Indo-American Arts Council
presents
Erasing Borders Dance Festival
September 20-21, 2025 | 6PM
Ailey Citigroup Theater
Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 6PM, Bruno Walter Auditorium The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023 |
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Fourth annual Dr. Sunil Kothari Honorary Lecture Presented by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts in Partnership with the Indo-American Arts Council |
Saturday, September 20, 2025 | 3PM, Ailey Citigroup Theater |
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Workshop with Rama Vaidyanathan |
Saturday, September 20, 2025 | 6-8PM, Ailey Citigroup Theater |
School: Nrithyanjali School/Guru: Ramya Ramnarayan/Bharatanatyam student group |
Trina Sarkar: Odissi solo |
Kalanidhi: Kuchipudi group |
Chitresh Das Dance Company: Kathak group |
Priyadarsini Govind: Bharatanatyam solo |
Sunday, September 21, 2025 | 6-8PM, Ailey Citigroup Theater |
School: Odissi Dance Company/Guru: Aparupa Chatterjee/Odissi student group |
Pranamya Suri: Kuchipudi solo |
Rovaco Dance Company/Rohan Bhargava: Group contemporary |
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Ravija Desai: Kathak |
Rama Vaidyanathan trio: Bharatanatyam |
Indo-American Arts Council
in Partnership with the
The Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts
Presented by
Fourth annual Dr. Sunil Kothari Honorary Lecture
September 18, 2025 | 6PM
Bruno Walter Auditorium
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
Priyadarsini Govind is an influential dancer in the world of Bharatanatyam, one of the eight classical Indian dances. For the fourth annual Dr. Sunil Kothari Honorary Lecture presented by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts, Govind presents and performs around Bharatanatyam, showing how universal human emotions are interpreted and transformed through the lens of classical dance.
Indo-American Arts Council
presents
Workshop with Rama Vaidyanathan
September 20, 2025 | 3PM
Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York City
TULA – finding the balance
This master class will focus on techniques of core control, while understanding the art of restrain and release in nritta. It will also explore balancing imagery with emotion in abhinaya while harnessing the vocabulary for tradition and creativity to co – exist. The master class will introduce several exercises that will help find that crucial balance in every aspect of dance.
Indo-American Arts Council
presents
Erasing Borders Dance Festival
September 20, 2025 | 6PM
Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York City
New York’s premier Indian dance fest, the Erasing Borders Dance Festival hosted by Indo-American Arts Council. On Saturday Sept 20, 2025 a local dance school, several US based dance companies and eminent Bharatanatyam artist Priyadarsini Govind will be performing.
School: Nrithyanjali School/Guru: Ramya Ramnarayan/Bharatanatyam student group
Smt Ramya is recognized globally as one of the leading exponents of Bharatanatyam. The New York Times has called Ramya Ramnarayan “a considerable virtuoso and a complex stylist.” She is the protégé of two legendary dance maestros—” Kalaimamani” S.K. Rajarathnam Pillai and “Padma Bhushan” Kalanidhi Narayanan—and a recipient of the illustrious Kalaimamani award herself along with many other global accolades such as Natana mamani, Nirthya Seva Mani. She is grade artist Doordarshan, India, she is an ICCR empanelled artist and in 2024 she received the community impact award from the State of NJ for high artistic excellence.
As an artist, she combines tradition with innovation to connect with global audiences and communities as a performer, choreographer, and educator. Ramya has been a practicing artist, and a dance educator and is
one of few U.S.-based Bharatanatyam artists invited annually to headline the prestigious December Season in Chennai, India. Ramya has performed at numerous prestigious global venues including the Madras Music Academy, International Fringe Festival, Asia Society, Lincoln Centre, and Cleveland Thyagaraja
Aradhana to name a few. In 2024 Ramya has been selected as the United States chapter head of ABHAI East Coast (Association for Bharatanatyam Dancers). In 2008 and 2023 Ramya received the Artist Fellowship Award for Choreography from New Jersey State Council of the Arts (NJSCA) and Mid Atlantic Foundation of Arts. She was also recognized as a Master Teaching Artist by New Jersey State Council of the Arts. The Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey even passed a joint resolution recognizing Ramya for her commitment, dedication, and achievement in the arts sector. She was a visiting faculty member at both Mason Gross School of Arts, NJ and Sarah Lawrence College, NY and has also conducted lecture demonstrations at numerous schools, colleges, and libraries, disseminating her art to over 10,000 interested learners around the world annually. She has released a two-part dance video a tribute to her Guru, the legendary Natyaacharya S K Rajarathnam Pillai. It contains recordings in his treasured voice, along with a demo of his repertoire and choreography by Ramya. She is one among 9 artists in the state of NJ to have been selected to participate in Dodge Dance Lab, a teaching laboratory. Ramya is also one among 20 professionals selected by the
Grunin Foundation to attend an arts professional learning Institute. Ramya has taken an active role in helping worthy causes and over the years she has raised over $200,000 for charities in both the U.S. and India.
