Bageshree Vaze
WRITER/MENTEE
Bageshree Vaze is an Indo-Canadian dance artist and musician. Raised in St. John’s, NL, Bageshree initially trained in Bharatha Natyam, and studied vocal music with her father, Damodar Vaze. She later trained in Kathak dance with Jai Kishan Maharaj in New Delhi, and studied vocal music with the renowned Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Living in Toronto since 1996, Bageshree has three CDs to her credit, including Tarana, an album of music for Indian dance, which was released in India by Times Music under the name Khanak. Bageshree holds an M.A. in Dance from York University. In 2009 Bageshree was featured as a guest artist with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, and in 2010, she was awarded the K.M. Hunter Award in Dance. Bageshree has performed in major festivals in Canada and abroad, such as the CanAsian International Dance Festival and the ‘Vasantotsav’ festival in New Delhi. In May 2011, Bageshree completed a solo contemporary Kathak choreography entitled ‘Avatar (9)’ which premiered as part of Harbourfront Centre’s NextSteps Dance Season. In 2012, Bageshree completed her new CD ‘Ragas and Rhythms,’ and premiered a new dance production ‘Damaru/Mudra’ in May 2012. Bageshree also launched her ‘Spectrum’ series of multi-disciplinary art at the Harbourfront Centre through her organization Pratibha Arts, and premiered her Kathak dance piece ‘Twilight’ at Dusk Dances. In 2014, Bageshree choreographed and performed a new work entitled ‘In My (Dis)Place,’ commissioned by the CanAsian Dance KickStart Festival, with music by Phil Strong. In 2015, Bageshree choreographed and performed in a full-evening production entitled ‘Paratopia’ from April 23-25 at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre, part of the DanceWorks 2014/15 Mainstage Season. Her next major choreographic work is ‘The World of Jahanara,’ about the late Kathak dancer Jahanara Akhlaq, which premieres at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto on Dec. 1, 2018.
Bagashree is a DD long form alum and worked with Ibi Kaslik and Sabrina Ramananan