The Story

Deviekha Chetram, a dancer from Alexander Village in Guyana had a vision, to open a dance school that taught Indo - Caribbean, Kathak & Folk dance, she coined the name TARANA a classical Kathak term which represents musical compositions blending a variety of instruments, sounds and movements. Deviekha was joined by her sister Geeta Leo, one of Guyana's only Odissi trained dancers and together the pair spread Indian dance culture to hundreds of dancers in North America creating a foundation for future Indo-Caribbean artists. With many families migrating from different parts of the world, Tarana's cultural offerings in Kathak dance,  Odissi, filmy & folk gave many a sense of home.

Tarana is steeped in tradition while breathing fresh air into spaces for innovation in dance. Tarana has been seen at global and national dance festivals, giving back to charitable causes and working hard to provide access and opportunity for dancers in Canada.

In 2014, Deviekha Chetram was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a diagnosis that shook the dance industry. In 2020, Deviekha passed away, set off on her eternal dance leaving behind a legacy of art, passion, culture & roots. Her daughter, Reshmi Chetram is now dedicated to continuing her mothers vision by providing opportunities for the next generation to train, perform and flourish in Kathak, Filmy & Folk dance through 1:1 guidance, events and performance.

Tarana has touched the hearts of thousands through the years, blazing  a trail for the future of Indian dance leaders to come.