Trina Sarkar: Odissi solo
Photo Credit Debasis Saha
Odissi solo: Matangi
Choreographed by Guru Sri Ratikant Mohapatra, this piece is an evocative dance piece inspired by the Goddess Matangi, one of the ten Mahavidyas in Hindu mythology. His choreography blends the classical elegance of Odissi with modern sensibilities, showcasing Matangi’s ability to channel her divine energy into transforming inner chaos into creative expression. This is Odissi at its best and is sure to capture a modern and diverse audience’s attention!
Trina Sarkar is an Odissi dancer and instructor based in New York City. She began her Odissi journey with Smt Nandita Behera in Los Angeles, CA and has since performed extensively around the globe. Some notable performances include the International Odissi Dance Festival in Bhubaneswar, the International Arts Festival in San Francisco, the International Odissi Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Indian Fine Arts Festival in San Diego. She is currently a disciple of Smt. Niharika Mohanty and a senior ensemble member of Guru Shradha.
Kalanidhi: Kuchipudi group
Dance Name: Ananda Tandavam (The Dance of Bliss)
‘Thandava’ is a sacred dance performed by the supreme Lord of dance Shiva as ‘Nataraja’. The dance symbolizes the cosmic principles of creation, preservation and destruction to compose the rhythm of life.
The song expresses the utmost devotion to Lord Shiva and the grandeur of his dancing. The dancer aims to invoke Lord Shiva himself, resulting in a piece that is intense, energetic, and a dance of pure joy.
Lyrics: Dr. C. Narayana Reddy
Composer: P. Sangeeta Rao
Choreographer: Dr. Vempati Chinnasatyam
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Adi
Kalanidhi Dance Company Dancers Bios
Sriyuktha Ganipineni
Sriyu, a recent recruit into the Kalanidhi Dance Company, dedicated seven years to her training with Kalanidhi Dance. She has performed extensively at several prestigious events such as the Kennedy Center. Currently in her Junior year at Broad Run High School, Sriyu not only excels in her artistic pursuits but also contributes her skills to the school's tennis team.
Anjana Kuttamath
Anjana began her dance journey at the age of 5 in Bharatanatyam under her uncle Arun Kumar in Kerala. Later she pursued Kuchipudi in Hyderabad under Guru Pasumarthy Ramalinga Sastry Garu and continued with Dr. Himabindu Kanoj. Alongside her postgraduate studies in Interaction Design at George Washington University, she performs as a Kalanidhi Dance company member.
Mytreyi Nair
Mytreyi trained at Kalanidhi Dance for 12 years and joined the company in 2021. She attended the prestigious Governor School’s Summer Residential Program in 2022. She has performed at Kennedy Center, Cherry Blossom Festival, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, House of Sweden, and the World Dance Showcase. She is currently a Sophomore at George Mason University studying Cyber security.
Pragnya Thamire
Pragnya began her training at age five under Smt. Anuradha Nehru of Kalanidhi Dance. She made her company debut at age 12 and her solo-debut with live orchestra at 15. She has represented Kalanidhi Dance at festivals in the US and India. Since 2022, she has been the Assistant Artistic Director of Kalanidhi Dance.
Deviga Valiyil
Deviga trained under Smt. Anuradha Nehru at Kalanidhi Dance from age 10. She has been with the company since 2014, performing in productions like Lalla Roukh, Les Fêtes de I’Hymen et de I’Amour, Rasa Revisited, Why We Dance, and more. Outside dance, she works as a software engineer at Northrop Grumman and holds an MBA from University of Maryland.
