A Kathak dancer, Heta has gone through a tough journey to first learn  Bharatanatyam and then Kathak. For her, dance serves as a kind of communication, enabling her to express herself more clearly.

Heta Pankaj Patel is a Kathak dancer from Surat. She has been learning Kathak for the past eight years. She has performed on various renowned platforms and won many accolades.

Heta holds an MBA degree and is now pursuing Kathak dance. She says, for her dance is the best language to communicate and express herself in a better way.

Describing her journey, Heta says initially, when she was in college, she was following Kathak as a hobby only and had not thought of choosing it as her full-time career. Later, she realized that dance was the thing she enjoyed the most, and she used to get stressed if she missed any of her classes.

Remembering her childhood, Heta says she was born and brought up in Mumbai. She was a very active student and interested in extracurricular activities during her school days. During her school days, she started learning Bharatnatyam but had to move to Surat leaving her dance classes. Later, she started learning dance during her college years—not Bharatanatyam but Kathak—so it has been a roller coaster journey for her.

Heta discusses her challenges and says that she began learning dance from her guru, Reshma Nagar, and is currently learning from Shambhavita Dandekar. She had to attend college besides her dance training, thus her dance journey was not easy. She had a busy schedule every day, which used to be incredibly draining and exhausting. But, when it comes to dance, she believes it was all worthwhile.

When asked about her accomplishments, Heta mentions performing in Delhi on Republic Day in 2022 as one of her accomplishments.

Speaking of her mistakes, Heta says she believes comparing her appearance and self to others was one of her major mistakes. She used to feel bad about her body because she was constantly being teased by people for being skinny. Through her dance, she has come to respect and accept her genuine self.

When asked about her role models, Heta says she considers her parents and gurus as her role models. She says her parents have always been her greatest supporters. Her guru, Shambhavita Dandekar not only teaches dance but also guides her in her personal life to be a better person.

Heta attains mental peace through her ‘riyaaz’. She feels rejuvenated when she practices her dance.

Heta's life mantra is – "Never stop learning and always keep practicing; practice is the key to success."