Kasturi Pattanaik has been substantially contributing towards the promotion and dissemination of performing arts of India. Although her prime area has been Odissi dance; she has also been promoting other performing arts forms; Odissi music related to Odissi dance; folk dances; indigenous art forms and rare art forms, which are in the process of extinction. Most of her dance dramas are creative collage of the varied performing art forms of India.

Another notable contribution of Kasturi Pattanaik has been to disseminate the diversity of the performing arts among the young people. She has been conducting workshops and orientation programmes in schools and colleges across the country.

She has also been using performing arts, particularly classical dance, dance drama and theatre, as the powerful medium to raise awareness on important social issues; particularly on human rights of women and girls as well as on gender-based violence to promote zero tolerance against violence against women and girls.