Indian Dance School

Indian Dance School teaches Kathak, the North Indian classical dance form combining rhythmic footwork, pirouettes, gestural movement and dramatic storytelling. Classes run online and at several locations across the greater Chicago area. Founded in 1999 by Kathak dancer, choreographer and teacher Gauri Jog, the school is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (EIN 26-3110772) set up to promote physical fitness through Kathak and to teach the cultural heritage of India; it has trained more than a thousand students and provides free tuition to those in need. Gauri Jog has practised Kathak since 1975, trained under Guru Madan Pande, Madhurita Sarang and Lalita Hardas, and works in the Lucknow-Jaipur style. As of November 2025 the school had staged more than 450 shows in North America and India, including Krishna Leela, Shakuntala, Jhansi Ki Rani and Ramayana. Students start as young as three or as old as fifty, typically study for 10-12 years and finish with a Rang Manch Pravesh graduation ceremony. Mother-and-daughter pairs are specifically encouraged. The school acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.