In India Maharaj runs a Kathak dance school in New Delhi and has more than 150 students, some of whom come from as far as Russia and the United States. Currently he is on a 45-day American dance tour, which included a performance in San Francisco in June.

About 65 students of the Tarangini School of Kathak Dance of San Jose gathered at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple early this month to learn from Maharaj and his disciple, Saswati Sen. Anuradha Nag, who serves as artistic director for Tarangini School and has studied under Maharaj in India, organized the workshop.

Sitting cross-legged on a carpeted floor with his musicians, Maharaj supervised the students while they picked up different moves and combinations. In the tradition of Kathak dance, he improvised many compositions on the spot.

Dressed in salwar khameez, a traditional north Indian outfit of loose drawstring pants, a flowing knee-length top, a long scarf and ankle bells, the women tapped their feet rhythmically while making graceful movements, their eyes constantly following their hands.

"Maharaji is a revolution in Kathak, and he has evolved this dance form to the greatest height," Nag says. "He has reached a peak, and I don't think anybody can replace what he has done for Kathak."

Born in a famous family of dancers in Lucknow, India, Maharaj is frequently addressed as the "torchbearer" of the family. He is credited with being the first dancer to transform Kathak, once known only for its solo dances and only as a classical dance form, into a group dance. And Maharaj's performances are well-known for being as entertaining to a layman as to a dance aficionado.

Kathak, which originates from northern India, literally means "storytelling." This dance form is a balanced blend of Hindu and Muslim cultures and the most naturally evolved of all dance forms in India.

"What distinguishes Kathak from other dances is its spontaneity, freedom from uniformity, and room for innovation and improvisation," Nag says.

Performed by both men and women, the dance has two principal forms—nritta, which consists of improvisational dance moves, and abhinaya, in which dancers tell stories through mimes.

Maharaj has been holding such workshops in the Bay Area every other year for the last 10 years. Cupertino resident Leena Bhalerao, who has been a regular attendee at Maharaj's workshops and has been learning under Nag for 11 years, says these workshops help her body get used to the dance because she stays in the same environment three hours a day.

Nag says the workshop is a great exposure for her students.

"They were standing and dancing in front of this stalwart that the whole world looks up to," she says.

In his native Hindi, Maharaj said his teacher's message was not just to learn dance.

"We will try to teach as many students as we can with the best of our ability," he said. "I am very happy that Indian culture and values are being instilled in these students through this workshop."