Erasing Borders Dance Festival 2023

Indo-American Arts Council

presents

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

September 23 - 24, 2023 | 6 PM (Live In-Person)
BUY TICKETS

September 25, 2023 | 7PM (Virtual)
Watch LIVE on
Facebook.com  |  YouTube.com

Erasing Borders Dance Festival
Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Saturday, Sept 23, 2023, Ailey Citigroup Theater

6 PM

Ganesh Stuti by Jiva Performing Arts School
Amuktha Samudrala and Prarthana Prashanth/Choreographed by Hema Rajagopalan: Bharatanatyam
Vivek Ramanan, Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi: Bharatanatyam
Malavika Sarukkai in Bharatanatyam

Sunday, Sept 24, 2023, Ailey Citigroup Theater

2 PM

Dance workshop by Malavika Sarukkai, The Ailey Studios

6 PM

Vivarta Arts: Ganesh Vandana
Navia Natarajan: Bharatanatyam
Shivani Badgi and group: Lavani
Sonali Loomba and Nidhika Loomba: Kathak
Manish Chauhan: contemporary
Project Convergence/Vikas Arun and group

Monday, Sept 25, 2023

6 PM

Prof Uttara Coorlawala and dance artists Panel Discussion at Barnard College/Columbia University
Walk-in event, open to public at Barnard College. 11:30AM-12:55PM, 409 Barnard Hall

Dr. Sunil Kothari Memorial Lecture with Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai organized by IAAC and New York Public Library (Live)
Location: The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Centre Plaza, New York, NY 10023

Online Virtual performance on IAAC Youtube and Facebook

7 PM

Prachi Saathi: Bharatanatyam
Pritam Das: Bharatanatyam
Hridya Haridas: Mohiniyattam
Krishnakshi Kashyap and group: Sattriya
Urja Desai Thakore: Kathak

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Curatorial Guidelines

We are only taking in applications via this form this year.

You can submit solos, duets, or larger groups.

Typically, each performer will be given 8-12 min. This includes any additional information or narration.

Your video is the most important part of your application. An impressive video can catch the eye of the curator and make your performance memorable. When submitting a video, make sure the video is well-lit and appropriately edited for maximum impact. Check out technical guidance. Below are some tips for editing your videos:

  1. The dancer should be clearly visible in the video.

  2. The video(s) you submit should be of the work that you propose to perform at the festival, and should submit a plan outlining exactly what you plan to perform. In case the video exceeds the timing, please indicate time markers in your application for the segments you are proposing.

  3. You may submit up to 2 additional alternative videos with your application. Each video should be 8-12 minutes long.

  4. Dance works are often better appreciated when placed in context. We suggest that you include a commentary/explanation of your process in the Details of the Proposed Work section of your application.

  5. Live explanations (i.e. spoken commentaries on your video) will be counted as part of the timing of the total presentation, so you may prefer to send in a written explanation.

  6. The video you submit should include the complete, continuous work you intend to perform, OR a work-in-progress with detailed explanation. It is imperative for the curators to see the entire work, because our decision making involves thinking through how all the selected works (by different artists) will collectively form a unique, cohesive experience for our audience. An excerpt put together with bits and pieces from different parts of a work or different works WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE for the application.

Best of luck ! We look forward to reviewing your applications.
September 23: Saturday: In person in New York
September 24: Sunday: In person in New York
September 25: Monday: Evening digital performance
TBD: Workshop and panel discussions
Erasing Borders Festival of Indian Dance is widely regarded as the most reputed festival of Indian dance in North America. As an artist, performing in this festival gives you the opportunity to showcase your dance on a great platform – the festival receives significant media attention, and is reviewed by noted critics.
Yes. Artists are paid an honorarium for presenting their work at the festival. Since we are a non-profit, our means for providing financial support to artists are limited. The fee amount is comparable to other New York arts non-profits.
Note: Selected artists for the virtual festival will receive $250-500 for production value. Please submit a sample budget plan of up to $250-500 for the final production to account for videography, editing, or other needs.
Yes, we present solos as well as groups (duets, trios, quartets, or larger!)
If you are applying to perform at the live festival:
You need to submit a video of the work that you intend to perform. You should submit 2 videos. 1) Submit videos of past choreography. 2) Submit your concept proposal in 100-150 words and send a video (as a work-in-progress). You do not need to submit a video shot using a professional camera - you can submit a video shot using your phone, so long as the quality of the video is good and your dance can be seen well.
March 31, 2023
Deadline extended to April 15, 2023
You need to upload your work to YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, or Google Drive and include a link to that uploaded video with your application form. Please make sure that the video-sharing settings are set to anyone can view. If it is a longer piece (more than 8-12 minutes) please specify time segments for us to view.
The limits are specified in “characters” and not “words” (we understand this is less intuitive than a word limit might be, but unfortunately this is what Google Forms supports...). Please ensure that the number of characters in your answer fits within the maximum number of characters allowed for that answer. Further, remember that whitespace is also considered a character. An easy way to check your character count is by pasting your answer into a Word document, and using the ‘Word Count’ feature of Microsoft Word, which displays not just the number of words, but also the number of characters (including whitespaces).
Please email IAAC IT team at sunil@iaac.us. They will be able to help you with the application fee.
Selected artists should expect to hear back from us by April 30, 2023. If you have not heard by then, feel free to email sunil@iaac.us
2023 Erasing Borders of Dance Festival, Call for Submissions

EBDance
EBDance
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EBDance

Indo-American Arts Council’s Erasing Borders Dance Festival will be presented in a hybrid format in 2023: specific artists will be selected for a live performance in New York on September 23rd and 24th, 2023 and specific artists will be selected for digital performances on IAAC’s streaming platform Facebook and Youtube, on September 25th.

For this year, we are looking for dance works that speak to the theme of courageously creative. IAAC has embraced the theme of courageously creative for the year 2023 across the platforms of film, dance, music, and literature.

In dance, how can we be courageously creative? What are the systems: families, friends, and support systems that allow us to be courageously creative? What nourishes us? Who/what/how is our creativity being supported? What is this family that spurs us to be creative?

Reflecting on this concept of family/support system/nourishment, submit dance works of 8-12 minutes in length that showcase your work. Please submit a 100-150 word description of how these themes connect to your own creative works.

We seek:

  • Original works in multiple or new vocabularies and forms deriving from or relating to the traditions of Indian dance.
  • Works that are challenging or critically thinking on their own terms.
  • Given the hybrid format of the future we encourage shorter works. Professional works of up to 8-12 minutes duration (you can submit multiple works for us to consider).

Requirements:

  • Completed Application Form, which will include a place for you to send us a link to the performance piece you want to showcase at the festival.
  • Video: Applicants need to submit the entire video recording of the proposed works (not excerpts or sampling of past works). Since this is a hybrid festival, we ask that you not apply with a work that is already published in video format with other platforms.
  • We plan on leaving the work accessible online for an agreed upon time after the last day of the festival, so make sure you secure rights from your gurus, musicians, and collaborators. Please also make sure you own the rights to publish the music and other elements that you are using. This permission can be sent to you by other producers through emails, social media messages etc. so it can be documented if the need arises. If you submit work that we select, we assume you have done the due diligence.
  • Special note for virtual festival applicants only: This is a work that would be choreographed for camera, so we need to get a sense from your application as to how you would accomplish this.
  • Only professional-level performances will be considered for the festival. Typically, we receive about 80 applications each year that our curators go through very carefully. Due to limited time, we do not email all applicants back and prioritize writing to applicants we seriously consider for the festival.
  • Selected artists for the virtual festival will receive $250-500 for achieving a professional-grade production value in addition to the performance fee. Please submit a sample budget plan of up to $250-500 for the final production to account for videography and editing. For the usage of this work, you will need to include a credit line “This project was created as part of the Erasing Borders Dance Festival 2023 and is supported by funds from the Indo-American Arts Council."
  • Non-refundable application fee of $15.
  • Application Due date: March 31, 2023
    Deadline extended to April 15, 2023

HOW TO SUBMIT:

  • First, review the Curatorial Guidelines we have compiled. These guidelines will help you submit a strong application that catches the eye and interest of our professional curators.
  • Selected artists are compensated with professional standard artistic fees for their work and time. Our fees are commensurate to other New York area professional companies.
  • Additionally, if selected for the digital presentation, we will provide funds towards video production costs for which technical guidance will be provided. If selected for the live festival, we will take care of all theatre needs in New York.
  • Note: We will not be able to process visas. We ask that applicants have already taken care of this.
  • Next, complete your application form. Bear in mind that you will not be able to save your application and come back to it later. So, it is recommended that you first draft your answers in a separate document, and then enter them on this online form in one sitting.
  • Pay your $15 application fee through PayPal
  • If you have any questions, check the Frequently Asked Question (FAQ). We keep updating this FAQ as new questions are received. If the FAQ does not address your questions, you can email us via this Inquiry form. Please note that we will only respond to questions that have not been addressed in the FAQ, so make sure to check the FAQ first!

