‘An Evening of Dance’ Revisits the Natyashastra and Indian Cinema Through Performance at the NCPA
The evening also features Beyond Frames, a Kathak performance by Vijayshree Chaudhary that revisits some of Indian cinema’s most beloved melodies through graceful movement, intricate footwork and expressive storytelling.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts presents An Evening of Dance, featuring two distinct explorations of storytelling through movement. The evening opens with AVATARANA – The Story of Natya, a solo story-theatre performance by Ramaa Bharadvaj that reimagines a foundational tale from the Natyashastra through dance, theatre, humour and evocative narration. Presented in English and Sanskrit, the work blends expressive movement, original musical soundscapes and cultural insight in Bharadvaj’s signature style, making an ancient text accessible and engaging for contemporary audiences. Presented in an audience-interactive story-theatre format, the work invites both dance enthusiasts and first-time viewers into the imaginative world of the Natyashastra. The evening also features Beyond Frames, a Kathak performance by Vijayshree Chaudhary that revisits some of Indian cinema’s most beloved melodies through graceful movement, intricate footwork and expressive storytelling.
This presentation carries a renewed cultural relevance at a significant moment for India’s artistic heritage. In April 2025, UNESCO inscribed the Natyashastra into its Memory of the World Register alongside the Bhagavad Gita, recognising the text’s enduring contribution to world culture. While the Natyashastra has long remained closely associated with the Indian classical dance community, Bharadvaj’s AVATARANA brings its ideas to wider audiences through an engaging and accessible format. Bharadvaj, who spent over three decades in the United States as a performer, choreographer and educator, remains the only performing artiste to receive the California Arts Council’s Directors Award for exemplary contributions to the arts in the state. Since returning to India in 2010, she has continued to develop her distinctive story-theatre practice that combines Indic wisdom with warmth, wit and audience interaction.
The second half of the evening showcases Kathak exponent Vijayshree Chaudhary’s Beyond Frames, a celebration of Indian cinema’s enduring relationship with classical dance. Moving through mehfils, devotional poetry, Sufi compositions and ghazals, the performance reinterprets familiar songs while retaining the emotional richness that first made them memorable. Through the vocabulary of Kathak, these iconic melodies come alive once again with expressive storytelling, graceful movement and rhythmic precision. A senior disciple of Birju Maharaj and Artistic Director of the Natyaved Society for Performing Arts, Chaudhary has represented Indian classical dance at international festivals and major global events. She has also choreographed the widely appreciated songs ‘Sakal Ban’ and ‘Azadi’ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, bringing classical aesthetics into contemporary popular culture with remarkable finesse.
Join us to experience an evening that bridges mythology, cinema and classical dance traditions through two compelling artistic voices.
Age Recommendation: 6+ | Late entry not permitted Duration: 2 hours Tickets: Members: ₹270 & ₹180 Non-Members: ₹300 & ₹200
