One of Pandit Chitresh Das’ many contributions to kathak through his pedagogical legacy is his preeminent and virtuosic innovation that he coined “kathak yoga”, evolving kathak as a sadhana (devotional practice for life). In developing kathak yoga, Das drew on Hindu philosophy and his guru’s teachings to bring together the musical, rhythmic, and kinesthetic elements of the dance in a new technique that expanded dancers’ mental and physical boundaries.  This inspired practice challenges the dancer to simultaneously sing, recite, dance, and even play an instrument, often in opposing rhythms. Das called this challenging technique yoga (which comes from the word yug, meaning union) because of its requirement of the dancer to achieve a perfect union or oneness between the mind and body, ultimately elevating consciousness and spiritual actualization. In explaining his inspiration for developing kathak yoga, Das frequently evoked images of sadhus or yogis who performed great feats that defied our perceived capacities of the mind and body. 

Rachna Nivas, senior disciple of Das, played an instrumental role in advancing his innovation of kathak yoga by pioneering the use of harmonium in the practice of this technique.  Nivas credits kathak yoga as the most paramount aspect of her training journey that not only led to developing her eventual virtuosity in improvisation, complex rhythms and physical technique of the feet, but that it also deeply grounded her purpose, her pure love for the art, and her sadhana for life.    

Nivas is most known for her exhilarating performances in complex rhythmic cycles like 9.5 beats, while singing, dancing, playing, and improvising.  As such, Nivas was cast in the leading anchor role for Das’ work Shabd (2007), a production that propelled kathak yoga from a solitary meditative practice to a stunningly complex and intriguing performance art.  Since then, Nivas has performed kathak yoga in prestigious venues and multidisciplinary conferences across the U.S. and India – including Zellerbach Hall Cal Performances at UC Berkeley, International Kriya Yoga Congress, International Conference for Traumatic and Stress Disorders, National Center for Kathak Dance in Delhi (Kathak Kedra), National Center for Performing Arts in Mumbai, Shaniwara Wada Festival in Pune, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Yale University, and many others.