Chhau is an ancient dance from the eastern regions of India. It has its roots in the courts of the old princely states, where it was fostered as a form of martial art, and in the temples of the region, where is has strong associations with Shaiva worship. In Chhau, the stylized movements are based either on the handling of weapons like the sword and the shield, of they imitate the movement of animals like the tiger and the deer, or they display everyday village activities like sweeping the floor and pounding paddy.

Daksha Sheth was already a Kathak dancer of repute when she first encountered Chhau, and was overwhelmed by the power and beauty of this little known style. In sharp contrast to the highly refined and lyrical nature of Kathak, Chhau is a particularly strong and strenuous dance in which the sinuous and fluid body movements are animate by a raw and primal energy. Of the three surviving schools of Chhau, Daksha has focused on the Mayurbhanj tradition, and has undertaken rigorous training with the renowned guru, Shri Krishna Chandra Naik and other senior teachers of the form. Mayurbhanj Chhau, unlike other Chhau traditions, is performed without a mask, and is characterized by a greater freedom of movement and a richer choreography while still retaining the virility of the martial dance from which it took birth.

It is indicative of Daksha's determined and independent spirit that, fired by a desire to preserve and propagate Chhau, and despite many obstacles, she has distinguished herself in this hitherto male dominated domain. As a result of her dedication and perseverance, Daksha Sheth has emerged as the first Indian woman to perform Chhau as a soloist.