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contact name: Rita Mustaphi
phone: 763-533-0756
fax: 763-533-0756
email: rita@kathadance.org

location address:
5444 Orchard Avenue, No
Crystal MN 55429

open to public: no

Related Organizations:
Katha Dance Theatre

Rita Mitra Mustaphi is a choreographer/dancer/educator of Kathak dance of North India, resides in Minnesota, USA. She is a graduate of Calcutta University with honors in Physiology. She is also a graduate of Rabindra Bharati University, a university of performing arts, with honors in Kathak and Manipuri dance. Later she took extensive training under the guidance of Pandit Vijai Shankar at Padatik Dance Center in Calcutta, India. She also attended intensive training under the guidance of legendary Kathak dance maestro Padmavibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Among her many awards she is a recipient of 1998, 1992, and 1988 McKnight Fellowship for choreography, 1999 Folk Arts Apprenticeship Award In 1997 she received Dancer Fellowship from Minnesota State Arts Board. She is also a recipient of the Travel and Study Awards in 1993 and 1992 administered by Dayton Hudson, General Mills and Jerome Foundation in Minnesota. In 1993 she also received travel award administered by the Travel Grant Pilot Program, a joint project of National Endowment for the Arts and Arts International. Recently she has received an award from National Endowment for the Arts for mounting the epic 'Ramayana' with five cultures of Asia, will be presented in May, 2003. In May, 2002 she received the leadership award from the Council of Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

She has performed in India, USA and Canada. As a member of the acting company of the prestigious Guthrie Theater in Minnesota, she performed in 'Naga Mandala' written by Girish Conrad. She performed as a troupe member of Pandit Birju Maharaj at the world famous Carnegie Hall, New York for 'Music Festival of India' performance in celebration of Golden Anniversary of India's independence. Her choreographic credits include evening length innovative productions as: 'Chandalika - the Untouchable Maiden''Living Tapestry', 'Unveiling' 'Mehfil-e-Darbar The Royal Concert', 'The Courtesans - Ornaments of the Royal Court', 'Mother - Daughter On the Border', 'Temple to Court', 'Black Candle', 'The Hungry Stones', 'Mirabai - Her Joyous Pain', 'That Tremendous Word - Love', 'Kathak - Flamenco United RhythmPassion', 'Chitra - A Woman', 'Abhinaya - The Art of Expression', 'Tasher Desh', 'Shyama' and 'Shapmochan'. University of Minnesota - Goldstein Gallery, Minnesota Dance Alliance, Ethnic Dance Theater, Geeta Association of Minnesota and Hindu Society of Minnesota, had commissioned her works.

Country of Citizenship:
India

Ethnicity:
Asian Indian

Birth Place:
Calcutta, India

Gender:
Female

Active Place:
Nationally and internationally

Minnesota County:
Hennepin

Choreographer

http://www.kathadance.org