Maithili Patel is a Kathak dancer and choreographer who aims to tell stories that celebrate yet challenge traditional narratives. She attempts to spread social awareness using her art as a medium through workshops, lecture-demonstrations, and conceptual choreographies. 

Trained in Kathak for 21 years, Maithili began her journey at the age of 4 with Dr. Kshama Munshi and is the prime disciple of renowned Kathak exponent, Guru Dr. Pali Chandra. She has also been mentored by Somna Tugnait for the past twelve years at Gurukul Studios in Dubai, Bangalore, and Switzerland. She began exploring and learning the intricacies of Laya and Taal with Pandit Divyang Vakil in 2018.  She was awarded the ISTD UK Level 4 Diploma in Vocational Graded Examination in Dance: Advanced 2 with a Distinction in 2019. 

Maithili presented her Debut Solo Production, "Aatman,” in 2015 which was centered around strong female characters in Indian narratives like Durga, Sita, Draupadi, and Radha. Her presentation of, ‘Draupadi Thumri,’ written and choreographed by Dr. Pali Chandra, garnered great acclaim at the New York Kathak Festival 2019. Maithili debuted her original choreography, “Dark Inside,” at Dixon Place in NYC, exploring the intersection of internal experience and external reality in mental illness. Her dance film, “Rise,” in collaboration with Arya Chandra, addressing domestic abuse, premiered at the Swiss International Kathak Festival in 2020. 

An accomplished storyteller, her work has been called “relatable” and “expressive” performed by a “passionate dramatist.” she has performed solo and ensemble works globally. Including, the welcome reception held in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dubai, Dubai Kathak Festival, Sufi Noor and also at numerous events in Lebanon organized by the Indian High Commission of Lebanon in 2014. 

Maithili has performed at the American Natya Festival in St. Louis, USA and the Janmashtami Utsav in Brussels and Zurich. In 2018 she performed at Modhera Dance Festival in India; at the Lasya dance production at the House of Lords, UK; Aamad at Nehru Center, UK as well as ‘Repertoire’ at ArtsDepot UK; Kussum Mahotsav in NJ; 8 in Show at Dixon Place NY; the New York Kathak Festival and Swiss International Kathak Festival in 2019; India@75 at the Indian Consulate Dubai in 2021; the welcome reception for the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi, in the Indian Consulate NY in 2021, and presented a duet at Regatta’s Golden Jubilee Celebration in Kerala in December 2022. Maithili has also presented her work at the International Human Rights Arts Festival in NYC. She has been hugely admired for her lecture-demonstration and solo presentation under SPIC MACAY at Sardar Patel University in India; at local schools; and non-profit  organizations. 

Apart from her extensive experience as a performing artist, Maithili has also been involved in Online Learning Projects with her Guru since 2014. She has performed various roles including scripting, dance-direction, research, & rehearsal direction as a part of the making of Learn Kathak Online Lessons. Maithili has also served as a rehearsal director and researcher for Dr Chandra’s Gita Govinda Project. 

Encouraging people to use dance as a means of therapy, she has worked with differently-abled children in Anupam Mission, India and has also been a part of fundraising events for the Special Needs Foundation in the UAE. Maithili has completed her BS in Biology at Montclair State University in NJ USA, Maithili has also taken courses in modern dance and dance choreography. She has held prominent leadership positions in her university as Dance Captain of the Indian Cultural Club and President of the South Asian Student Association. She has also been a part of various panel discussions that talk about the inheritance of Asian culture and remaining connected to tradition within the modern context. Maithili hopes to uphold her Guru’s legacy as she attempts to spread the art and pass the knowledge forward.