My Year as a Kathak Fellow - Ishq Pradhan

Ishq began studying kathak at Pandit Chitresh Das’ institution Chhandam when she was 8 years old and auditioned and was accepted into his Chitresh Das Youth Company. After 5 years hiatus of dance, she returned to dance as a 2025-26 CDI Kathak Dance Fellow. Ishq is a New York-based documentary producer, narrative filmmaker, and founder of Amour Media, a production company working at the intersection of film and journalism.

Her work explores conflict, journalism, and international affairs through both fiction and nonfiction. Across documentaries, narrative films, and short-form editorial storytelling, she is interested in how conflict is reported, understood, and remembered.

What drew you to the Kathak Dance Fellowship?

Ishq: I took a hiatus from Kathak for about five years and was eager to find my way back to it. I wanted not only to continue my training under Charlotte Didi, but also to grow as a performer and artist. The Fellowship appealed to me because it offered opportunities to be challenged through participation in new artistic works and to observe the creative process firsthand. Storytelling has always been my favorite aspect of Kathak, and I was especially drawn to the chance to be part of original dance-dramas that bring stories to life through movement.A meaningful moment or experience during the programA particularly meaningful experience during the Fellowship was rehearsing for The Veil of Janki Bai. We had the opportunity to be involved in the creation of our solo pieces—from working with the musicians to shape the structure of the work to exploring our own connections to the stories and themes we were portraying. This experience was especially meaningful because it was the first time I was challenged not just to execute the dance technically, but to truly inhabit a character and find myself within the story. It deepened my understanding of Kathak as both a dance form and a powerful medium for storytelling.

How the Kathak Fellowship has influenced your growth as a dancer or artist?

Ishq: The Fellowship has helped me see the ways in which dance shapes my artistic work beyond the studio. As a filmmaker, I am now much more aware of how movement contributes to character and storytelling. Studying Kathak as a Fellow has deepened my appreciation for the ways a character’s movement can communicate emotion, intention, and identity, often without a single word being spoken. This experience has influenced not only how I approach dance, but also how I think about crafting characters through film.

What does carrying forward the legacy of Pandit Chitresh Das mean to you?

Ishq: To me, carrying forward the legacy of Pandit Chitresh Das means continuing to learn, share, and perform Kathak, while always staying connected to my culture and heritage. Some of my fondest memories are hearing him speak passionately about Indian history and the importance of being proud of your roots. As a child, those conversations instilled in me a deep sense of pride in being Indian, a feeling that has stayed with me ever since. Carrying his legacy forward means honoring those teachings through both my art and the way I move through the world.

To find out more about Ishq’s film work, you can visit her website: