Pittsburgh · Founded 2004
A Center Stage for Indian Dances
An Indian classical and folk dance academy in Pittsburgh, teaching Kathak from the Jaipur and Banaras gharanas, along with folk and Bollywood dances from across India.
The Academu
Modern life has become mechanical, mundane, and stressful, leaving many of us searching for ways to bring more joy into our lives. Dance introduces you to a side of yourself you may never have known existed. You discover confidence that routine may have buried, and above all, it allows you to have fun—simple, exhilarating fun.
Culture and spirituality have long defined India to the rest of the world. If they are the flavors of India, then dance is its vibrant expression. Dance is an art form considered both sacred and spiritual in India and has been used for centuries to express devotion and pay tribute to the divine. Guiding you into this rich world of Indian dance and introducing these traditions in their authentic forms is Guiding Star Productions.
Situated in the North Hills and South Hills of Pittsburgh, Guiding Star Productions is the endeavor of Varun Mahajan and Sonia Mahajan, who share a passion for carrying South Asian dance traditions beyond the shores of India. Creating awareness, appreciation, and education about Indian dance while preserving its cultural roots is at the heart of their mission in Pittsburgh.
Programs
The academy specializes in Kathak, following the famed Jaipur and Banaras gharanas; Punjabi folk dances, including Bhangra and Giddha; Rajasthani folk dances, including Ghoomar and Kalbelia; other Indian folk traditions, including Lavani and Haryanvi; semi-classical forms; Bollywood dance; and fusion sequences.
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Primary classical program
North India · Jaipur and Banaras gharana
Classical storytelling
Derived from katha, the art of storytelling. Kathak conveys ancient stories through mudra, facial expression, and footwork, accompanied by ghungroo and tabla.
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02
Punjab
Punjabi harvest dance
Energetic, acrobatic, and captivating. Bhangra is native to Punjab and celebrates the joyous time of harvest with drums and Punjabi lyrics.
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03
Punjab
Punjabi women’s folk
The women of Punjab express festivity at Lohri or Teej through Giddha — as energetic as Bhangra, with claps, bolis, and drums.
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04
Gujarat
Gujarati stick dance
Swaying color, foot-tapping beats, and the rhythmic clatter of sticks. Dandiya traces its roots to Gujarat and is danced in its glory during Navratri.
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05
Rajasthan
Rajasthani folk
Sinuous movement and body sways, traditionally in black garments with silver embroidery, performed on the been associated with snake charmers.
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Rajasthan
Rajasthani turns
A Rajasthani dance performed by women in bright lehengas, turning and gyrating to songs of victory and valor.
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07
Indian cinema
Film dance
Bollywood names the Indian film industry, and dance is integral to it. These dances are fast, energetic, and in tune with current styles.
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Contemporary Indian dance
Lighter classical · east-west music
Semi-classical dance retains the essence of classical form with easier movement. Fusion sets Indian dance steps to music that joins eastern and western sound.
Explore programHeritage
Classical dance traditions in India have deep connections to temples and devotional practices and have long been regarded as sacred art forms. Guiding Star Productions strives to preserve and share this richness, introducing students in this part of the world to the many beautiful hues of Indian dance.
As trained Indian dancers themselves, Varun and Sonia recognized the need in the Pittsburgh area for an academy that could teach Kathak alongside a diverse range of Indian dance forms. With a passion for preserving these traditions and sharing them with the next generation, they took it upon themselves to introduce the grace of Kathak and the vibrancy of Indian folk, semi-classical, and contemporary dance to the Pittsburgh community.
Dance is one of humanity’s oldest forms of expression. Whether the emotion is happiness or sadness, dance provides a powerful way to express what words sometimes cannot. India has a particularly rich and diverse heritage of dance, with distinctive traditions originating across different regions of the country. Indian classical dance draws upon ancient traditions and texts, most notably the Natyashastra, attributed to Bharata Muni, which explores the principles of performance, expression, movement, gestures (mudras), rhythm, and music. Together, India’s classical and regional folk traditions reflect the extraordinary cultural diversity and artistic heritage of the country.
Read the school storyRecitals
The live site’s most complete highlight videos are from 2019. Later years are structured for the archive and marked in progress.
Faculty
Co-founder
Before earning her Master’s degree in Indian Classical Dance from the Nateshwar Kala Mandir Institute, Mrs. Mahajan trained extensively under Guru Shri Beeru Pawar Ji, who introduced her to a diverse range of Indian classical and folk dance traditions. She went on to earn the prestigious Visharad and Alankaar qualifications and completed her Rangmanch Pravesh under the guidance of Guru Surinder Kumar Ji and Guru Beeru Pawar Ji. Mrs. Mahajan specializes in Kathak of the Jaipur and Banaras Gharanas, along with a wide range of Indian folk dance traditions.
An accomplished performer and educator, Mrs. Mahajan has been performing Indian classical and folk dances for many years. She has also conducted lecture-demonstrations at numerous local institutions, fostering greater awareness and appreciation of Indian culture, classical dance, and the performing arts.
At Guiding Star Productions, Mrs. Mahajan is dedicated to nurturing emerging artists and passing on the rich traditions of this sacred art form to future generations. Her artistic pursuits also extend to theater. She made her acting debut in 2010 as Sundari in Living in America and later portrayed Daisy in the 2011 musical Where Is the Culture? Her portrayal of Meera in the 2013 musical Arranged Marriage earned acclaim from theater critics and dance connoisseurs alike.
Contact
Guiding Star Productions teaches in Pittsburgh’s North Hills and South Hills. Write or call using the details published on the existing website.
