Aliyah Banerjee is a Kathak artist, using her foundation rooted in the Lucknow gharana to explore the intricacies of Kathak. Since a tender age, she has been under the tutelage of eminent Gurus in Delhi, Guru Pt. Jai Kishan Maharaj, Smt. Ruby Mishra, and Shri Tribhuwan Maharaj. Under their guidance, she has been part of programs around Delhi, part of group choreographies such as ‘Nahama’, ‘Dashaavatar’, and ‘Sargam’ staged at Kamani Auditorium, NDMC Theatre, and Saraswati Kala Mandir among other venues.

Currently, she is one of the few student faculty teaching at her Gurus’ institution Birju Maharaj Parampara in Delhi, giving students from India, US, UK, Australia, and many other places instruction in the Lucknow gharana of Kathak.

In India, she has independently performed her original and her Gurus’ choreography in Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities for organisations such as NIV Art Centre, Aangan Space, and Rasa the Stage. Internationally, she has delivered unique performances for festivals such as the Battery Dance Festival and New York Kathak Festival in New York, Prakriti Festival in Colorado, and IFAASD Youth Festival in San Diego. Through her fledgling dance company, she has given instruction in Kathak to her students and choreographed productions that are strongly reflective of traditional Kathak.

With an interest in writing about the performing arts, she has written pieces on Kathak for platforms such as Manthan, the art research wing of UPAJ India, the Indigenous Blog, and the Alipore Post. Outside of the arts, she is also a published poet and a student of economics.

Subtle beautiful choreography, traditional productions, and exquisite displays of Kathak are the vision behind Manikala. A blend of the Hindi name for the ruby jewel, “Manik” (inspired by Aliyah’s first Guru Smt. Ruby Mishra) and “kala” for art, choreographies, productions, and works under Manikala treat the dance form of Kathak as a jewel whose lustre is to be prized.

Under Manikala, the instruction, presentation, and propagation of Lucknow Gharana Kathak is emphasised, with an evident love for poetry, literature, and other forms of classical art integrated into work through choreography, costumes, and music.