Kesha is a dancer and choreographer who embodies Kathak and Contemporary movement. She creates work that is rich in detail and experimentally reconsiders contemporary South Asian dance. Her curiosity and exposure to a wide range of movement training informs and invigorates her dance-making vocabulary. Kesha trains and freelances between India and the UK; before taking on the role of Associate Artistic Director she was an Artist friend and taught for Aakash Odedra Company.
Her primary Kathak training began under her mother, Priti Raithatha and Smt. Nilima Devi M.B.E. with whom she accomplished 6 National ISTD examinations. Since 2009, Kesha has divided her time between India and the UK training in kathak under Smt. Nirupama Rajendra of Abhinava Dance Company and Smt. Daksha Sheth. She also trains in contemporary dance, whilst exploring various Indian movement forms including Kalari Payatt, regional folk styles and physical theatre. Kesha has been a company dancer for India’s celebrated classical and contemporary dance companies: Nritarutya Indian Contemporary Dance Company under Mayuri Upadhya and Daksha Sheth Dance Company.
Over the last ten years Kesha has performed at several prestigious events such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor Castle; China Arts Festival; Dance artist for the 2016 motion picture Mirzya directed by Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra; Performer and co-director for SOLD – a sex trafficking story for ‘A season of Bangla Drama’ London; BBC’s Partitions commission; EKA choreographed by Subhash Viman (2019); Channel 4’s Stand Up for Cancer and Nottingham Arts Mela’s Aakash Odedra Series 2020.
Her most recent choreographic projects of credibility include; Synapse (Dance for Screen) by Aakash Odedra 2 2020; Bollywood Jane (Musical) Curve Theatre 2019; Phoenix Dance Youth Company’s Heritage Project Black Waters 2020; BBC 4’s My Asian Family musical documentary 2018 and Bandish Projekt’s Common Tongue 2016.
Since 2015, Kesha has been awarded several commissions and Arts Council England grants for her professional development and solo projects. These include London Organisation Akademi’s Choreogata Commission and an Arts Council grant to develop her first solo contemporary work, Traces. The Solo obtained three years of Arts Council support and was commissioned to open 2018’s ‘DeStress Festival’ at Attenborough Arts Theatre. Since then, it has had an artist’s residence week at The Curve Leicester and was performed in the theatres Inside Out Festival. Traces went on to be selected for the Resolution Festival 2019 at The Place, London gaining strong acclaim. Traces received mentorship by Eva Recacha and dramaturgy advice from Lou Cope.
In 2020 Kesha was awarded Akademi’s SEED commission to develop a new digital dance performance experience and was included in their 40 under 40 list of South Asian Dancers in the UK.
Kesha is also part of the first cohort of The Cultural Leadership Programme initiated by Arts Council England and Curve Theatre. (2017-2018) Through this she received leadership mentoring from Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Sharon Watson and underwent a secondment at Sadler’s Wells Theatre London.
Kesha is extremely keen to utilise her position in the arts to generate a constant flow of creativity between artists globally, alongside making work that is relevant or even taboo to the current social and political climate.
In addition, Kesha has significant dance teaching experience gained in and outside of the UK. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards for her contribution to the community through cultural dance performance and activity. Currently, she is a guest teacher for Shiamak UK, specialising in semi-classical Indian dance.
Academically, Kesha is a BA (Hons) graduate in Graphic Design and continues to utilise her creativity through costume, light design, dance for screen, mixed media and literature.
Visit: Kesha’s website
Follow Kesha on Instagram: @kesharaii
Get in touch with Kesha by emailing kesha@aakashodedra.com
