The Salon Series (part 2 of 3):
Palak Dhiman - Sāmrasya: A Kathak Performance
Tickets: $21.00
Thursday 10 September 2026, 7.30-8.45pm (doors open at 6.45pm, no intermission)
Studio Theatre, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
6450 Deer Lake Avenue
Burnaby BC V5G 2J3
Thursday 10 September 2026, 7.30-8.45pm (doors open at 6.45pm, no intermission)
Studio Theatre, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
6450 Deer Lake Avenue
Burnaby BC V5G 2J3
Our second performance features Vancouver Kathak artist Palak Dhiman in a kathak recital performed with live Hindustani music. Palak Dhiman (she/her) is an independent dance artist based on the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Choreographed by Palak Dhiman, this program offers a unique exploration of Kathak that places dance and music in dialogue, highlighting them as equal creative collaborators.
As an independent Kathak artist, choreographer, and educator whose practice approaches the form as a living tradition. Palak presents work rooted in strong traditional foundations while exploring new possibilities through her evolving artistic voice. Trained in kathak since 1993, and Natya Shastra Karana since 2023, Palak has collaborated with leading companies including Manohar Performing Arts (Winnipeg), and Usha Dance Ensemble (Edmonton), which toured nationally in 2022. She has presented solo work at the prestigious Taj Mahotsav Festival in Agra, India (2023), and was featured as a guest Kathak performer in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker (2024). Holding an MA in Sociology, Palak’s artistic practice is informed by research into the intersections of Indian classical dance and identity. As an educator, she has taught Kathak across Winnipeg, Ottawa, Nepal, and Vancouver, creating spaces for learning and connection through the form. Her independent artistic work has been supported by institutions including the Canada Council for the Arts, Place des Arts, New Works, Dance West Network, and The Dance Centre. Palak is committed to cultivating a future for Kathak in Canada through performance, choreography, and education.
The evening presents the exploration of a single raga through three compositions representing the Dhrupad and Khayal traditions of Hindustani vocal music. The raga’s journey is shaped through melodic development and rhythmic interplay, with tabla and Kathak compositions woven throughout the presentation. Together, dance, melody, and rhythm converge in continuous artistic experience.
Palak is joined by Sunny Matharu (Tabla), Akhil Jobanputra (Vocals), and Pavittar Singh Namdhari (Esraj).
The Salon Series concludes with Shoumi Roy (October 24th).
This program is presented by the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver, and is funded in part by the BC Live Performance Network's Community Presenters Assistance Grant & Vancouver Foundation's LEVEL BIPOC Grant.
As an independent Kathak artist, choreographer, and educator whose practice approaches the form as a living tradition. Palak presents work rooted in strong traditional foundations while exploring new possibilities through her evolving artistic voice. Trained in kathak since 1993, and Natya Shastra Karana since 2023, Palak has collaborated with leading companies including Manohar Performing Arts (Winnipeg), and Usha Dance Ensemble (Edmonton), which toured nationally in 2022. She has presented solo work at the prestigious Taj Mahotsav Festival in Agra, India (2023), and was featured as a guest Kathak performer in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker (2024). Holding an MA in Sociology, Palak’s artistic practice is informed by research into the intersections of Indian classical dance and identity. As an educator, she has taught Kathak across Winnipeg, Ottawa, Nepal, and Vancouver, creating spaces for learning and connection through the form. Her independent artistic work has been supported by institutions including the Canada Council for the Arts, Place des Arts, New Works, Dance West Network, and The Dance Centre. Palak is committed to cultivating a future for Kathak in Canada through performance, choreography, and education.
The evening presents the exploration of a single raga through three compositions representing the Dhrupad and Khayal traditions of Hindustani vocal music. The raga’s journey is shaped through melodic development and rhythmic interplay, with tabla and Kathak compositions woven throughout the presentation. Together, dance, melody, and rhythm converge in continuous artistic experience.
Palak is joined by Sunny Matharu (Tabla), Akhil Jobanputra (Vocals), and Pavittar Singh Namdhari (Esraj).
The Salon Series concludes with Shoumi Roy (October 24th).
This program is presented by the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver, and is funded in part by the BC Live Performance Network's Community Presenters Assistance Grant & Vancouver Foundation's LEVEL BIPOC Grant.