Katha Dance Theatre (KDT) is excited to bring the local premiere of Prakritir Pratisodh - Nature's Revenge! to the O'Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University on November 8 - 9, 2025. This performance marks the Minnesota debut of the evening-length show, which expands upon the original concept that took the stage as a work-in-progress at the Cowles Center's Fall Forward Festival in 2023.

Nature's Revenge portrays through Kathak dance a series of vignettes depicting what happens when human actions drive the five basic elements (or "Panchabhuta" – earth, water, fire, air, and space – which in Indian philosophy and Ayurveda are considered the fundamental building blocks of the universe and the human body) out of sync, and how we can work together to bring them back into harmony. It shows how we all benefit when we foster a relationship of mutual respect with the earth.

Featuring new and expanded choreography by KDT Artistic Director Rita Mustaphi and music composed by Pandit Birju Maharaj, Sarat Srivastav, Rajeev Chakraborty and Jayanta Banerjee, the show is in keeping with KDT's mission to propel the Kathak tradition into genre-bending spaces, including social justice and climate advocacy. The work-in-progress version was named by the Minnesota Star Tribune as one of the 10 most memorable dance performances of 2023. This version of Nature's Revenge premiered earlier this year in Appleton, WI to audience acclaim.

Rita Mustaphi is an award-winning dancer and choreographer who founded KDT nearly 40 years ago in order to make Indian classical dance accessible to local audiences. She recently won Dance/USA's prestigious Ernie Award and was honored at the organization's 2025 conference in Chicago. 

As they put it, "The 'Ernie' Award is given to an individual working behind the scenes within the infrastructure of the national dance community, who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, outstanding value in the ecosystem, and whose achievements have influenced and significantly advanced the work of artists and supported their creativity."

Her latest choreographic work is sure to wow audiences with its lightning-fast pirouettes, gestural storytelling and rhythmic footwork, all hallmarks of Kathak dance.

Prakritir Pratisodh - Nature's Revenge! | The O'Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, 55105 | November 8 at 7:30 pm and Nov. 9 at 2 pm (ASL-interpreted) | Tickets are now available: $10 - $30 (Suggested price is $30). To learn more about KDT and our programming, visit our website.