Archana Nrityalaya - The Kathak Dance Academy was founded by Late Guru Asha Joglekar in 1963. Late Guru Asha Joglekar’s exceptional teaching skills, ability to find the plus points in each student and enhancing that into finer point of Kathak, personal attention and in-depth knowledge offered to every student in the institute are the contributing factors to making Archana Arts a highly reputed Kathak dance academy in USA since 2009.
Late Guru Smt. Asha Joglekar founded Archana Nrityalaya in India, on 15th August 1963. The auspicious foundation was led by her life partner Shri. Anant Joglekar who stood by her and supported her passion and devotion for art. Late Guru – Asha Joglekar has been teaching Kathak for more than 45 years. She has learnt Kathak from Padmashree Gopi Krishna & Pandita Rohini Bhate.
Late Guru Asha Joglekar’s exceptional teaching skills, ability to find the plus points in each student and enhancing that into finer point of Kathak, personal attention and in-depth knowledge offered to every student in the institute are the contributing factors to making Archana Nrityalaya a highly reputed Kathak dance academy in India, now having its branch in USA. Guru Asha Joglekar has a unique ability to discover the finer points of each disciple. Soft spoken but firm in her actions and devotion towards art with immense passion for teaching has made her very popular and beloved among her students. She has groomed generations of fine dancers who have now taken dance as their career.
Late Guru Asha Joglekar, along with her senior most disciples Archana Joglekar, painstakingly drafted the curriculum right from beginners to master’s level which will not just cover the syllabus of ABGMM but groom a student in to fine dancer. Composing and choreographing various toda, tukads, parans, thumaris imbibing detail nuances of Abhinay, highlighting stances of various gharanas into them and implementing them thru her senior most disciple Archana Joglekar was one year long process which has benefited hundreds of students in the following years. And will continue so for years ahead in future.
It's not surprising today that she was one of the most sought after gurus in Kathak style. Under her able guidance number of disciples have completed Graduation and Post Graduation in Kathak and also earned Central Govt. Scholarships in India. Her disciples have also won number of awards and titles at various inter-school, inter-college and open competitions as well as at various prestigious music conferences. Her students have won prestigious Maneka Trophy and many are honored with “Shringar Mani” title of Sur Singar Samsad for being out standing Kathak dancers.
Late Guru Asha Joglekar has been on the panel of judges of Maharashtra Film Festival. She was also the Secretary of Dancers’ Guild of Bombay for 10 years. She has also been a judge at the “Kal-ke-Kalakar” music conference since 1990. She is a senior examiner (Dance -Practical) of Graduation and Post Graduation examinations of Pune University, Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal and Kathak Kendra, Jaipur. She has been awarded “Sharang Deo Fellowship” by Sangeet Peeth of Sur Singar Samsad in 1994. In 2005 she has been awarded the “Life time achievement award. Her life can be only compared to the Rishis & Hermits.