Technical Suggestions

  • Artist(s) would film themselves at home/studio/on location.
  • Make sure the sound quality of the music is loud and clear.
  • Have lighting from the front and avoid lighting at back (unless it is part of your aesthetic).
  • Make sure the video is processed in 1080p HD format to ensure the quality is clear.

Artists Bios

MALAVIKA SARUKKAI – DANCER CHOREOGRAPHER

Malavika Sarukkai Photo credit Shalini JainMalavika Sarukkai
Photo credit Shalini Jain

Intense, extraordinary and luminous are the qualities that distinguish Malavika Sarukkai‘s dancing. With her artistic mastery and technique she commands a presence on the world stage. She is acclaimed globally for her creative dance choreographies, which transport the viewer to the heart beat of dance, taking dance beyond specific geographies.

As a passionate path breaking dancer from India, she has contributed a significant and large body of work. Her collaborative productions have synergized through dialogues with artists from different media – poets, musicians, painters, sculptors and contemporary writers. These interactions bring to her choreographic interpretations the incandescent beauty of the classical language and the energized articulation of a contemporary mind. Malavika Sarukkai’s work is celebrated by critics, connoisseurs and the general public.

Malavika Sarukkai’s choreographies Sthiti Gati and Krishna Nee are included in the core repertoire of the Juilliard Creative Classroom Resources, New York. Recognized for her contribution as an artist with intellectual depth, Malavika Sarukkai was invited to deliver the prestigious Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture in Mumbai.

Affirming the interrelatedness of the arts Malavika Sarukkai collaborated with eminent Art Historian Dr. B.N. Goswamy by creating a series of lecture performances linking Indian miniature painting and classical dance. Celebrated for her ‘out of the box’ creative thinking she was invited by Kartik Fine Arts to conceptualize and curate the Natya Darshan Dance Symposium 2014 and 2015.

A film entitled ‘The Unseen Sequence’ directed by Sumantra Ghoshal has been made celebrating her distinctive intellectual and creative approach to dance. The international premier of the film was in early 2014 at the prestigious Dance on Camera Festival, Lincoln Center, New York. This searching and personal film continues to receive rave reviews from critics, connoisseurs and public. Her exceptional artistry has also been filmed by the BBC, German TV and French Art Channel.

The National Center for The Performing Arts, Mumbai celebrated Malavika Sarukkai’s artistry over a period of ten days across the city of Mumbai in the event, “A Tribute To Excellence”.

Malavika Sarukkai has received many accolades. Padma Shri from the President of India in 2003, SNA Award 2002 from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamilnadu in 1994, the Natya Kala Acharya award for 2017 from the Music Academy, Chennai and Hanumant Award 2017 from Chitrakutdham Trust, Gujarat , The Hindu Heritage Award 2018, Chennai and Natya Padmam Award for 2018 from Brahma Gana Sabha.

Niranjan Gokhale: Niranjan Gokhale completed his BA and MA programme in Theatre from University of Pune going on to specialize in Lighting Design at the University of Georgia. His lighting design includes versions of world-renowned plays - Death of a Salesman, Rashomon, Les Justes, Endgame, The Threepenny Opera, The Caucasian Chalk Circle among others. Western dance productions like The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Oz The Ballet. Dance dramas based on Indian classical dance styles - Nayani (Bharatanatyam), Hansika (an Odissi adaptation of Swan Lake), Sookshma (Odissi). Niranjan is working as a Light Designer with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, a Contemporary Dance Company, Bangalore from 2011. He has toured across India, multiple countries abroad with different dance, and theatrical productions.

Sai Shravanam: A skilled musician, sound designer, music producer and entrepreneur, Sai Shravanam has created a benchmark quality in all of his endeavors with a single minded devotion towards classical and folk music of India. Uniquely recognized as a one of the few classically trained sound designers in the country, Sai Shravanam has developed his talents through years of experience in recording music, bringing musicians the masterful chemistry necessary to produce their best. With his constant thirst for music and technology, he established a concrete bridge in Indian classical music between artistes and modern technology without distorting the sensitivity of the art form or the comfort of the artistes. He has successfully completed over 18 years of professional music production with all the premier artistes of India, international artistes and the most prestigious music labels around the world. He initiated a startup in the year 2007, Resound India®.

IAAC is excited to bring Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai to New York for a performance

with collaborators Niranjan Gokhale and Sai Shravanam.

Malavika Sarukkai Photo credit Shalini Jain Malavika Sarukkai
Photo credit Shalini Jain

Malavika Sarukkai: Intense, extraordinary and luminous are the qualities that distinguish Malavika Sarukkai‘s dancing. With her artistic mastery and technique she commands a presence on the world stage. She is acclaimed globally for her creative dance choreographies, which transport the viewer to the heart beat of dance, taking dance beyond specific geographies.

As a passionate path breaking dancer from India, she has contributed a significant and large body of work. Her collaborative productions have synergized through dialogues with artists from different media – poets, musicians, painters, sculptors and contemporary writers. These interactions bring to her choreographic interpretations the incandescent beauty of the classical language and the energized articulation of a contemporary mind. Malavika Sarukkai’s work is celebrated by critics, connoisseurs and the general public.

Malavika Sarukkai’s choreographies Sthiti Gati and Krishna Nee are included in the core repertoire of the Juilliard Creative Classroom Resources, New York. Recognized for her contribution as an artist with intellectual depth, Malavika Sarukkai was invited to deliver the prestigious Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture in Mumbai.

Affirming the interrelatedness of the arts Malavika Sarukkai collaborated with eminent Art Historian Dr. B.N. Goswamy by creating a series of lecture performances linking Indian miniature painting and classical dance. Celebrated for her ‘out of the box’ creative thinking she was invited by Kartik Fine Arts to conceptualize and curate the Natya Darshan Dance Symposium 2014 and 2015.

A film entitled ‘The Unseen Sequence’ directed by Sumantra Ghoshal has been made celebrating her distinctive intellectual and creative approach to dance. The international premier of the film was in early 2014 at the prestigious Dance on Camera Festival, Lincoln Center, New York. This searching and personal film continues to receive rave reviews from critics, connoisseurs and public. Her exceptional artistry has also been filmed by the BBC, German TV and French Art Channel.

The National Center for The Performing Arts, Mumbai celebrated Malavika Sarukkai’s artistry over a period of ten days across the city of Mumbai in the event, “A Tribute To Excellence”.

Malavika Sarukkai has received many accolades. Padma Shri from the President of India in 2003, SNA Award 2002 from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamilnadu in 1994, the Natya Kala Acharya award for 2017 from the Music Academy, Chennai and Hanumant Award 2017 from Chitrakutdham Trust, Gujarat , The Hindu Heritage Award 2018, Chennai and Natya Padmam Award for 2018 from Brahma Gana Sabha.

Niranjan Gokhale: Niranjan Gokhale completed his BA and MA programme in Theatre from University of Pune going on to specialize in Lighting Design at the University of Georgia. His lighting design includes versions of world-renowned plays - Death of a Salesman, Rashomon, Les Justes, Endgame, The Threepenny Opera, The Caucasian Chalk Circle among others. Western dance productions like The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Oz The Ballet. Dance dramas based on Indian classical dance styles - Nayani (Bharatanatyam), Hansika (an Odissi adaptation of Swan Lake), Sookshma (Odissi). Niranjan is working as a Light Designer with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, a Contemporary Dance Company, Bangalore from 2011. He has toured across India, multiple countries abroad with different dance, and theatrical productions.