Chitresh Das Dance Company: Kathak group
Dancers: Vanita Mundhra, Shruti Pai, Mayuka Sarukkai, Kritika Sharma Musicians: Utsav Lal, Nilan Chaudhuri, Charlotte Moraga
Invoking the River, an original work in kathak choreographed by Chitresh Das Dance Artistic Director Charlotte Moraga and composed and performed live by Raga Pianist Utsav Lal with Nilan Chaudhuri on tabla, explores the confluence of history, mythology, and the environmental changes of some of India’s most sacred waterways. Performed by the spectacular kathak dancers of Chitresh Das Dance, ‘Invoking the River’ recently completed a hugely successful three city tour to India with great acclaim. Invoking the River features stunning multimedia designed by filmmaker/visual artist Alka Raghuram. ‘Invoking the River’ opens with ‘Origins’, charting the rivers’ descent from the heavens to the earth and then follows the stories of the rivers Alaknanda, Ganga, Kaveri, and Godavari. The final piece is ‘Sangam’, where the rivers come together and invoke their sister Saraswati.
Priyadarsini Govind: Bharatanatyam solo
Priyadarsini Govind is one of the foremost Bharatanatyam dancers in the world today. Trained by two stalwarts, Kalaimamani S.K. Rajarathnam Pillai and Padma Bhushan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, Priyadarsini has imbibed this art form from the best. With her natural aptitude for abhinaya coupled with her passion and dedication to her art, Priyadarsini has become a flag bearer of Smt. Kalanidhi’s padam repertoire. Priyadarsini’s nritta or pure dance is intense and vigorous. A dancer known for her adherence to tradition, Priyadarsini manages to seamlessly blend new choreography with the traditional, thereby gently redefining the boundaries of Bharatnatyam repertoire. Priyadarsini has been performing in prestigious venues all over India and the globe, taking Bharatanatyam to many major International and national Festivals as a soloist. She is also actively engaged in performing, creating new repertoires for dance and teaching. Priyadarsini Govind served as the Director of the Kalakshetra Foundation between August 5th, 2013 and June 19th, 2017. Priyadarsini Govind is the founder and director of NavaDarshana- an initiative that teaches dancers to view dance holistically. Through its unique program and activities, NavaDarshana enables a dancer to evolve into an artiste by gently expanding their self-imposed boundaries to explore, create and excel in their artistic journey. in 2022, during the height of the novel coronavirus pandemic, she conceptualized Yavanika – the screen of illusion, a full-length feature dance-on-film, in collaboration with award-winning film-maker Sruti Harihara Subramanian and reputed composer Rajkumar Bharathi. This creative work is set to tour North America with a live ensemble in the fall of 2025. Priyadarsini has also developed a one-of-its-kind structured step-by-step learning methodology – Learning Ladder. These modules are designed to benefit early learners of abhinaya, and teachers and practitioners of any performance discipline, and they are supported by specially curated reference videos, practice tools, pre-recorded focus group discussions, and live interactive sessions. Learning Ladder is now being made available to students and teachers through various modes including the BA Bharatanatyam course of The Tamil Nadu Dr. J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University, short intensive programs hosted at her KG1 Studio as well as recorded online training programs created exclusively for this purpose. Learning Ladder has also been introduced to students worldwide across dance and theatre disciplines including at the Lasalle College of the Arts (University of the Arts, Singapore), Learning with the Legends (Kolkata), Parichay and Purnang – Residential Intensives curated by Bijayini Sathpathy (Adi Shakti, Pondicherry), among others. She has also initiated training programs to mould teachers in this pedagogical spirit such as for the faculty of Apsaras Arts Singapore.
Indo-American Arts Council
presents
Erasing Borders Dance Festival
September 21, 2025 | 6PM
Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York City
Experience the magic of dance at Day 2 of the Erasing Borders Dance Festival 2025, featuring the Marquee artists the legendary duo Rama Vaidyanathan & Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel. Be part of this unforgettable performance!
School: Odissi Dance Company/Guru: Aparupa Chatterjee/Odissi student group
Dr. Aparupa Chatterjee is the artistic director of the Odissi Dance Company, the leading Odissi organization in the United States practising Padmavibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra gharana.
