohan Rakesh, Full-length Play, Hindi, Directed by Vasant Josalkar. Saujanya chi Aisi Taisi, Vasant Sabnis, Marathi Full-length Play, Directed by Padmashree Josalkar. A View from the Bridge, Sir Arthur Miller, Full-length play, Hindi, Directed by Afsar Hussain. Ha Rashtriya Suraksha Cha Prashna Ahe, Marathi, Full-length play, Directed by Premanand Pole. Directions, Pratibimb, one-act play by Mahesh Elkunchwar, Urubhangam, one-act play by the Sanskrit writer Bhas. Mandeshi Manse, story enactment of Mangesh Madgulkar’s Stories. Dance direction for Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, (Mahanatya) a larger-than-life play. Bayan, a solo narration by Kamleshwar. Contact details: