Drishti Dance is a company run by Oxford-based Anuradha Chaturvedi, who perform in the Kathak tradition of northern India. This style formed the main part of the show, but it opened with an example of Bharatnatyam, a traditional dance of southern India. This consisted of two riveting solos by Meena Anand (right), an exotic performer in a wonderfully colourful and elaborate costume.

These solos trace their origins back 3,000 years to Hindu temple dancers. The opener was based on a prayer to the Hindu god Ganesha. Much of the dance is done with bent knees and beautiful mimic arm movements. The intention may be prayer, but, with Anands’s lovely beckoning arms and flashing eyes, there was more than a touch of enticement about it.

The evening also closed with two solos — these performed by Anuradha Chaturvedi. The second was Dancing Wind, part of a work in progress on the five elements which, according to ancient Indian thought, make up the human body, and indeed all of creation. The wind in question was indicated by the rest of the cast blowing bubbles from the wings.

Chaturvedi is a talented dancer, and here we had the real Kathak style with whirling turns done to the sound of multiple ankle-bells. When performed as well as this it’s a style that’s delightful to watch. The central part of the evening consisted of several more Kathak pieces, featuring the rest of the company — all but one, women. Subject matter and tempo varied to produce an evening that was enjoyable, and also a demonstration of the variety of dance that can be created within the Kathak style.

Between the dances, useful comments from the compère, Saurabh Seth, helped the audience to understand the subtleties of the dances performed. This performance was followed by Flamenco Puro, an enjoyable hour with Oxford’s resident flamenco dancer Amarita Vargas, which I reviewed recently at the Pegasus Theatre.