Anita Pandey

Anita Pandey is a Toronto-based Kathak dancer. She has received advanced training in Kathak under Guru Urmila Sharma in India, mentor Tanveer Alam in Toronto, and continues to expand her movement vocabulary under the guidance of Sanjukta Sinha Dance Company. 

To highlight a few of many solo and ensemble performances, Anita recently toured five cities in Canada with the Kathak production Khoj (Usha Gupta Dance Ensemble, 2023), gracing prestigious theatres such as Triffo Theatre in Edmonton, and the Michael J Fox Theatre in Vancouver. Anita has performed across Canada and also in India, at Festival Du Monde Arabe (Rialto Theatre, Montreal, 2021); Next-Gen Multi-Arts Festival (Le Gesù: Le Centre de Créativité, Montreal, 2021); ArtAsia lecture/demo (Le PROMIS, Montreal, 2023); Handia Mati Kathak Mahautsav (Allahabad Kathak Kendra, India, 2018); Collective Shivratri (Toronto, 2023); Nritya Sandhya (Sampradaya Dance Theatre, Toronto, 2023); Dusk Dances (Withrow Park, 2024), Navarupa (Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa, 2024).

As an emerging choreographer, Anita has created and danced in independent dance works such as Shuddh Nritta (2019, McGill University Ballroom) in collaboration with UK-based tabla artist, Hiren Chate and A Kathaka Sings Opera (2018, Studio 303, Montreal) fusing her Operatic and Kathak training. Anita choreographed and performed Kathak segments in the Opera production Savitri (Opera McGill, Schulich School of Music, 2018); Operetta Iolanthe (McGill, Savoy Society, 2018), and a disco-funk production Apo Theose (Café Campus, Les Productions French Touch, Montreal, 2019). During the Covid-19 lockdown, Anita co-created her first independent dance video with dancer Palak Dhiman, telling the story of the pandemic through dance. Currently, Anita has completed her newest dance work, Astitva, with dancer Gouri Kundu. Astitva received funding from Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, and premiered at Dusk Dances this past summer with 8 consecutive shows for packed audiences at Withrow Park. 

Notably, Anita placed first in the Sangeet Natak Akademi state-level competition. She was honoured with a plaque from the India-Canada Association of Montreal, as well as with a trophy from the Handia Mati Mahautsav in Allahabad. Anita's numerable performances have earned her media coverage in the Dainik Jagran (India), CBC News, and the Burnaby Now, amongst others. 

Devoted to dance education, Anita has lectured on Kathak at McGill University, CammacMusic Centre, PROMIS etc. She is also a Kathak instructor with Dance N’ Culture Inc., and a workshop facilitator for Arts Etobicoke. Her core role as a teacher is at her self-founded school, where Anita teaches, as well as choreographs Kathak pieces and designs costumes for her students’ group and solo performances at various festivals in Canada. Through her work in the dance sector, Anita aims to increase the visibility of Kathak in its authentic form.