International Dance Day

Ritu Mukherjee, Bollywood

Nrityangan Cultural Academy was founded in 2001 by Smt. Rituparna Mukherjee.  Affiliated with Pracheen Kala Kendra, a premier educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of fine arts, Nrityangan has been providing classical Kathak and modern Bollywood training for students age 5 through adults. The founder and Creative Director, Ritu, provides group and individual training, understanding the strengths and skills of each student.  Her affectionate manner and attention to detail builds dancers and individuals who are proud of their cultural heritage and eager to share their traditions with the community. All students at Nrityangan participate in cultural festivals during the year such as the annual Festival of India in Charlotte. Their talents are also showcased in Nrityangan’s annual recital and fundraiser, which brings together over a hundred dancers, working together to tell a story and raise funds for local and global organizations. Last year, Nrityangan’s annual recital raised over $40K to support Maiti Nepal and Treehouse Children’s Advocacy Center.

For those students on the kathak track, their years of training and hard work culminate in a Rang Manch Pravesh, or a graduation ceremony highlighting the skills they have built.  Ritu works with each of her rising graduates, one-on-one, to carefully select and choreograph complex classical works.  The end result:  truly spellbinding performances that demonstrate the student’s technical strength, innate skill, and grace.  In addition, Nrityangan is available to perform at, or choreograph dances for private events and weddings.

Ritu Mukherjee, was born in a small town in West Bengal.  She completed her Masters in Zoology under Calcutta University.  She was trained in the Indian Classical Dance Kathak by Rabindra Bharati, Dance Professor Dr. Jayanta Mukherjee, and Other renowned teachers like Late Sri Bela Arnab, Shoma Chatterji, Dr. Malabika Mitra Sen, Keya Chandra and Sri Jayanti Mukherjee.

 Ritu has won several Kathak dance competitions. ​ In 1993, ​she won the All India Jawahar Lal Nehru Dance competition and was the recipient of the​ ​ National dance scholarship.  After getting married to Dr. Arindam Mukherjee, she moved to the US in 2001. She started teaching dance in Santa Barbara, California, merely out of her passion for teaching others the art of dance.  A year later, when ​she moved to Charlotte with​ her family, she founded the Nrityangan Cultural Academy, and has truly made a lasting imprint on the Indian cultural scene in Charlotte.

 She is not only a mother of her own 3 children, but she also looks ​upon each of her Nrityangan students as her own. Her affection and dedication to their dance ​education is evident in each of her interactions . Today, Ritu Mukherjee trains many students between the ages of 5 -54 and continues to mentor on several Indian Dance projects in Hickory University. In spite of her busy schedule, Ritu volunteers as the Cultural secretary of Hindu Center of Charlotte.  Srishti, has worked with the Indian association of Charlotte and is a cultural committee member of the Asian Dragon Boat festival.

 Ritu has performed at the Charlotte International school, Charlotte Prep school, Charlotte Latin and Mecklenburg Schools, Passport to the World show at JC Smith University Charlotte, International day Dance and Music by Mecklenburg Library, Festival of India Charlotte, Raleigh, Microsoft Companies, AXA , AAPI, Hindu Center, Srishti, Nuvyug and so on.​…

Mischa Xiong, Hmong Traditional Dance

Mischa has been doing Hmong dance for 6 years. She started Hmong dancing in elementary school but did not start teaching Hmong dance until her junior year of high school. She became the leader of the Hmong Dance Troupe at Challenger Early College High School. In this role, she is tasked with choreographing all of their dances as well as teaching them to her fellow students.

During Kaitlyn’s 13 years as a studio dancer, she received the privilege to perform in the 2010 Orange Bowl with Kool and the Gang, Disney World in Orlando, multiple local parades, and hundreds of dance competitions.

Following her studio dance career, Kaitlyn attended Western Carolina University and joined the university’s dance team. While earning her bachelors of science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, she continued to stay active in the dance department and was hired as the choreographer for the Catamount Singers & Electric Soul. Kaitlyn was also chosen as a selected spotlight artist for a university film festival documentary that described her life as a dancer.

During Kaitlyn’s junior year of college, she received her first dance teaching job and became the contemporary instructor for Triple Threat Performing Arts Academy. Within her first year teaching, Kaitlyn choreographed the studio’s first ever national championship winning routine in 2015, which later received its own proclamation from Jackson County, North Carolina.

Following her time at WCU, Kaitlyn briefly danced professionally with Baran Dance Company, a professional contemporary dance company located in Charlotte, NC. She has also adjudicated for multiple competitions and taught for Dance Machine as a convention instructor. Kaitlyn also choreographs for the Clover High School indoor drumline, who recently won WGI World Championships in 2022.

This year, Kaitlyn will be starting her tenth year as a choreographer. Throughout her years of teaching, her routines have won multiple national titles, judges awards, and monetary scholarships. Kaitlyn continues to pursue her passion in dance by teaching and adjudicating through her business, “Choreo By Kait”!