Photo credit: Daniel Bahmani
The New York Times, solo dance review, June 2015:
"One of these eight dances was nothing less than electrifying: Ms. Pandeya’s. Her hands flitted like butterflies in the air around her head with bewildering speed; and her feet ...Parts of this Bukhara dance look related to the Kathak genre of India: similar rapid single turns, similar percussive rhythmic play of the footwork. But the trilling sparkle of Ms. Pandeya’s hands was like nothing I have seen in Indian dance. She also executed extraordinary backbends; at one point, kneeling, she arched right back, her head brushing the floor, then, in that position, reached out to Mr. Kosimov’s doira and played that with her hands." ~Alastair Macaulay, dance critic for the New York Times
The New York Times, solo dance, June 10, 2010 review:
"How many of us have ever seen Uighur dances before? This one- celebrating "The Dance of the Grapes"- was the program's greatest revelation. It had just two performers, the musician Abbos Kosimov and the dancer Tara Catherine Pandeya....When Ms. Pandeya entered...she at once made the dance a matter of close musicial responsiveness. First she matched his drum pulse with fast traveling footwork, like a Lon trill. Next she built up virtuosity. She took alternate turns to right and left, fell swiftly, to the floor in a sudden and spectacular backbend, and then, kneeling, began to brilliantly coordinate head....Every part off er body turned into a dance display."
~Alastair Macaulay, dance critic for the New York Times
"Tara is genuinely interested in promoting cultural exchange and understanding and she is an artist of the highest caliber. Her own multicultural background gives her a great additional insight into present day global issues. "
~ John Seto, former California Arts Council, Next Generation Grants Administrator
“Tara is a brilliant woman who is destined to make a great impact on the world. Coming from a mixed heritage, Tara is particularly gifted in understanding the complexities of issues. In addition, her artistic gifts enable her to take a multidisciplinary approach to all things that she studies.~ Dr. Ibrahim Adburrahman Farajaje, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty University of California Berkeley
“In a field that often attracts artists who give only a superficial pass at studying a dance tradition deeply, Ms. Pandeya is someone who counters this with her has an extraordinary gift. Tara not only is a dance artist of stunning capabilities, but also possesses the deep kinesthetic integration of understanding that is required when encountering culturally specific dance. Tara is one of the most talented dance artists I have known in 25 years of work in the field of presenting and promoting culturally specific dance forms” ~ Lily Kharrazi, Program Manager for the Alliance for California Traditional Arts.
~ John Seto, former California Arts Council, Next Generation Grants Administrator
“Tara is a brilliant woman who is destined to make a great impact on the world. Coming from a mixed heritage, Tara is particularly gifted in understanding the complexities of issues. In addition, her artistic gifts enable her to take a multidisciplinary approach to all things that she studies.~ Dr. Ibrahim Adburrahman Farajaje, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty University of California Berkeley
“In a field that often attracts artists who give only a superficial pass at studying a dance tradition deeply, Ms. Pandeya is someone who counters this with her has an extraordinary gift. Tara not only is a dance artist of stunning capabilities, but also possesses the deep kinesthetic integration of understanding that is required when encountering culturally specific dance. Tara is one of the most talented dance artists I have known in 25 years of work in the field of presenting and promoting culturally specific dance forms” ~ Lily Kharrazi, Program Manager for the Alliance for California Traditional Arts.