Rukhmani Mehta

Rukhmani Mehta is a Kathak artist, choreographer, and educator working at the intersection of classical Indian dance, contemporary performance, and embodied inquiry. She approaches kathak as a living, evolving practice — one that bridges tradition and innovation while speaking powerfully to the present moment. A senior disciple of the legendary kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das, she is a lineage bearer and contemporary voice whose work spans traditional productions and cross-cultural collaborations.

Mehta is Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective. Her original works include SPEAK, a kathak-tap collaboration, described by the New York Times as a meeting of "masters of the art"; and Sandhi, a traditional Kathak solo praised for its "rhythmic duality" and "improvisational depth." Her works and performances have been presented at prestigious venues across the US and India including the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Mumbai), 92nd Street Y, The Broad Stage, and NC State Live, among others.

Mehta also serves as Artistic Director of Leela Youth Dance Company, a pre-professional ensemble dedicated to training and mentoring young South Asian women. A Fulbright Award recipient, she is frequently invited to speak on embodied knowledge, lineage and mentorship, and dance as a path to consciousness and transformation.