Sai Shravanam: A skilled musician, sound designer, music producer and entrepreneur, Sai Shravanam has created a benchmark quality in all of his endeavors with a single minded devotion towards classical and folk music of India. Uniquely recognized as a one of the few classically trained sound designers in the country, Sai Shravanam has developed his talents through years of experience in recording music, bringing musicians the masterful chemistry necessary to produce their best. With his constant thirst for music and technology, he established a concrete bridge in Indian classical music between artistes and modern technology without distorting the sensitivity of the art form or the comfort of the artistes. He has successfully completed over 18 years of professional music production with all the premier artistes of India, international artistes and the most prestigious music labels around the world. He initiated a startup in the year 2007, Resound India®.

Indo-American Arts Council

presents

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Saturday, Sept 23, 6-8PM, In-Person
Ailey Citigroup Theater

BUY TICKETS

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Ganesh Stuti by Jiva Performing Arts School
Amuktha Samudrala and Prarthana Prashanth/Choreographed by Hema Rajagopalan: Bharatanatyam
Vivek Ramanan, Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi: Bharatanatyam
Malavika Sarukkai in Bharatanatyam

Ganesh Stuti by Jiva Performing Arts School

Ganesh Stuti by Jiva Performing Arts School

Jiva Performing Arts was created in 2007 by the celebrated artistic couple, Bharatanatyam dancer/choreographer, Sonali Skandan and Carnatic musician/composer, Bala Skandan. Jiva’s mission is to develop and present new voices in the classical arts of India and increase appreciation and accessibility of these timeless arts for all communities.

Jiva preserves artistic legacies as well as creates new works that affirm the relevance, vitality, and freshness of the Indian classical arts.  The organization includes a professional, all-female dance company, Jiva Dance, Akshara Music Ensemble, and a School that provides comprehensive training from beginner through professional levels in Bharatanatyam, Mridangam and Carnatic Violin.

The dancers are: Lylah Patel and Momoko Maki
Ganesha Stuti
Ragam: Paras Talam: Adi
Composer:Madurai G.S.Mani
Choreography: P. Praveen Kumar

Ragam: Gambeeranata
Talam: Adi

Amuktha Samudrala and Prarthana Prashanth/Choreographed by Hema Rajagopalan: Bharatanatyam

Amuktha Samudrala and Prarthana Prashanth

Search Within
For centuries, ancient texts and great sages have expressed that divine spirit exists in sentient and non-sentient beings. As we expand our knowledge and realize the beauty of form - the inherent rhythms of nature resonating around us - our minds turn inwards experiencing bliss. Inspired by the interconnectedness of this macrocosm, this Bharatanatyam duet blends traditional adavus with abstract new movements, interpolating rhythmic passages with intentional moments of silence... telling the story of a soul’s search within.


Hema Rajagopalan  is the Founder and Artistic Director of Natya Dance Theatre, an organization that specializes in performing and teaching Bharatanatyam. Hema is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer of international repute, committed to preserving Bharatanatyam in its full integrity, developing the art form in new directions and bringing it to diverse audiences. Hema has choreographed well over fifty evening-length productions that have toured to leading national and international venues. In 2021, she was awarded the highly acclaimed Dance Legacy Award, by See Chicago Dance; and Natya Dance Theatre received the designation as one of Chicago’s Cultural Treasures. As a dancer, Hema has performed to critical acclaim since her debut at the youthful age of seven. And hundreds of students have trained under her since the establishment of the Natya Academy in 1974.

Prarthana Prashanth has been training in Bharatanatyam under Smt. Hema Rajagopalan for 15 years. She is a 2022 National YoungArts Awardee, and performed in Chennai's Margazhi Festival. She is also a teacher in Natya's public school arts residencies.

Amuktha Samudrala has been training with Smt. Hema Rajagopalan & Krithika Rajagopalan for 16 years. In 2021, she was a National YoungArts Awardee. Amuktha is a classroom teacher in the Natya Academy.

Vivek Ramanan, Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi: Bharatanatyam

Vivek Ramanan, Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi

Vazhi - On Different Paths. 
Exploring Shoorpanaka, Vibhishana, and Kumbakarna - The Siblings of Ravana
Explorations of the South Asian epic, the Ramayana, often have expanded on the character arcs of Rama, Ravana, Sita, Hanuman, and other beloved characters. However, some of the most important catalysts of the Ramayana epic are the siblings of Ravana: Shoorpanaka, Vibhishana, and Kumbakarna. We explore the lives of these 3 siblings in the context of one another, as a family, as a set of children in the shadow of Ravana, as three individuals struggling not only over their own lives, but in their shared moments and impact on one another. Shoorpanaka’s demands of justice after her trauma are never validated by her family, while Vibhishana struggles over the morality of each of these actions and who to support.

Finally, Kumbakarna, cursed to sleep, lives in an idealistic world of his own, never truly understanding how his siblings have changed with time. Each has a pathway of their own, a vazhi in Tamil, that takes them to a place of conclusion - Shoorpanaka to choose her own exile, Vibhishana accepting the responsibility of ruling, and Kumbakarna finding resolve in his death. But how did they get there? How did they drive each other to make these decisions? How can the complexities of family bring out the most intense emotions like turmoil, anger, and happiness, in each of us? 

Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi, and Vivek Ramanan are each talented and successful Bharathanatyam solo performers, all currently under the mentorship of Dr. Apoorva Jayaraman, with Surya and Aarthy additionally training in karanas under Smt. Ashwini Srivatsan. Aarthy had her initial training under Smt. Madhusri Sethuraman and underwent additional training with Smt. Janaki Rangarajan. Vivek had his foundational training under Smt. Madhusri Sethuraman and Smt. Vidhya Subramanian, also learning mridangam with Sri Ramesh Srinivasan. Surya began her training with Smt. Vidhya Krishnan followed by Smt. Radhika Ganesh. All 3 of them have performed as featured solo artists in the US and India.

Aarthy, Surya, and Vivek all initially worked together as IndianRaga Fellows and Creative Directors from 2016-2018 and co-created multiple successful social media productions. Their combined work has amassed over 18 million views, popularizing Indian dance and music on social media platforms, raising awareness for social topics, and have been covered by numerous news articles. Since 2019, they have performed at multiple festivals and concerts around the US as a group, and seek to continue creating innovative choreographies and explorations using the Bharathanatyam repertoire, together.


Malavika Sarukkai in Bharatanatyam

VMalavika Sarukkai

Kala - Time
Concept & Choreography | Malavika Sarukkai

Music Production & Sound Design | Sai Shravanam
Technical Director & Light Design | Niranjan Gokhale

"In order to understand the dance - one must be still, And in order to truly understand stillness - one must dance." Rumi, 13th Century CE

Kala - Time is fundamental to our lives. In the cyclical play of seasons, time is seen as a recurring motif of life and rejuvenation. In the performing arts from the Indian subcontinent, time is seen as measured in metrical cycles.

The program explores structure and freedom in pure dance (nritta)  and expressive dance (abhinaya) through the expanding language of Bharatanatyam. The choreographies highlight movement and silence, precision and flow, the worldly and spiritual, finite and infinite. Through the unfolding concept, Kala-Time is celebrated as that which defines but also releases.

Malavika Sarukkai’s dancing is known to be Intense, extraordinary and luminous. With her artistic mastery and technique, she commands a presence on the world stage. She is acclaimed globally for her creative dance choreographies, which transport the viewer to the heart beat of dance, taking dance beyond specific geographies.

As a passionate path breaking dancer from India, she has contributed a significant and large body of work. Her collaborative productions have synergized through dialogues with artists from different media – poets, musicians, painters, sculptors and contemporary writers. These interactions bring to her choreographic interpretations the incandescent beauty of the classical language and the energized articulation of a contemporary mind. Malavika Sarukkai’s work is celebrated by critics, connoisseurs and the general public. Malavika Sarukkai’s choreographies Sthiti Gati and Krishna Nee are included in the core repertoire of the Juilliard Creative Classroom Resources, New York. Recognized for her contribution as an artist with intellectual depth, Malavika Sarukkai was invited to deliver the prestigious Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture in Mumbai. Affirming the interrelatedness of the arts Malavika Sarukkai collaborated with eminent Art Historian Dr. B.N. Goswamy by creating a series of lecture performances linking Indian miniature painting and classical dance. Celebrated for her ‘out of the box’ creative thinking she was invited by Kartik Fine Arts to conceptualize and curate the Natya Darshan Dance Symposium 2014 and 2015.

A film entitled ‘The Unseen Sequence’ directed by Sumantra Ghoshal has been made celebrating her distinctive intellectual and creative approach to dance. The international premier of the film was in early 2014 at the prestigious Dance on Camera Festival, Lincoln Center, New York. This searching and personal film continues to receive rave reviews from critics, connoisseurs and public. Her exceptional artistry has also been filmed by the BBC, German TV and French Art Channel. The National Center for The Performing Arts, Mumbai celebrated Malavika Sarukkai’s artistry over a period of ten days across the city of Mumbai in the event, “A Tribute To Excellence”.

Malavika Sarukkai has received many accolades. Padma Shri from the President of India in 2003, SNA Award 2002 from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamilnadu in 1994, the Natya Kala Acharya award for 2017 from the Music Academy, Chennai and Hanumant Award 2017 from Chitrakutdham Trust, Gujarat , The Hindu Heritage Award 2018, Chennai and Natya Padmam Award for 2018 from Brahma Gana Sabha.

Niranjan Gokhale: Niranjan Gokhale completed his BA and MA programmes in Theatre from University of Pune going on to specialize in Lighting Design at the University of Georgia. His lighting design includes versions of world-renowned plays - Death of a Salesman, Rashomon, Les Justes, Endgame, The Threepenny Opera, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Western dance productions like The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Oz The Ballet and dance dramas based on Indian classical dance styles - Nayani (Bharatanatyam), Hansika (an Odissi adaptation of Swan Lake), Sookshma (Odissi). Niranjan is working as a Light Designer with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, a Contemporary Dance Company, Bangalore from 2011. He has toured across India, multiple countries abroad with different dance, and theatrical productions.

Sai Shravanam: A skilled musician, sound designer, music producer and entrepreneur, Sai Shravanam has created a benchmark quality in all of his endeavors with a single-minded devotion towards classical and folk music of India. Uniquely recognized as one of the few classically trained sound designers in the country, Sai Shravanam has developed his talents through years of experience in recording music, bringing musicians the masterful chemistry necessary to produce their best. With his constant thirst for music and technology, he established a concrete bridge in Indian classical music between artistes and modern technology without distorting the sensitivity of the art form or the comfort of the artistes. He has successfully completed over 18 years of professional music production with all the premier artistes of India, international artistes and the most prestigious music labels around the world. He initiated a startup in the year 2007, Resound India®.


Indo-American Arts Council and Jiva Performing Arts School

Present

A Bharatanatyam Workshop
by Malavika Sarukkai

Sunday, Sept 24, 2023 | 2 PM
The Ailey Studios
BUY TICKETS

Dance Workshop by Malavika Sarukkai

The dance workshop on Sunday, September 24th will be aimed at primarily getting dancers to know, feel and relate to their dancing bodies. Dance will be taught through the penetrative technique developed by Malavika Sarukkai. This process will encourage dancers to discover their potential and thereby differentiate themselves. The emphasis will be on creating an awareness of the dancing body as an instrument of energy.

This workshop is aimed at looking at the core of the language of Bharatanatyam with a focus on body, mind, space, and awareness. The attempt of the workshop is to see the language of Bharatanatyam in a larger context.

For dancers with 10 years experience

Indo-American Arts Council

presents

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Sunday, Sept 24, 2023 | 6 PM, In-Person
Ailey Citigroup Theater

BUY TICKETS

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

Vivarta Arts: Ganesh Vandana
Navia Natarajan: Bharatanatyam
Shivani Badgi and Group: Lavani
Sonali Loomba and Nidhika Loomba: Kathak
Manish Chauhan: Contemporary
Project Convergence/Vikas Arun and Group

Vivarta Arts: Ganesh Vandana

Vivarta Arts: Ganesh Vandana

Vivarta Arts, a NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, promotes Indian classical dance and music through innovative productions. Our aim is to democratize these art forms while honoring their traditions. Artistic Director Preya Patel, a Kathak dancer mentored by Gurus Jamuna Mitcham and Vaishali Trivedi, brings rich experience. She graduated in 2006 with a live orchestra performance and has since showcased her talents across the US, Canada, and India.

Vivarta Arts educates through charity work, community programs, and fostering cultural awareness via dance in NY public schools. These efforts amplify its impact alongside commitments to the Indo-American Arts Council and outreach initiatives.

Sahana Dhama,, Bhakyasri Dhama, Misbah Jivani, Saanya Patel, Sonia Ramjit, Raina Arora, Zara Lakhani, Nina Patel, Tanisha Patel, Aashka Shah

Navia Natarajan: Bharatanatyam

Navia Natarajan

विरोधाभास | Virodhābhāsa: (Investigating the Profound Nature of Paradox)
“Form is Emptiness. Emptiness is Form,” says the Buddhist Heart Sutra speaking of the paradox that lies at the core of all phenomena. Indeed, the world we inhabit is itself a paradox for it is both real and an appearance: Maya. And so, to better appreciate this world, one needs to look more deeply at what seems like opposites or contradictions.

A personal tragedy that held within it both sadness and peace led the me to consider more deeply this idea of Paradox. As I lived through those difficult days, my thinking about the paradox began to transform and found expression in dance.

This work is my ongoing attempt to investigate the profound nature of Paradox. The production commissioned by Mandala Arts and Culture, Vancouver, Canada, was premiered as a Dance film in partnership with The Dance Centre, Vancouver, in November 2022.


Navia Natarajan: A whirling vortex of energy and grace, accomplished Bharathanatyam dancer, Navia Natarajan, has a luminous presence on stage. She stays true to the rigors of classical technique, but injects her dancing with a creativity and vision that is uniquely her. Approaching her art with a questioning and experimental spirit, she thinks about the dance with a modern mind, energizing the beauty and elegance of its classical language with the vitality and vibrancy of contemporary thought and innovation.IShe had her arengetram at the age of 10, under Smt. Radhika Kalyan. Later she was trained under Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran Bangalore. She is further honing her skill with Guru Sir A.Lakshmanaswamy [Artistic Director -"Nrithyalakshana”, Chennai] and Abhinaya Exponent Guru Smt Bragha.G.Bessel.Some of her noteworthy performances include The Dance festival at The Music Academy , Chennai, Festival by Sangeet Natak Akademi, Prastaar Festival hosted by Ghandharava Mahavidyalaya New Delhi, NCPA Mumbai, IIC and India Habitat , Delhi, Bangalore International Arts Festival, Kinkini Festival, Bangalore,Nehru Center London, Indian Fine arts Academy, San Digo, Sangam Arts, Sanjose, Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival,Drive east , NY , Counterpulse, SFO, USA, to name a few.

Shivani Badgi and Group: Lavani

Shivani Badgi and Group

Shringarik Lavani - Love through the art of Lavani 
Shringarik Lavani takes a traditional Indian folk style from the state of Maharashtra into a wonderful harmony of music, poetry, rhythm, and love. Enjoy the beats of the Dholak matched with the sound of ghungroo as you are serenaded in songs and poems of love. Dressed in Nauvari sarees (9 yard saree), Lavani will entice you back to the rule of Shivaji Maharaj. Through Baithakichi Lavani (sitting dance) and Tamasha (grand show), listen to her regale stories of lovers past, in joy and sadness.

Shivani Badgi - Choreographer and Lead Dancer
Shivani Badgi is an Indian American dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She began her training at age five under Guru Padma Khanna, senior disciple of Nataraj Gopi Krishnaji, in Kathak, Lavani, and Bollywood. She learned Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary at Joffrey Ballet School, Mason Gross School of Arts, and Broadway Dance Center during her college years. Her career continued with performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Consulate General of India, United Nations, Theater for the New City, Longwood Gardens, and soon at Florida’s Disney World. She is now the Artistic Director/Founder of The Gurukul Performing Arts in NJ and NYC.

Raashi Desai - Dancer
Raashi Desai is a NYC based filmmaker and photographer with expertise in storytelling, particularly for minority communities, her work has made its way to Amazon Prime, Jacksonville Dance Festival, Poppn Magazine and more. She is also a folk Indian dancer and has taught at Moksha Arts for the past 10 years. Her students have performed all over the US and abroad. Raashi's passion for girl power, music, and storytelling has led her on a journey to a variety of powerful content.

Revati Mahurkar - Dancer
Revati Mahurkar is a dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher trained in Kathak, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Street Jazz, and Heels dancer. She has performed at exciting venues all over NYC and in select US cities. She also appeared in an episode of Aapka Colors’ reality TV show Hunarbaaz: Desh Ki Shaan judged by Karan Johar, Parineeti Chopra, and Mithun Chakroborty. Aside from performing, Revati loves teaching her weekly Bollywood on Heels class at Sass Class NYC. Revati will be completing her degree from Columbia University in Psychology, and hopes to pursue her passion for the arts full time upon graduating. 

Pooja Sankhe - Dancer
Pooja Sankhe is a trained dancer who practices various dance styles, such as Kathak, Bollywood, contemporary and Indian folk dance. Currently, she is dedicated to learning Indian classical dance, Kathak, and is in the pre-diploma stage of her training. Dancing has been a significant part of Pooja's life since her early years. She was teaching and performing, including captivating performances in Bollywood stage shows in India. Pooja has also showcased her skills in New York, where she participated in the dance-theatre piece 'We Sinful Women' and the American Dance Guild Festival in 2019.

Pramoda Bapatla - Dancer
Pramoda Bapatla has trained in Kuchipudi since she was 4 years old. She has performed and competed at various events around the country, and even travelled to California and India to participate in the Kuchipudi Dance Convention for the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2014 she received her diploma upon the completion of her Kuchipudi Rangapravesam and then taught Bollywood dance classes in high school and college. In college, she danced with Brandeis Bhangra and Boston University Bhangra, and became the captain of her team. Now, she lives in New York City and is expanding on her dance skills.

Vaibu Mohan - Vocals
Vaibu Mohan is a multi-faceted, Indian-American artist from Phoenix, AZ. Vaibu completed her Arangetram (solo dance debut) in 2014 and began performing as a solo artist and a singer. Vaibu earned her BM in musical theatre performance with a minor in public service and public policy from Arizona State university. While she was there, she went to the National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center for writing and producing. She is currently receiving her MFA from the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. She is working on a musical titled Sati with her collaborator Zach Catron

Neil Khare - Percussion (Dholki)
Neil Khare started learning tabla at the age of 4 from his father, Shri Surakshya Deshpande, and currently learns from Shri Amod Dandawate. He has accompanied artists such as Srimati Aarti Anklikar during her workshop presentation, has played on a New York TV Channel, and has received many awards in the Instrumental solo category. He is currently a senior studying Finance and Computer Science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

Aathaven Tharmarajah - Male Lead
Aathaven Tharmarajah is a Tamil-American actor/singer/dancer based in NYC and is ecstatic to be performing in Shringarik Lavani! Recent theatre credits include the North American tour of Legally Blonde; Monsoon Wedding (St. Ann's Warehouse); The Waiting (Live & In Color); Hello, Dolly!, Elf the Musical (Pioneer Theatre Company); Freaky Friday, and the U.S. premiere of Strictly Ballroom the Musical (Hale Centre Theatre). Aathaven recently graduated from the University of Utah and is always enthusiastic about uplifting South Asian voices and contributing to South Asian art whenever he can.


Sonali Loomba and Nidhika Loomba: Kathak

Sonali Loomba and Nidhika Loomba

Anhad – Limitless love

There's an old saying we all know: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. But the old saying is perhaps not true. How can one step..? without the intention of moving forward? Every journey thus begins with a desire. What exactly does She desire? Wealth, fame, reputation? These mean nothing to Her. Her wish is to follow the calling of a voice within, a voice that until now she could not hear; a voice that whispers of the Divine and how to discover it, of union with The One and how to experience it. Love, the voice says -total and pure love is the only path to divine power. For now, love of that magnitude is impossible for Her to imagine, but in Her heart, she knows someday she’ll find a way to attain it.

Anhad - Limitless love is her desire, and with that, she takes her first step forward into a journey new and unknown. Through poems of Rumi, mysticism of Su? traditions along with classical Indian dance (Kathak), the artists explore this soul- searching journey that knows no boundaries. The music and choreography are conceptualized keeping in mind the traditions of Kathak and Sufism. This is only an excerpt from the original full length 50 min production.

Conceptualization – Nidhika & Sonali Loomba
Choreography – Sonali Loomba
Original soundscape – Rushi Vakil

Sonali Loomba completed her post graduate in Human Resource Management from India and worked at a multinational company there for over 6 years before she decided to quite and completely dedicate her self to Kathak as full time performing artist. She started learning Kathak in 2006 under the guidance of Gurus (teachers) Hari and Chethana from Bangalore, India. She believes Indian Classical Dance is like an ocean which is limitless. The deeper you dive in the more beauty you see of the form. It can take up-to several years to call oneself a master of this art form. She visits India often to advance in her studies of Kathak under her Gurus. Sonali has performed at multiple leading festivals in the states as well as international. Sonali is also the recipient of several UTAH state art grants which are a driving force in her mission to spread the knowledge of this art form, beyond.

Nidhika Loomba is a Virginia (USA) based Kathak dancer who has been trained by the well-acclaimed Kathak dance couple, Sri Hari and Smt. Chethana Hari, the directors of Noopur Performing Art Center, Bangalore, India. Nidhika started her training in 2006 and has been learning from her Guru’s ever since. She has also regularly attended workshops conducted by stalwarts such as Pt. Sri. Rajendra Gangani, Pandita Smt. Maneesha Sathe and Smt. Shambhavi Dandekar. In 2009, Nidhika was selected to perform for the ICCR’s cultural exchange festival in Sri Lanka. Since then, she has been traveling extensively across the globe as a lead performing artist of her Guru- Sri Hari and Smt Chethana’s ensemble and has performed extensively at various prestigious dance festivals, concerts, lecture demonstrations and corporate shows. She has many solo performances to her credit in India, US and Netherlands. Nidhika was also selected to give a talk on Kathak at a TEDx conference in Boston in 2016, her talk was titled “Falling in Love With Kathak”. With her rigorous training and exposure to Kathak, she wishes to delve deeper into its nuances and aims to present its works that communicate beyond cultures and languages.


Manish Chauhan: Contemporary

Manish Chauhan
MEDITATIONS ON AN OPEN ROAD
Igal Perry choreographed Meditations on an Open Road for Manish Chawhan by invitation of the Bowen-McCauley Dance Company for their final performance at Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The dance, which is choreographed in a contemporary style with hints of Indian traditional movements, was inspired by the song Mera Joota Hai Japani. Perry has known this song since he was a child, watching Indian movies in his hometown in Israel, and the opportunity to choreograph a dance piece to it was nothing but inspiring. The title depicts the idea behind the piece, which is a journey of a lone traveler, real, symbolic or abstract as it may be.
PERIDANCE CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY 
New York City's Peridance Contemporary Dance Company (PCDC), led by Founder and Artistic Director Igal Perry, has been a powerhouse of expressive and innovative dance since 1983. The Company made its New York City debut in 1985 at the Riverside Dance Festival, and over the next 4 decades has held NY seasons at venues including the Joyce Theater, the Kaye Playhouse, Lincoln Center, and the KnJ Theater at Peridance, commissioning over 75 new dance works. 

PCDC is based at the renowned Peridance Center in Union Square and presents an annual New York Season at the KnJ Theater at Peridance. In addition to Perry's signature works, described by the NY Times as "blessedly inventive," the company is passionate about commissioning and presenting works by both emerging and established choreographers in this annual season: The Company's annual performances serve as a launchpad for new works and touring performances both nationally and internationally. In the past six years, PCDC's domestic and international tours have brought contemporary dance to over 48,000 audience members around the globe at festivals and venues such as Jacob's Pillow, the Ent Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs, Spring to Dance St. Louis, the Staller Center at Stonybrook University, the Butler Arts Center in Indianapolis, the Suzanne Dellal Dance Centre for Dance and Theater in Tel Aviv, Ballet Internacional de Buenos Aires, Florence Dance Festival, Seoul International Dance Festival, and many more. 

PCDC provides access to dance workshops for NYC Public School students through DanceBreak, its outreach program which has served over 1,000 students since it was launched in 2016. The company continuously offers free classes and outdoor performances through organizations such as CityParks’ SummerStage, Broadway Cares, and the Union Square Partnership, contributing to more accessible dance performances across New York City. PCDC receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Harkness Foundation, Google, Jewish Communal Fund, and many individual donors.


MANISH CHAUHAN
Manish Chauhan was born and raised in Mumbai. He is self-taught in the urban street dance known as b-boying. His athletic and gymnastic skills allowed him to compete in popular reality TV shows like India’s Got Talent and Dance India Dance, where he was awarded the coveted prize called ‘Taqdeer Ki Topi’ or ‘Hat of Destiny’. Chauhan studied ballet at the Danceworx School in Mumbai under the Israeli-American teacher, Yehuda Ma’or. He completed his training at the Oregon Ballet Theater School in Portland and at the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in Israel. In 2020, Chauhan played the leading role in the Netflix film, Yeh Ballet, a fictionalized version of his life about his struggle to pursue a dance career despite his family’s wishes. He has appeared in Elle and Pointe Magazine. and in advertisements for Nickelodeon and Torani Menswear. Manish is a full member of Peridance contemporary dance company.


Project Convergence

Project Convergence

Project Convergence is a dance company that is home to the union of Bharatanatyam and Tap Dance. The purpose of the company is to create a polyrhythm of cultures, thereby showing that two cultures can be united without having to erase the distinct identity of either. Conceived in 2019 by Vikas Arun and Ramita Ravi, and co-directed by Apoorva Natarajan, the vocabulary draws on their unusually extensive training in both classic and modern Indian and Western dance.

The company is the first non-western dance company to land a partnership with dancewear giant Capezio, and is proud to the first company in residence at the American Tap Dance Foundation dedicating to uniting tap dance with a non-western rhythmic art. The company’s credits included Lincoln Center, WNYC (New York Public Radio), Buzzfeed, Spotify, and private performances for esteemed guests such as the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India. The company has been featured in press across three continents and is proud to share their experiment with audiences across the world.


Sep 25 Performance

Day: Prof Uttara Coorlawala and dance artists Panel Discussion at Barnard College/Columbia University

Walk-in event, open to public at Barnard College. 11:30AM-12:55PM, 409 Barnard Hall

Evening: Dr. Sunil Kothari Memorial Lecture with Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai organized by IAAC and New York Public Library (Live)

Location: The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Centre, Plaza, New York, NY 10023

Erasing Borders Dance Festival

September 25, 2023 | 7PM (Virtual)
Watch LIVE on
Facebook.com  |  YouTube.com

Please RSVP to get event reminders by email.

Erasing Borders Dance Festival


Prachi Sathi: Bharatanatyam

Prachi Sathi

When Walls Dance
When Walls Dance' is a unique live performance that brings together the classical dance form of Bharata Natyam, Animation & tribal Warli art together to tell the story of a little girl Champa and her beloved tree. It is a jugalbandi of different artistic practices across different storytelling mediums to trigger urgent and important conversations about our relationship with ourselves and our surroundings. Bringing together three diverse yet complimentary art forms is quite a courageous step and hence I feel it fits the festival theme in a very apt way.

This presentation is a culmination of years of research that has gone into the amalgamation of Bharata Natyam and Warli tradition. Animation plays a very important role to bring out the beauty of the popular Warli art. Even the music has been composed to accentuate the flavour of both the ancient art forms.

Prachi Saathi is a Bharata Natyam performer. After her initial training with Guru Vaibhav Arekar & Guru Lata Raman, she is currently training under Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan. She has completed her Masters in Bharata Natyam.She is an A grade DD artist and is also empaneled with the ICCR.She has to her credit many awards and performances at reputed venues all across the country and abroad. She has been awarded the prestigious titles such as Shringarmani, Nalanda Nritya Nipuna. She has had the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Royal Festival Hall, London as a part of Pandit Ravi Shankar's only opera called Sukanya.Prachi is also a well established voice artist for the past 3 decades.Prachi has curated the series Raaz Riyaaz Ka and has conceptualised a few Multi-style group productions and solo dance productions. Curating Art Baithak has been her latest endeavour towards propagation of arts.


Pritam Das: Bharatanatyam

Pritam Das

UDAAN: Fight of Flight
In this work Pritam Das narrates the story of when he was a four year old boy from a small Bengal village who fell hopelessly in love with dance. This bold and unabashed declaration of love, resulted in his loving mother holding his hand tightly to enroll him in a Bharatanatyam dance classes. When other boys his age played with a football, he played with his Ghunguroos, often being the target of much ridicule. When people questioned his gender identity, his mother held his hand even tighter giving him the strength and support to follow his dream of becoming a dancer. After his mother, it was his Guru who guided him and who gave him the confidence to believe in himself. There was no money or lineage, but there was support which pulled him through. Every movement, every step, every leap was an ordeal, every drop of sweat that left his body was filled with anguish, but it was all worth it.

Today he breaks away from all shackles of restrictions and obstacles because of the support he continued to receive.

It has been a rather pleasant journey for SRI PRITAM DAS from the age of Four in this Indian Classical Dance Form 'BHARATANATYAM' under the tutelage of SMT. JAYITA GHOSH and SRI SAMRAT DUTTA. Of late Pritam is under the guidance of SNA Awardee SMT. RAMA VAIDYANATHAN in New Delhi. Since then, dance for Pritam became a medium of pure dedication to the Lord Nataraja. After his initial training in the first course, he took more initiative for better performance. With his Guru's full support and motivation, he took keen interest in learning many new things in expression or dance so that he could reach the audience to express his dance gesture's meaning. He has also learnt the basics of 'NATYASHASTRA' under the sublime shadow of the maestro Kalamandalam Piyal. He has completed his Masters Degree in Accounts and Finance from University of Calcutta and a second Masters Degree in Bharatanatyam from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and has also been learning Carnatic Vocal from Guruguha Gana Vidyalaya, Kolkata.


Hridya Haridas: Mohiniyattam

Hridya Haridas

Amba
Amba was a princess who enjoyed great happiness as a princess and daughter of the King of kasi, alongside her sisters Ambika and Ambalika. In her youth she fell in love with King Salwa from a neighboring kingdom. However due to turn of fate, she was abducted by the patriarch of Hastinapura, Bheeshma, for his nephew. When she reaches and tells the family of her relationship with King Salwa, they set her free. However, the King rejects her saying she is a 'used woman' as she was abducted by another man. She returns to Hastinapura seeking marriage with Bheeshma himself as he had abducted her in the first place. When he rejects her as well, she feels let down by the standards set by society. She realizes that she is unable to achieve anything as a 'hopeless woman'.

Filled with revenge she decides to do penance and receives blessings. She commits suicide and is then reborn as Shikhandi, a transgender as a result of the boon she has received. At the Kurukshetra war she comes face to face with Bheeshma who, the cause of her problem in the first place and finally becomes the reason for his death.

Hridya Haridas is Mohiniyattam practitioner and senior disciple of Guru Smt. Nirmala Paniker, at Mohiniyatta Gurukulam, Natanakairali. She is a CCRT Scholarship recipient from Govt of India for Mohiniyattam. For over 15 years She has pursued the training of Mohiniattam. She has performed widely all over India. Some of her notable performances include at 'Navapallava 2022 'Navyam festival' 2022,'Navaneetham' 2022,Thirupathi Venkkateshwara Temple 2018,'Bharatham festival' 2018,Kala Angan Museum at Maharashtra 2016 etc .She is also a trained Bharatanatyam practitioner under the guidance of kala Parameswaran.She also trained in kathakali sangeetham under kalamandalam Embranthiri.She has also trained in Koodiyattam under the guidance of Rajaneesh Chakyar. She was the state level winner of koodiyattam at youth festivals from 2014 through to 2018.She is a chutti makeup artist She has undertaken in-depth training in abhinaya from under Guru G.Venu.Besides her artistic endeavours, she is currently pursuing a Masters in Economics from Christ College in Irinjalakuda in Kerala, India.


Krishnakshi Kashyap and Group: Sattriya

Krishnakshi Kashyap and Group

Prokriti- A saga of mother Earth
Prokriti- A saga of mother Earth, revolves around the depiction of the beauty of nature and the need for awareness about environmental exploitation and the need for human action. The dance begins with a Sattriya pure dance and continues with Prokriti - Mother Nature personifying herself as the mother, giver and nurturer. Prokriti that gives us food, air, water, shelter and gives us life.

It continues with depicting the ultimate beauty of Nature - , the stars and the Moon, the flora and fauna, tress and the animal kingdom. The next part focuses what causes ecological imbalance. It is the exploitation of Nature, deforestation and killing of wild life, human to human conflict and the acts of selfish humans not feeling what Prokriti is suffering from today. Prokriti devasted, ends up pleading to her children - The Humans. The purpose of this dance piece is to use traditional art as a medium to create awareness about burning social issues. It fits to the theme as this dance explores a possibility of newer and deeper dimension of the dance form in terms of idea, literature and, music.

Krishnakshi Kashyap, a performing artiste of Sattriya, is a disciple of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow and Padma Shri Awardee Nrityacharya Shri Jatin Goswami. A recipient of Young Talent Artiste Award 2017-18 by North East Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Govt Of India, she is a graded artiste of Sattriya Dance of Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati. Passionately engaged in presentation, promotion and training of Sattriya dance, Krishnakshi is also conferred with the Dalmia Cement Young Achievers' Award 2020 for her achievements in the field of Art and Culture. She has extensively performed in various platforms across the nation. Under her initiative 'Empowerment through Arts', she has used the power of this dance form as a medium of empowerment for promising underprivileged young girls of different places with training programmes and performances.


Urja Desai Thakore: Kathak

Urja Desai Thakore

I,Within:
"I, Within" boldly redefines Kathak as a captivating solo dance film, breaking free from conventional norms. This innovative creation intricately melds the performer , revealing the multifaceted aspects of identity. Departing from traditional narratives, it delves deep into the contemporary roles of women, utilizing abstract dance and genuine expressions. The dance canvas becomes a dynamic battleground where the struggle between intellect and emotion unfolds, symbolized by the interplay of puppetry.

This revolutionary departure from convention embarks on a spellbinding journey of self-discovery, amplifying Kathak's boundaries within the realm of dance film. It eloquently underscores the intricate mind-heart tussle, where the puppetry of influence oscillates, at times with the mind prevailing, and at others, the heart reigning supreme.

Urja Desai Thakore is award winning choreographer/performer/teacher in UK, who studied under the guidance of Kumudini Lakhia for over 20 years. A graceful and emotive dancer, she is renowned for her love of abhinaya, subtle movements and technical strength. Furthermore, her sensitive, thought-provoking choreographic style is highly regarded by both traditionalists and modernists alike. She established Pagrav Dance Company which promotes kathak giving the form a modern context and renewed presentation, whilst encouraging new thinking and understanding of the discipline. In 2007, Urja co-choreographed Akademi's Bells for the Trafalgar Square Festival, an outdoor dance spectacle . She was assistant choreographer to Kumudini Lakhia for the Swapnagata Festival curated by Akram Khan at Sadler's Wells in 2009. And in 2015 and 2017 Urja was selected as the Guest Choreographer for the South Asian category soloist of the first ever BBC Young Dancer competition .She has a plethora of work and legacy through her association with her company Pagrav.

Choreographed and performed by Urja Desai Thakore
Music Composer: Alap Desai
Directors: Enya Belak and Philip Reinking
Cinematographer and Editor: Philip Reinking
Camera Assistant: Thomas James Linton
Executive Producer: Lia Prentaki
Costume: Abha Desai and Urja Desai Thakore

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Audrey Ross
929.222.3973
audreyrosspub@aol.com

THE INDO-AMERICAN ARTS COUNCIL

presents

ERASING BORDERS DANCE FESTIVAL

New York, NY - September 13, 2023 – The Indo-American Arts Council announces the "Erasing Borders" dance festival, two live performances September 23 & 24 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, and one virtual September 25 featuring legendary artist Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai, along with a lecture and a panel discussion. Since its founding 25 years ago, the Indo-American Arts Council has been dedicated to presenting concerts of distinguished artists in performances and lectures, and to furthering the knowledge and living practices of the arts of the Indian sub-continent. IAAC continues to serve as the preeminent organization acting as the cultural bridge between the USA and India.

Program A, September 23 - Live at Ailey Citigroup Theater, 6 PM
Program B, September 24 - Live at Ailey Citigroup Theater, 6 PM
Program C, September 25 - Virtual - Watch ONLINE - stream it on IAAC Facebook.com  /  YouTube.com
Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55th Street
Tickets: $35 (last two rows reserved for students @ $20 each)
Reservations: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/erasing-borders-dance-festival-605689
All events on September 25 are free.

All events will take place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, with the exception of Monday September 25 events.

Saturday September 23, 6 PM - Program A

Ganesh Stuti Dance by Jiva Performing Arts
Founded in 2007 by celebrated artists dancer/choreographer Sonali Skandan and music Bala Skandan, Jiva's mission is to develop and present new voices in the classical arts of India.

Amuktha Samudrala and Prarthana Prashanth/choreographed by Hema Rajagopalan: Bharatanatyam
The artists will perform a new duet "Search Within," telling the story of a soul's personal search, told through both traditional and abstract new movements.

Vivek Ramanan, Aarthy Sundar, Surya Ravi: Bharatanatyam
"Vazhi - On Different Paths," from the South Asian epic the Ramayana - an exploration of the siblings of Ravana: Shoorpanaka, Vibhishana, and Kumbakarna.

Malavika Sarukkai: Bharatanatyam
The passionate path-breaking artist performs "Kala - Time," deals with structure and freedom in pure dance (nritta) and expressive dance (abhinaya) through the expanding language of Bharatanatyam. The dance highlights both movement and silence, precision and flow, the wordly and spiritual, finite and infinite.

Sunday September 24, Workshop at 2 PM, Performance at 6 PM

Dance Workshop by Malavika Sarukkai at 2 PM
The 2-hour workshop is designed for dancers with 10 or more years of experience, and looks at the core of Bharatanatyam with a focus on body, mind, space, and awareness.

Sunday September 24 Performance at 6 PM - Program B

Vivarta Arts: Ganesh Vandana
Artistic Director Preya Patel and Vaishali Trivedi bring rich experience to their work as they promote Indian classical dance and music through their educational work in performances, community programs, charity work, and NY public school appearances.

Navia Natarajan: Bharatanatyam
A whirling vortex of energy and grace, Natarajan's dance was inspired by a personal tragedy. The artist delved into the idea of Paradox, which ultimately found expression in dance.

Shivani Badgi and Group: Lavani
The nine-member company of dancers and musicians transform traditional Indian folk style from the state of Maharashtra into a happy harmony of music, poetry, rhythm, and love. Badgi and Group with stories of lovers past, with joy and sadness.

Sonali Loomba and Nidhika Loomba: Kathak
In "Limitless Love," the artists' wish is to follow the call of a voice withing - a voice that whispers of the Divine, of union with The One. the Voice speaks of total and pure love as the only path to divine power.

Manish Chauhan: Contemporary
Igal Perry choreographed "Meditations on an Open Road," for Chauhan at the invitation of the Bowen-McCauley Dance Company for their appearance at the Kennedy Center. Set to the song Mera Joota Hai Japani, the solo combines contemporary dance with hints of traditional Indian movement.

Project Convergence
Conceived in 2019 by Vikas Arun and Ramita Ravi, Project Convergence boldly unites Bharatanatyam with Western tap dance.

Monday September 25, all events free to the public

Live Panel Discussion at 11:30 AM led by Professor Uttara Coorlawala
Lecture - demonstration with Malavika Sarukkai at 6 PM
Online Performance of Program C at 7 PM

11:30 AM - 12:55 PM Panel Discussion at Barnard College/Columbia U, Room 409 Barnard Hall.
Professor Uttara Coorlawala and performers from the September 24th performance will engage in a panel discussion. Open to the public.

6 PM at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts/ Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Avenue The Dr. Sunil Kothari Memorial lecture with Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai, who will dance and talk about deconstructing Bharatanatyam in her talk called "Looking Into the Expanding Canvas." Organized by IAAC and the New York Public Library. The lecture-demo is free but pre-registration is highly recommended. To register https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/09/25/malavika-sarukkai-delivers-dr-sunil-kothari-honorary-lecture.

7 PM - Virtual Performance, Program C
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Prachi Sathi: Bharatanatyam
"When Walls Dance" is Sathi's unique performance that unites classical Bharatanatyam with animation and tribal Warli to tell the story of a little girl and her beloved tree.

