Roots That Move | Shritha Baskar | TEDxEgmore Women

How does an art form survive two thousand years while kingdoms fall, languages evolve, and civilizations change? In this talk, Kathak dancer Shritha Baskar traces the remarkable journey of one of India's oldest classical dance traditions, from its origins in temple storytelling to its evolution through royal courts and onto contemporary stages. Through history, rhythm, and movement, she explores how Kathak has continually adapted to changing times while remaining rooted in its identity. Beginning with a live performance, Shritha takes the audience through the story of an art form that was created not for entertainment, but for connection to the divine, to emotion, and to humanity. She explores how Kathak absorbed new influences through history, evolving in costume, music, and movement without losing the essence that has sustained it for centuries. Rather than seeing change as a loss of purity, she presents it as a reason for survival, showing how traditions endure when they are able to evolve without losing their soul. Turning to the present, Shritha reflects that in a world driven more and more by convenience, speed, and shrinking attention spans, traditions are not sustained by applause or nostalgia, but by participation, practice, and the quiet dedication of generations of artists, teachers, musicians, and students who choose to carry them forward. Ultimately, this talk reflects that what is built to last is not defined by permanence, but by persistence, through every generation that chooses to keep it alive. Shritha Baskar is a Kathak dancer and educator in the Lucknow Gharana tradition, born and raised in Dubai. She began at the age of five under Guru Smt. Ketaki Hazra (a disciple of Smt. Bela Arnab), and earned her Senior Diploma in Kathak from the Surabharati Sangeet Parishad, Kolkata, by the age of seventeen. Her early years were spent performing across the Arabian Gulf, at the Indian Embassies and consulates, the Festival of India in Middle Eastern cities, and for the Indian Diplomatic Corps. Alongside performance, she taught Kathak and semi-classical dance to children at the Dubai Centre for Special Needs, work that earned her recognition in the UAE's cultural and social sectors. In 2011 she moved to Chennai, and continues to train under Guru Smt. Nayantara Parpia (a senior disciple of Smt. Yogini Gandhi and Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj), with regular workshops under Pt. Birju Maharaj and Vidushi Saswati Sen. In 2015 she founded the Taraana Academy of Kathak. Now in its tenth year, Taraana has grown into one of the largest Kathak institutions in Chennai, with more than 300 dancers and learners. Equally rooted in Nrtta and Abhinaya, Shritha's choreography is known for its technical precision and emotive storytelling. From performance to pedagogy, from tradition to innovation, Shritha Baskar continues to be a passionate torchbearer of Kathak, leaving an indelible mark on every stage she graces and every student she inspires. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx