Luna Poddar

Luna is an accomplished Kathak exponent whose artistic journey began at the age of four, marking an early and sustained commitment to Indian classical dance. Her foundational training was under the guidance of Pandit Vijai Shankar of the Lucknow Gharana, after which she received advanced and intensive mentorship from the legendary Kathak maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj. This rigorous lineage-based training shaped her technical precision, expressive depth, and strong command of classical repertoire.

Her artistic excellence has been recognized at the national level through prestigious honors. She is a recommended artist of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, a recipient of the National Scholarship from the Government of India, and an A-grade artist of Calcutta Doordarshan. Her contributions have also been acknowledged through awards such as the Bharat Nirman Award for Talented Ladies and the Outstanding Young Person of Kolkata award conferred by the Jaycees.

Luna has performed extensively across India at major national festivals, including the Kalka Bindadin Festival, Saracchandrika, Nrityotsav, Soorya Festival, Swarna Samaroh celebrating fifty years of Indian Independence, and the Uday Shankar Dance Festival. These performances established her as a respected presence on prominent classical dance platforms curated by leading cultural institutions.

Internationally, Luna has collaborated and performed with eminent artists and organisations, including Pt. Birju Maharaj, Kumudini Lakhia, Kalanidhi Narayanan, Rani Karna, Prof. Deitmar Seyffert, and Jonathan Hollander. Her exposure to global movement practices was further enriched through professional workshops in modern dance techniques conducted by American and European institutions such as the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Eugene Ballet Company, and Battery Dance Company.

She has been invited repeatedly to the United Kingdom as a Kathak teacher and workshop leader, serving as a resident choreographer with SAMPAD, Birmingham, between 1996 and 1998. During this period, she performed at notable venues, including the Nehru Centre, London, the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, and international dance festivals across the UK. She also performed at the G8 Summit held in Birmingham in 1998, marking a significant cultural representation on a global political मंच.

Luna’s international engagements extend across Europe, Finland, South Korea, the Middle East, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, including tours with Padatik Ensemble and choreographic works of Pt. Birju Maharaj. Alongside stage performance, her work has reached wider audiences through television, with the BBC telecasting her interview and performance.

In addition to her performance career, Luna is the founder and director of her own dance institution, PRERNA, through which she continues to train and mentor students while maintaining an active international schedule. Her career reflects a sustained dedication to Kathak, rooted in tradition and enriched by global artistic exchange.