A Texas A&M University PhD, she also curates every year the Kelucharan Guna Keertanam festival, presenting new choreography and collaborative works. She currently resides and teaches in New Jersey.
Odissi Dance Company has been featured on ’Dancing with the Stars’ ABC, and Aparupa has performed as an ambassador for Odissi in “Tarang”, winning LA Disney Film Festival’s best 3D Film. ODC has also been featured in quarter finals of America’s Got Talent and presented her choreography at the Carnegie Hall, NYC this year.
“The most successful and charmingly communicative number”- quoted by NY Times; “an outstanding Odissi performance of the evening”- quoted by The Statesman; “a digital exploration which accurately predicted its continuing success”- yet again by Stereoworld Newviews have been some noted critical acclaims!
Pranamya Suri: Kuchipudi solo
(Photo credit Madhusoodan SN)
Dr. Pranamya Suri
Known for her eloquent grace and uncompromising precision, Dr. Pranamya’s delightful style is the result of a perpetual love for the ancient art form and a legacy steeped in tradition and artistic excellence. She is a disciple of her mother, Smt. Srilatha Suri, Sri Jai Kishore Mosalikanti and Padma Shree Dr. Sobha Naidu.
She began her Kuchipudi training under her mother at the age of 5 and continues to this day. As a young dancer, she performed in Houston, College Station, and the Bay Area, earning accolades in various classical dance competitions. After several years of rigorous training under her mother, she successfully completed her Rangapravesam under the guidance of her mother and Padma Shri Dr. Sobha Naidu in 2005 in Hyderabad, India.
Since then, she has performed numerous solo pieces across the United States at prestigious festivals in major cities, including Atlanta, New Jersey, San Jose, Houston, Detroit, Dallas, New York, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Highlights of these performances include the Geeva Arts Festival (2017, 2021), San Pedro Dance Festival in California (2020, 2021), Electric Lodge in Los Angeles (2021, 2022), Dallas Museum of Art (2018), Drive East Festival in New York City (2017), Yuva Bharati in California (2008), and Nritya Parampara in Dallas (2007), as well as numerous national conventions (Telugu Association of North America, American Telugu Association, North Texas Telugu Association, Bay Area Telugu Association, etc).
Her international solo performances include the Urli Festival in Belgium (2017), Cambodian Living Arts in Siem Reap, Cambodia (2018), the Dance Department at the University of Taiwan (2018), Krishna Temple in Amsterdam (2024), and the High Commission of India in Fiji (2024).
Dr.Pranamya’s versatility shines in her portrayals of lead roles such as Parvati in Shiva Ganga, Krishna in Meera, Padmavati in Kalyana Srinivasam, and Sri Rama in Jagadanandakaraka, Shiva in Kumara Sabhavam, Shiva and Parvati in Naravasa Natabhamini, Durga in
Navaratnamalika, Satyabhama and Krishna in Sri Krishna Parijatham, and presently Andal in Andal Kalyanam.
In India, she performed at some of the most venerated stages, including the Natyanjali Dance Festival (Chidambaram), Khajuraho Festival, and Konark Dance Festival with her gurus.
Rovaco Dance Company/Rohan Bhargava: Group contemporary
Rovaco Dance Company: Rohan Bhargava in collaboration with the performers.
Madaari (The Monkey Master) exposes our tendency to possess and control others in relationships. Inspired by Indian street performers (Madaaris) who subjugate monkeys for money, it draws from my upbringing in New Delhi, where these performances reinforced patriarchal narratives. Gestures of urgent kissing, chewing, hugging, and escaping evolve into rhythmic movement. The choreography fuses my Western training (ballet, contemporary, street jazz, modern, floorwork) with Indian influences (Bhangra, Bollywood).
Ravija Desai: Kathak
Ravija Desai began her Kathak training at the age of seven under the tutelage of Padma Vibhushan late Smt. Kumudini Lakhia at the Kadamb School of Dance, where she trained for sixteen years. After moving to the United States, she had the privilege of studying with the late Pandit Chitresh Das and Guru Deepali Vichare. She continues to deepen her practice under the mentorship of acclaimed dancer and choreographer Smt. Vaishali Trivedi. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ravija is the founder and artistic director of Aavartan Performing Arts, through which she is dedicated to both preserving and sharing the rich tradition of Kathak.
