Five-Hour Extravaganza Celebrates Traditional Classical Dance Forms From Indian Subcontinent
Chicago, Illinois (November 14, 2023) – The Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts today announced The Festival of Classical Dances of India will occur on Sunday, November 19, 2023, from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts (915 East 60th Street, Chicago). This five-hour extravaganza celebrates the Indian subcontinent’s traditional classical dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Odissi, and Kathak. The event is part of the Chicago Presents program by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is free and open to all ages. Tickets can be reserved in advance at www.kalapriya.org.
“Performing at the Festival of Classical Dances of India are sixteen colorful dancers who have mastered their art forms right here in America, most right here in Chicagoland,” said Dr. Mridu Sekhar, President of the Board of Directors at the Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts. “These demanding dance forms require many years of study with formal curriculums to be completed for their progression and each dance form comes from a different region of south asia with its own distinct history and tradition.”
Founded in 1994, The Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts presents India’s artistic diversity through performing arts that preserve traditional South Asian art forms and builds bridges between the performing arts and our contemporary lives. The Kalapriya Center strives to make authentic and important contributions to Chicago’s rich culture through programming that is educational, inspirational, and focused on creating a community that builds connections and shares traditions, while instilling ahimsa, the Hindu belief symbolizing love, genuine care, and compassion towards all living beings.
The program includes:
1. My Story of Classical Dances of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi in Los Angeles
2. Nirupma Sundara in Kuchipudi
3. Kurathy the Girl from the Hill Tribe of Kerala in Mohiniattam
4. Kathak Repertoire by dancers Shiralee Patel, Asha Mehta, Lia Nandi, Mahitha Unnikrishnan, and Kirti Sheth, lead by Pandit Dishad Khan
5. Odissi by Misha Talapatra, Colin Mascarenhas, Neeti Sabharwal
6. JUGALBANDI: ODISSI AND BHARATANATYAM by Sigma Satabdhi Pradhan and Harini Nilakantan
7. Oriya Abhinaya by Sigma Satabdhi
Bharatanatyam Abhinaya by Harini Nilakantan
8. Mitra : A Celebration of Friendship
Dance to Poetry from China, India, America and Lebanon
by Bhavya Kumeran and Kavisha Prajapathi
Admission is free for The Festival of Classical Dances of India on November 19, 2023. Tickets can be reserved in advance at www.kalapriya.org or obtained at the door until capacity is reached. For more information about Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts programs, classes, and resources, please visit https://kalapriya.org/.
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