Pritam Das: Bharatanatyam
In his solo "UDAAN: Fight of Flight," Das tells his personal story of being a 4-year old from from a small Bengal village who fell hopelessly in love with dance. His passion resulted in his loving mother holding his hand tightly as she enrolled him in dance classes. Today he breaks away from all shackles and obstacles because of the support he received.

Hridya Haridas: Mohinlyattam
"Amba" is the dramatic story of the happy princess, daughter of the King of Kasi, who fell in love in her youth with King Salwa. Sadly, fate prevented her from marrying King Salwa and she committed suicide, only to be reborn as Shikhandi.

Krishnakshi Kashyap and Group: Sattriya
A saga of Mother Earth, "Prokriti" celebrates the beauty of the Earth - the stars and the moon, the flora and fauna, trees and the animal kingdom, and more - speaking of the need of human action to protect the environment.

Urja Desai Thakore: Kathak
The short dance-theatre work depicts the protagonist finding solace in Kabir's poetry while confronting the loss of a family matriarch. Originally commissioned by for UTKARSH 2015, an initiative to support the creation of new Indian classical choreography.

For photos and press materials Click HERE

The Indo-American Arts Council is a nonprofit arts organization passionately dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building an awareness of the arts and artists whose heritage lies in India in the performing, visual, literary, and folk arts. For more information about IAAC and more extensive information about the September programs, please visitwww.iaac.us

Contact:
Audrey Ross
929.222.3973
audreyrosspub@aol.com

Photos

Erasing Borders Dance Festival - Day 1 Performance
Photo credit by Akshat



Erasing Borders Dance Festival - Day 2 Performance
Photo credit by Akshat



Barnard College - Panel Talk



Padma Shri Malavika Sarukkai - NYPL



Committee and Curators

Deepsikha Chatterjee: Dance Director

Deepsikha Chatterjee

Deepsikha Chatterjee is a tenured faculty of Theatre at Hunter College CUNY where she enjoys teaching a diverse student body. She received her undergraduate degrees from University of Madras and National Institute of Fashion Technology before moving to the US for her MFA in Costume Design from Florida State University.Currently she is pursuing her PhD in Theatre and Performance from CUNY Graduate Center.Her costume design for Butoh Medea and Hide Your Fires received the Best Costume Design award at United Solo in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Her designs have been seen recently at Barnard College, Mabou Mines, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Women’s Project, New York Musical Festival, Drive East, United Solo, Pan Asia Repertory, and Capital Fringe.

She researches costumes and masks for Indian performance and has received notable grants for this work. Her presentations have been seen at conferences including USITT, Costume Society of America, and the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. She has published articles on Indian and Asian theatre, and Indian fashion. Since 2017 she has served as the dance director for Indo-American Arts Council’s Erasing Borders Dance Festival bringing international dancers to the New York stage.

Uttara Asha Coorlawala: Curator

Uttara Asha Coorlawala

Uttara Asha Coorlawala currently teaches in the dance program at Barnard College/Columbia University and serves as Curator for Erasing Borders--the annual Festival Of Indian Dance. Had previously also taught at Alvin-Ailey- Fordham University Dance Program, Long Island University's C.W. Post Campus, and at Princeton University, NJ. Earlier as a dancer, her solo show, (1973-87) brought modern dance, BharataNatyam and yoga, to stages of India, Europe, East Europe, Japan and the United States. For her pioneering choreography she was recently awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi national award. (India) Uttara also served on various global dance research (CORD) and educational (IB) Committees, and as Performing Arts advisor to the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and at the National Center of Performing Arts, Mumbai.

Awards for writing include AHRB Fellowship for South Asian Dance Research, London, The Graduate Research Award from CORD, USA, the Homi Bhabha Fellowship, India, a Ford Foundation research project (USA) on changing demographies of cultures in the U.S. and an award to study choreography from the Asian Cultural Council.

Currently, she is even more invested in the ongoing global re-flows of body knowledges.

Sruthi Mohan: co-curator

Sruthi Mohan

Sruthi Mohan is the Founder and Creative Director of Tat Tvam Asi, a boutique art organization in Austin, Texas, created specifically to curate and present works of internationally acclaimed Indian classical dancers touring the US.

An active and passionate community organizer, with more than a decade of organizational experience, she currently serves as the Cultural Committee Chair of the Austin Hindu Temple and has been instrumental in creating various cultural outreach initiatives that aim to showcase the spiritual beauty of Indian classical dance and other temple arts.

An accomplished and well trained classical dancer who started training at the age of three, she continues to perform to a diverse international audience. She also shares her passion for dance by writing about dance, appearing on radio and TV talk shows to promote and educate a wide and diverse audience about Indian Classical Dance.

Apart from being a dancer and a dance presenter she is also a Co curator for the Erasing Borders Dance Festival, New York.

Dipashreya Sur

Parul Shah

Dipashreya Sur is a rising sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University majoring in Mathematical Sciences and History and Theory of Architecture. She has been learning Kathak, an Indian Classical Dance form, in the Lucknow Gharana for more than 14 years. On campus she dances with Columbia Taal, an Indian Classical Fusion Dance team. Though Dance originally started off as an extracurricular activity introduced by her parents, overtime it became her passion. Over the years she has also explored dance styles ranging from Contemporary to Afro Cuban. She is honored to be a part of this year’s Erasing Borders Festival.

Jin Won

Jin Won

Jin Won praised by the NY Times as “an exuberant dancer whose musicality transform[s] her dancing into something primal,” dancer and percussionist who explores the sonic and visual possibilities of rhythm through dance and music, Jin Won is a one-of-a-kind artist in the field of Indian performing arts. An accomplished Kathak dancer and tabla player of South Korean origin, she spent over 15 years in India training in Indian classical percussion and dance under Pandit Divyang Vakil and Shrimati Shubha Desai, respectively. Currently, she is under the mentorship of Shrimati Durga Arya to enhance the artistry of kathak.

As artistic director of Pradhanica Dance and Music Company and full-time faculty at Taalim School of Indian Music, Jin has created, choreographed, and starred in various ensembles that have performed in esteemed venues across North America, as well as taught master classes and workshops in many institutes.

Preya Patel

Preya Patel

Preya Patel as Artistic and Executive Director of Vivarta Arts Inc. based out of NYC, Preya Patel a is committed to bringing classical South Asian arts to the US mainstream. She conducts regular classes out of her studios in Queens and Long Island, and also enhances cultural awareness via Indian dance residencies and workshops at numerous NYC and Nassau County public schools and universities. Working with interdisciplinary organizations within the NY metro, she participates in a variety of community outreach programs towards her mission of global connectivity.

With over 25 years of training in Kathak under the guidance of Guru Smt. Jamuna Mitcham and completion of her Kathak Rang Pravesh, Preya undertakes further training from the world-renowned Kathak Guru Smt. Vaishali Trivedi, the disciple of Kathak legend Padma Vibhushan Smt. Kumudini Lakhia. She has graced the stages at prestigious events and venues in the US, UK, Canada and India.

Srinidhi Raghavan

Srinidhi Raghavan

Srinidhi Raghavan started learning Bharatanatyam nearly thirty years ago and has performed globally over the decades. Born into a family of dancers, she was exposed to Bharatanatyam early on and formally started learning the art from her mother and guru, Usha Raghavan, and from guru, Malathy Thothadri at the tender age of four. She had her arangetram in Chennai in 1998 and her experiences with dance have spanned several cultures and countries, including those of the UK, Switzerland, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Barbados, Canada, the US and of course India, during the prestigious December festivals in Chennai.

Known for her "precise nritta and apt abhinaya", she is also recognized for her innovative choreographies and original works, which often explore contemporary themes via traditional Bharatanatyam pieces. Srinidhi's wide and extended exposure has added an eclectic element to her delivery which, when combined with her traditional style, results in a unique reflection of elegance and experience.

Srinidhi is a graduate of Columbia University and The Wharton School. She lives and works in New York City and continues to produce and curate shows while also choreographing and performing in her own productions. She currently sits on the curatorial board of The Indo American Arts Council’s Erasing Borders Festival, and is also the co-curator of The Varnam Salon (NYC).

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Erasing Borders Dance Festival 2023 - Videos


Erasing Borders Dance Festival - Virtual

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