Rama Vaidyanathan trio: Bharatanatyam
Rama Vaidyanathan, Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel and Sannidhi Vaidyanathan This unique programme features a mother with her two daughters, where together they portray women characters from mythology, history and contemporary times. Women who have inspired, have shown exemplary courage and have taken the difficult path to stand by their convictions. Durga is the iconic feminine energy in the Indian ethos who can be considered as the quintessential woman with a status of a Goddess. She has set the stage for the entire female principle to be empowered and to be emancipated. Every woman has to find the Durga within her and this work tells stories of many such women who have manifested the presence of the Goddess within them by speaking the unspoken and by treading the unchartered path.
Rama Vaidyanathan is one of the fore most Bharatanatyam dancers of her generation. She trained intensively under the legendary dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy and the celebrated Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. In a performance career spanning more than 40 years, Rama has developed her own individual style without forsaking the core principles of her dance form. Her technique is grounded and yet there is a fresh approach to the innumerable dance compositions that she has added to the Bharatanatyam repertoire. Having performed at every major dance venues of the world, she has been awarded with several titles. The “Kalaimamani” by the Govt of Tamil Nadu and the “Kalashree” by the Govt of Kerala. Other notable awards are the Kumar Gandharv Puraskar from the Madhya Pradesh Govt, Nadanamamani from Kartik Fine Arts Chennai, Vani kala Sudhakara from Tyagabrahma Gana sabha Chennai, Nritya Choodamani from Krishna Gana Sabha Chennai and the Nritya Kalanidhi from the Music Academy Madras. Rama is also the recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar. As the President of Ganesa Natyalaya New Delhi, she has been actively engaged in teaching for more than twenty-five years. Rama balances a hectic performance schedule while conducting workshops and master classes all over the world, inspiring a whole generation of dancers.
RAMA VAIDYANATHAN www.ramavaidyanathan.com
Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel belongs to a family of eminent Bharatanatyam dancers. She has undergone rigorous training in her own home Ganesa Natyalaya under the able tutelage of her Grand Mother Guru Dr. Saroja Vaidyanathan (Padmabhushan awardee) and her mother Guru Rama Vaidyanathan. She was awarded the CCRT scholarship by the Department of Culture Govt.Of India in 2003 and then again in 2014, The Kalpana Chawala Award, in the Young Achievers' category in 2005, the NIRBHAYA PURASKAR by OYSS in 2015 and NATYA RATNA by Trinity Arts Chennai in 2015 for her contribution to Indian Classical Dance. She is a Diploma holder in Bharatanatyam from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya and an Electronics and Communication Engineer, having studied from Vellore Institute of Technology.
Dakshina has been actively teaching Bharatanatyam at Ganesa Natyalaya and has also been involved in choreographing several Dance productions. As avid a choreographer as she is a dancer, Dakshina has not only choreographed several Bharatanatyam pieces within the traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire or Maargam format but has also conceived and directed three group productions titled From Zero To Infinity, Nakshatra and Newton's Law of Karma and several solo productions like Shoorpanakha, Treem Trishoolaaya, Rani Rudrama Devi and Ayoga Vaatsalya. She is known for her innovative approach to choreography triggered by intellectual ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sannidhi Vaidyanathan belongs to a family of eminent artistes. She has learnt Bharatanatyam from her grandmother Padma Bhushan Saroja Vaidyanathan and her mother Rama Vaidyanathan. From the age of 12 Sannidhi has been very interested in percussion and this lead to her learning Mridangam from Karaikudi Sivakumar. She currently takes advanced training from Ramamoorthy Sriganesh. Apart from traveling within India, Sannidhi has performed at various venues in the United States of America, Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom and Singapore. Sannidhi is one of those very rare female Mridangam artistes, who is breaking the gender barrier by taking it up professionally.
Shaktya
by
Rama Vaidyanathan with Vaidyanathan Baghel and Sannidhi Vaidyanathan
SHAKTYA features a mother with her two daughters, portraying women characters from mythology, history and contemporary times. Women who have inspired, have shown exemplary courage and have taken the difficult path to stand by their convictions. This work tells stories of many such women who have manifested the presence of the Goddess within them by speaking the unspoken and by treading the uncharted path.
SHAKTYA – A woman soft as morning light yet strong as ancient stone. She is the quiet might, unyielding all her own. Pondered why Durga’s form bears ten hands ? Each hand a sign – her skills transform, every duty she imparts.
MAI PAGHO – The untold story of the Sikh woman who bravely fought against Aurangzeb and fiercely protected her sacred faith.
JANABAI – The 13th century Warkari saint poet who rebelled against a misogynistic society to boldly express her love for Vitthala on her own terms.
MITRA – A true story of two ordinary women Phoola a Hindu and Gulabo a Muslim, set against the partition between India and Pakistan.
CREDITS
SHAKTYA by Rama Vaidyanathan Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel
CREDITS
1. SHAKTYA – Mridangam by Sannidhi Vaidyanathan, script my Meera Khanna
2. MAI PHAGO
- Guidance and scholarship – Dr Arshiya Sethi
- Lyrics in Punjabi – Shri Pritam Rupal
- Lyrics in Hindi – Dr Himanshu Srivastava
- Music composition and Vocal – Shri Onkar Singh
- Jathis by Karakudi Sivakumar
- Sarangi – Nasir Khan
- Tabla – Nishit Gangani
- Mridangam – Sannidhi Vaidyanathan
- Special thanks to Smt. Ramanpreet Kaur and Dr. Gursharan Gill
3. JANABAI
- Music composition and vocal – Karthik Hebbar
- Mridangam – Sumod Sreedharan
- Flutee and Morsin – Mahesh
- Nattuvangam – Dr S Vasudevan
4. MITRA
- Music composition and vocal – Sudha Raghuraman
- Sanskrit script- Dr Divyanand Jha
- Hindi script – Meera Khanna
- Flute – G Raghuraman
- Sitar – Lavanya Kumar
- Tabla – Shambhunath Bhattacharya
- Pakhawaj – Prafulla Mangaraj
- Mridangam – Sannidhi Vaidyanathan
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 14, 2025
Press Contact: Michelle Tabnick, (646) 765-4773, michelle@michelletabnickpr.com
Indo-American Arts Council
presents
Erasing Borders Dance Festival
September 20-21, 2025
at Ailey Citigroup Theater
Photos are available for download at:
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Sunday, September 21, 2025 | 6-8PM, Ailey Citigroup Theater
School: Odissi Dance Company/Guru: Aparupa Chatterjee/Odissi student group
Pranamya Suri: Kuchipudi solo
Rovaco Dance Company/Rohan Bhargava: Group contemporary
Preeti Vasudevan: contemporary solo
Rama Vaidyanathan trio: Bharatanatyam
Additional Programming:
The New York Public Library will be leading a discussion with Priyadarshini on September 18 at 6pm in the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the Library for the Performing Arts. Priyadarsini Govind is an influential dancer in the world of Bharatanatyam. For the fourth annual Dr. Sunil Kothari Honorary Lecture presented by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts, Govind who studied in depth the art of abhinaya from the master inheritor of the rajadasi tradition, Kalanidhi Narayanan, shares how human emotions are interpreted and transformed from everyday reality to stylized yet accessible aesthetic form.
Apart from this, on Monday September 22, from 11:40am – 1:00pm some of the artists will be participating in a panel talk with students at Barnard College under Uttara Coorlawala, senior curator EBDF and also Professor, Dance at the Barnard/Columbia College, room TBA.
About the Artists
Priyadarsini Govind is one of the foremost Bharatanatyam dancers in the world today. Trained by two stalwarts, Kalaimamani S.K. Rajarathnam Pillai and Padma Bhushan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, Priyadarsini has imbibed this art form from the best. With her natural aptitude for abhinaya coupled with her passion and dedication to her art, Priyadarsini has become a flag bearer of Smt. Kalanidhi’s padam repertoire and has been performing in prestigious venues all over India and the globe, taking Bharatanatyam to many major International and national Festivals as a soloist. She is also actively engaged in creating new repertoires for dance and teaching. She served as the Director of the Kalakshetra Foundation between August 5 th , 2013 and June 19th , 2017 and is the founder and director of NavaDarshana- an initiative that teaches dancers to view dance holistically.
