From Kathak to Bharatnatyam: Over 300 artists showcase richness of Indian dance to global audience in NYC

Over 300 artists presented a rich tapestry of Indias diverse classical and folk dances taking a global audience in the US on a cultural journey across the Indian landscapeThe Consulate General of India in New York partnered with Philadelphiabased nonprofit dance organisation Three Aksha founded by Bharatanatyam dance artist and educator Viji Rao to host the AllIndian Dance Festival 2026 at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in Manhattan on SundayWith America commemorating its 250th anniversary on July 4 an occasion to celebrate the countrys diversity and rich immigrant history the dance festival hosted by the Indian Consulate a day later demonstrated the amalgamation of the two cultures as young Indianorigin children born and raised in the US performed classical dances such as Kathak Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam as well as the BhangraThe twohour festival featured Indian classical dance performances by about 387 artists in traditional finery from 10 different schools across New York New Jersey Philadelphia and DelawareThe artists all came together and presented before you the depth the diversity and the living continuation of 5000 years of Indian culture Consul General of India in New York Binaya Pradhan said as he lauded the artists for their flawless performance and applauded their talent passion and commitmentPradhan especially congratulated Rao for her efforts in curating the festival and showcasing Indian culture at the worlds best stage of Carnegie HallRao also underscored the importance of continuing to pass on the traditions of Indian culture and heritage through dance and other art forms to the younger generations of IndianAmericansThe festival began with a soulful rendition of Vande Mataram and Dhanashree Thillana by students of Notes n Beats School helmed by artistic director Veena Pandiri The performance was led by vocal performer and composer Bhargav HCThe Nrithya Samarpanam School of Dance led by artistic director Gayathri Sudhakar performed the Sarvam Shiva Mayam a unique classical jugalbandi of Bharatnatyam Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam inspired by the divine cosmic dance of Lord ShivaThe Odisha Society of the Americas led by artistic director Rashmi Rajaguru performed the Odissi Parikrama from gurus blessing to divine liberation celebrating Odishas spirit through danceLahari Abbaraju an 11th grader from Texas and disciple of Guru Shrimati Hemamalini Chavali gave a solo Kuchipudi dance performance titled Nandakadhara Betrayal UndoneStudents of the Nupoor Dance School led by artistic director Radhika Joshi mesmerised the audience with their performance of Teentaal a tale of 16 beats told through the vibrant dance form KathakThree Aksha led by Rao performed the Vishnu Priya Lakshmi the great goddess of wealth and prosperity and beloved of Lord Vishnu The group has been recognised for its work in the Kalakshetra style of BharatnatyamRhythm Dancers led by artistic director Thrupthy Kotian enthralled the audience with their Bhangra performance titled Punjab RoarThe Bharathakala Naatya Academy led by artistic director Subathra Sudarshan performed Dhara Flowing Through Time a unique Bharatnatyam journey showcasing Mother Natures eternal flow through water air and forest and highlighted the fragile balance of life as technology seeps into the everyday life of humansNachNation led by artistic director Uma Karmarkar Kapoor showcased choreography bringing together traditional Garba and Indian folk dance music movementsThe Abhinaya Tharangini Academy of Kuchipudi Dance led by artistic director Krishnaveni Gurrapu performed the Murali Madhuri The Enchanting Flute of Krishna a vibrant celebration of Bhakti and Shringar depicting the souls yearning for union with divine Krishna whose flutes melody enchants the entire cosmosA rendition of Vande Mataram by Three Aksha in a performance titled Bharatha a celebration of Indian history myth heritage and culture bookended the festivalAs the artists mesmerised the 2800strong audience with their performances Pradhan said bringing Indian classical and folk dance forms together in the festival truly represented the unity and diversity of India We all felt like we were travelling the length and breadth of India through the performancesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever