He had better be good, I thought as I left my tearful three-year old at home - very, very good to warrant a one-hour drive through London to the South Bank on a dark and wet Sunday Night

Fortunately with the "fastest feet in the west", in his new two-hour display of Kathak, Akram Khan does not disappoint. For a wiry man of about five foot eight the rhythm reverberates though his entire body starting at his toes and ending at his fingertips. I am certain that no muscle dares to twitch without Akram Khan's say so.

It is obvious to even the most untutored, that he is a master at his craft. Athletic, skilful, poised and graceful, his dance is precision engineered to please. The first half of the show is devoted to improvisation. Akram invites the audience to count the beats with him, leaving many quite bemused.

In this performance of 'Polaroid Feet', he was accompanied by a team of gifted Indian musicians, including Sanju (Vishnu) Sahai on tabla. Obviously a stern task master, Khan drives his accompanying musicians hard as only a master can. At one point, forcing Sanju Sahai to replay a passage until the right pace was reached.

With slew of awards in his armoury - the 'Time Out Dance Award for Best Newcomer', the Critic's Circle 'Dance Award for Outstanding Newcomer' and the Jerwood Foundation 'Choreography Award', - as the Royal Festival Hall Choreographer In Residence, Akram Khan's impact in the next two years should be considerable.

Khan studied Kathak from the age of seven under the tutelage of Pratap Pawar, and went on to become a pioneer of the exploration of the synthesis between modern dance techniques and classical Asian dance. He has rapidly become one of Britain's most sought-after dancers and choreographers, with engagements throughout the world, working with Ravi Shankar in 'The Jungle Book', in 'Mahabharata' directed by Peter Brook, and in collaboration with Jonathan Burrows.

I could help thinking that to really marry this classical North Indian dance with modern day, he should loose the Kurta Pyjama and jump into black leathers and a cut-off white T-shirt. Perhaps even becoming the Joachim Cortes of Kathak. Pure sex with bells, so to speak!

If there is any note of criticism, it is that Akram Khan does not make Kathak "available" to all. He starts the programme with the premise that the audience are experts in rhythm and pace which form the essence of Kathak. Perhaps a brief introduction and an assumption that the audience are unskilled, but interested, amateurs would have been better. Despite this, Akram Khan had no problem filling the Purcell Room for this performance nor for any other I wager.

Take the opportunity to see this mesmerising Bangladeshi perform whenever you get the chance.

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