Rama Vaidyanathan is one of the foremost Bharatanatyam dancers of her generation. She trained intensively under the legendary dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy and the celebrated Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. In a performance career spanning more than 40 years, Rama has developed her own individual style without forsaking the core principles of her dance form. Her technique is grounded, and yet there is a fresh approach to the innumerable dance compositions that she has added to the Bharatanatyam repertoire. Having performed at every major dance venue in the world, she has been awarded with the titles “Kalaimamani” by the Govt of Tamil Nadu and “Kalashree” by the Govt of Kerala. Other notable awards are the Kumar Gandharv Puraskar from the Madhya Pradesh Govt, Nadanamamani from Kartik Fine Arts Chennai, Vani kala Sudhakara from Tyagabrahma Gana sabha Chennai, Nritya Choodamani from Krishna Gana Sabha Chennai and the Nritya Kalanidhi from the Music Academy Madras. Rama is also the recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar. As the President of Ganesa Natyalaya New Delhi, she has been actively engaged in teaching for more than 25 years. Rama balances a hectic performance schedule while conducting workshops and master classes all over the world, inspiring a whole generation of dancers. ramavaidyanathan.com
Sannidhi Vaidyanathan learned Bharatanatyam from her grandmother Padma Bhushan Saroja Vaidyanathan and her mother Rama Vaidyanathan. Apart from traveling within India, Sannidhi has performed at various venues in the United States, Canada, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel has undergone rigorous training at Ganesa Natyalaya under the able tutelage of her grandmother Guru Dr. Saroja Vaidyanathan (Padmabhushan awardee) and her mother Guru Rama Vaidyanathan. She was awarded the CCRT scholarship by the Department of Culture Govt. of India in 2003 and then again in 2014, the Kalpana Chawala Award in the Young Achievers’ category in 2005, the NIRBHAYA PURASKAR by OYSS in 2015 and NATYA RATNA by Trinity Arts Chennai in 2015 for her contribution to Indian Classical Dance.
About the Indo-American Arts Council
The IAAC supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India. We work cooperatively with colleagues around the United States to broaden our collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources and funding. Our focus is to help artists and art organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists from India to exhibit, perform and produce their work here. For more information, visit iaac.us.
Photos
Event Poster
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:
- The dancer should be clearly visible in the video.
- 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.
- You may submit up to 2 additional alternative videos with your application. Each video should be 8-12 minutes long.The alternate videos could be examples of works similar to what you want to propose, or can supplement your application to show your craft and artistry.
- 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.
- 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.
- The video you submit should include the complete continuous work you intend to perform, OR a work-in-progress with a detailed explanation. It is imperative for the curators to see and understand the entire work, because our decision making involves thinking through how all the selected works (by different artists) 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.
Committee and Curators
Committee and Curators
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
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
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
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 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 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 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).
FAQs
What are the dates for the 2025 festival?
Weekend of September 20-21: In person in New York.
Why should you consider performing at this festival?
Erasing Borders Dance Festival is widely regarded as a 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 and the festival receives significant media attention.
Do you pay the artists for the performance?
Yes. Artists are paid an artistic fee 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.
Do you present both solo and group works?
Yes, we present solos as well as groups (duets, trios, quartets, or larger!)
Which video do we submit with the application? Do we need to shoot a special video to apply for the festival? Does the video need to be shot using a professional camera?
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.
Due Date
March 15, 2025
What are the acceptable formats for video submission?
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.
I am trying to submit my application. But I get an error message that I have exceeded the character limit even when I am well within the word limit specified for that question?
The limits are specified in “characters” and not “words” (we understand this is less intuitive than a word limit might be). 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).
I have submitted my application. How do I go and pay the $15 application fee?
Please pay the application fee using Paypal. This is the link to pay our fee: http://iaac.us/erasing-borders-dance-festival/dance.php.
I have submitted my application but am having difficulty paying my application fee. Who can help?
Please email IAAC IT team at sunil@iaac.us. They will be able to help you with the application fee.
I have submitted my application. When will I come to know if I was selected?
Selected artists should expect to hear back from us by May 4, 2025. If you have not heard by then, feel free to email sunil@iaac.us
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