NEW YORK, NY - August 6, 2009 - The Indo-American Arts Council today announced a packed schedule of performances, workshops and lectures to be presented as part of the Erasing Borders: Festival of Indian Dance 2009 to be held in New York from August 14-20, 2009. The programming highlights the richness in the range of Indian dance forms and puts the many facets on the art of dance on display. The festival aims to engage artists and audiences in exploring a range of aesthetics, issues and perspectives celebrating the rich tradition of Indian dance and nurturing exciting new dimensions developing in Indian, American and global contexts.

The festival's mission is to provide a forum for interaction and dialogue between dancers, dance scholars, writers and critics. Last year's debut festival showcased 23 different performances by 15 dance troupes and solo performers from around the world. This year's budget friendly programming focuses more on lectures and workshops and a few free performances. Each day's programming is different yet is designed as a coherent, expressive event which interweaves with the others to create a compelling whole.

This year's festival kicks off with a tribute to Dr. Rohini Bhate, noted Kathak Dancer and Scholar who passed away last Fall at the age of 84, leaving behind a rich legacy of Kathak compositions. A dancer, teacher and scholar par excellence, Rohini Bhate performed extensively for five decades.

Other highlights of this year's programming include an interactive workshop for children who will be introduced to three different classical Indian dance forms - Kathak, Kuchipidi and BharatNatyam. There will also be range of adult workshops including Bollywood, Kathak and Body Conditioning.

Erasing Borders is excited to collaborate with Battery Dance Company's Downtown Dance Festival for the second year of free outdoor performances and will bring together more than 20 dancers on the stage. The performances this year range from Odissi by the talented Rahul Acharya from India to New York-based Nandini Sikand and Hari Krishnan's subversive work "Mea Culpa". This year also features a dance-theater piece "Noor" on the life of the spy princess Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian pop/ hip hop dance inspired by the economic meltdown and a folk dance that is extremely popular in the Indian Diaspora across the globe.

Festival Director Prachi Dalal says, "The festival brings together dancers sharing movement, heritage and inspiration from the Indian subcontinent. It features artists from India and the South Asian Diaspora and the presentations range from traditional classical repertoire to contemporary, modern and post-modern works that are inspired by India or an Indian dance vocabulary."

The programming schedule and venue information for each day is listed below. For more information on the entire festival and to purchase tickets, visit

Friday, August 14th: Tribute to Dr. Rohini Bhate (noted Kathak dance scholar and critic)
Co presented by Dance New Amsterdam and in collaboration with Arts Ahimsa & Chhandayan
6pm - 7pm: Lecture-Demonstration "Mathematics & Rhythm"
Indian Percussionists and dancers will discuss and demonstrate the concept of time cycle in the Indian system of rhythms and the mathematical process of composing rhythms within it.
Panel: Samir Chatterjee (Tabla), Prerana Deshpande (Kathak), Bala Skandan (Mridangam); Moderator: Jonathan Hollander, Artistic Director, Battery Dance Company
7pm-8pm: Discussion and Documentary on Dr. Rohini Bhate
Discussion with Dr. Sunil Kothari (Dance Historian) and Prerana Deshpande (Senior Student of Dr. Rohini Bhate) Dr. Kothari and Ms. Deshpande will discuss the contribution Dr. Bhate made to the field of Kathak research and practice. The discussion will be accompanied by clips from documentaries made on her life and work.
Venue: Dance New Amsterdam, 280 Broadway, entrance on Chambers

Saturday, Aug 15 - Children's Program: "Rhythmic Stories"
In collaboration with the Rubin Museum of Art
An interactive program especially designed for children (age 4-10) of dance, music, and storytelling. Children will see performances of three different Indian dance forms and have an opportunity to play drums, cymbals and other instruments, dance with professional dancers.
Performers: Sonali Skandan (Bharatanatyam); Sangita Rai (Kathak); Radha Virupaksha (Kuchipudi); Guest Teacher: Kavita Bafana (Founder, Little Ustads)
Time: 2 pm to 3:30 pm
Venue: Theater, Rubin Museum of Art, 150 West 17th Street @7th Avenue

Tuesday, Aug 18 - Evening Dance Workshops
5pm-6pm:Kathak Workshop: Rhythm & Movement by Prerana Deshpande
This workshop will explore rhythms and body movement in Kathak including spoken and danced rhythms and rhythmic poetry.
6pm - 7pm: Parallel Process: Body Conditioning Workshop by Preeti Vasudevan
Parallel Process is a one hour introductory workshop with a focus on technique and injury prevention. The class will have a general structure with the following components: Body conditioning, Indian dance technique and injury prevention.
7pm - 8pm: Bollywood Workshop by Rujuta Vaidya
This workshop will be conducted by Rujuta Vaidya, who was one of the choreographers for the "Jai Ho" performance at the Oscars. It will engage participants to learn the latest Bollywood moves to foot thumping music and get a workout at the same time.
Venue: Battery Dance Studio (Front Studio), 380 Broadway (corner of White Street), 5th Floor

Wednesday, Aug 19 - Free Lunchtime Performance at Battery Dance Company's Downtown Dance Festival

The program ranges from classical Indian dances like Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and Kathak to modern and post-modern choreographies, folk and hip hop performances.
Performers:
Aniruddhan Vasudevan (Bharatanatyam)
Labyrinth Dance Theater (Modern)
InDANCE (Modern/Bharatanatyam)
Infin8 (Pop/ Hip hop)
Sakshi Productions (Odissi)
Sa Dance Company (Folk)
Time: 12pm - 2pm; Venue: One Chase Manhattan Plaza (Nassau & Liberty St)

Thursday, Aug 20 - Erasing Borders² = Dance x Visual Art
An evening of Art and Dance - Indian Diaspora dancers and choreographers respond to Indian contemporary art of the Diaspora to create a unique experience.
Performers: Preeti Vasudevan and Sridhar Shanmugam
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Venue: Elizabeth Foundation for the Art, 323 W 39th St, 2nd Floor, NYC (between 8th & 9th Ave)

About the Indo-American Arts Council:
The is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. The IAAC supports all artistic disciplines in the 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 work with artists and arts organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists and arts organizations from India to exhibit, perform and produce their works here. For more information, please visit

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