Art has to exult and elevate.

—Pandit Birju Maharaj, Leading exponent of Kathak dance

When in 2010 Arti Manek founded the Shankara Dance Academy (SDA) in the City of Brea in Orange County, little did she know that she would transform thousands of lives through Kathak. Most of her students had no prior knowledge of this classical Indian dance form that evolved from the fine art of story-telling. It is from the ancient travelling bards of North India known as Kathakars—that communicated stories from great epics—that a great oral tradition was strengthened and furthered by this beautiful dance form. The students of Arti’s academy have elevated Kathak to an exalted art, exciting dance enthusiasts in Southern California. That has been her single greatest contribution to Kathak.

The academy has enrolled and taught hundreds of students. In a matter of a few years many have attained Rang Manch Pravesh, which means they are ready to render stage performances. She is indebted to Abhay Shankar Mishra—leading exponent of Kathak and disciple of the legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj—under whose tutelage Arti honed and fine-tuned her skills in the dance from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London. He plays a significant role in making the Shankara Dance Academy a success by expressing and extending his knowledge and skills to its students.