About Chhandika

Artistic Director Gretchen Hayden

The Chhandam Institute of Kathak Dance (Chhandika) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to Kathak dance. Based in Massachusetts, Chhandika is affiliated with the Chhandam Chitresh Das Dance Company in San Francisco, California, as well as the Nritya Bharati Institute in Kolkata, India. Chhandika provides a stimulating, supportive and multi-cultural environment in which to explore the physical, intellectual and spiritual benefits of Kathak dance as a student, professional practitioner or curious observer.

Our Founder

Artistic Director and Founder Gretchen Hayden is a senior disciple of the renowned and innovative Kathak Dance Master, Chitresh Das (from Calcutta ). She began her Kathak training in 1972 and became a principal soloist with the Chitresh Das Dance Co. (CDDC) at its inception in 1980. She has given solo recitals and workshops in North America, Europe and India. Ms. Hayden taught at the Chhandam School in California throughout the late 1970's and 1980's, and in 1987 was presented with a Senior Degree in Kathak Dance from the Nritya Bharati Academy in Calcutta, founded by Mr. Das' parents in 1942. In 1992, she moved to Boston with her husband, sarodist and musicologist George Ruckert, where she established an offshoot of Chitreshji's Chhandam School. With the assistance of several dedicated students, this school blossomed into the non-profit organization, Chhandika.

Our Mission

Chhandika is an organization of dancers, artists, musicians, and scholars dedicated to maintaining and contributing to the rich tradition of Kathak dance. From its origins in ancient India to its dramatic emergence on today's international stage, the storytelling art of Kathak blends classical theater with dynamic rhythms and exquisite dance movement. Chhandika

offers classes for men, women, and children of all ages;
enriches the community through performances and demonstrations;
fosters personal growth and cultural exploration through its workshop and outreach activities.