Neesha Jhaveri
Neesha was fortunate to be born into a Gujarati Jain family where music and dance were valued. As a child, her passion for these arts grew as she danced in festival processions and played to her Dad’s memorable singing at home.
When she was seven, Neesha’s mother enrolled her in Kathak classes at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai. The late Guru Pt. Hazarilalji’s personality immediately drew her in – his encouraging “Bahuut Acche!” spurred her on.
Until completing her Visharad in 1985, Neesha pursued Kathak as a hobby. By now, Neesha had glimpsed the depth of Jankiprasad Kathak, and felt that she knew so little. At fifteen, she had a realization: “this is what I want to do.” Her passion for this art led her to commit fully to advance her learning.
Neesha completed her Rang Pravesh in 1990. She was awarded a National Dance Scholarship by the Government of India in 1995 which allowed her to pursue rigorous training with Guru Sunayana Hazarilal in the guru-shishya tradition.
In 2001, Neesha moved to Hong Kong where she co-founded Sri Shakti Academy – which promotes Indian classical dance. She conducts regular classes and trains more than fifty students, three of whom have completed their Rang Pravesh. The Academy presents annual shows to provide students a platform to perform. Students can also appear for formal examinations affiliated with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Sangeet and Nartan Shikshapeeth, Mumbai.
Neesha is an accomplished teacher, graceful performer and creative choreographer. She wishes to preserve and spread this beautiful tradition. She hopes to attract more audiences, while continuing to perform and train future performers. Through Sri Shakti Academy, she plans to continue cultural exchange by performing at Festivals, and collaborating with traditional dancers worldwide.
