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Classical Dance Festival Ignites Delhi Stages
17 Jan
Summary
- Five-day festival celebrates India's classical dance traditions.
- New choreographic works presented by ten Delhi dance institutions.
- Festival emphasizes honoring the past while evolving for the present.
Kamani Auditorium recently hosted the opening night of the Festival of New Choreographies: Kalayatra 2026. This five-day event celebrates India's diverse classical dance traditions with new choreographic works from ten prominent Delhi institutions. The festival, a joint presentation by the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Centre for Indian Classical Dances, aims to foster artistic evolution.
The inaugural performance, "Amruth-Manthan," choreographed by Odissi and Bharatanatyam exponent Sonal Mansingh, depicted a mythological tale emphasizing the ultimate triumph of righteousness. Dancers trained in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, and Kathakali collaborated in this production.
Another highlight was "Athijeevanam," presented by the International Kathakali Centre, focusing on nature conservation. Festival curator Sonal Mansingh emphasized the guru's role in allowing art to evolve responsibly, stating, "The guru's role is not to preserve art as a museum piece, but to allow it to breathe, evolve and respond to society."
