Saturday October 25 at 7:00 pm: Our festival's closing performances at Lincoln Theatre. Invited artists include Srimathi Shanta and Sri VP Dhananjayan. 1215 U Street NW. Green or Yellow Line, U Street/Cardozo Stop

Tickets will be available 1 hour prior to show start time at the Lincoln Theatre box office. Prime Orchestra - $60.00 Rear Orchestra - $32.50 Balcony - $27.50 Student (w/ ID) - $15.00.

Legendary dancers the Dhananjayans and Padmarani Rasiah Cantu will perform several gems showcasing the age old dance form of Bharata Natyam with a live orchestra from India. This is the swansong tour for the Dhanajayans and they will be offering a selection of choreography that is considered the highlights of their career. Ms Cantu is one of their senior dancers in the US and is delighted to be able to share the stage with them. Unlike western dance forms that prize youth, senior artists in Indian dance are celebrated for the knowledge, depth and soul they bring to dance. The structure of Bharata Natyam is particularly well suited for this as it allows the dancers to imbibe their life experiences into the narrative aspects of the dance, while the technical sections shows their mastery of gestures, rhythm, and space. Bharata Natyam takes decades to master, and this is a rare opportunity for the DC area to experience the rich art form during the farewell tour of the Dhananjayans. Watch video clips of their performance here.

Sunday October 26 at 4:00 pm: Our festival's closing performances at Lincoln Theatre. Invited artists include Dr. Mallika Sarabhai and Darpana Dance Company. 1215 U Street NW. Green or Yellow Line, U Street/Cardozo Stop

Tickets will be available 1 hour prior to show start time at the Lincoln Theatre box office. Prime Orchestra - $60.00 Rear Orchestra - $32.50 Balcony - $27.50 Student (w/ ID) - $15.00.

Mallika Sarabhai, one of the most renowned Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam dancers in India today, will take the stage on October 26.  Like the Dhananjayans, Sarabhai has won India’s highest dance accolades, while also laying claim to prestigious awards in France, including the L'Etoile D'Or for best solo artist.  In recognition of Sarabhai’s efforts to promote social justice through the arts, she was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1,000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize campaign.  Sarabhai will be presenting her dance-theater adaptation of “In Search of the Goddess.”  The work looks at how women are stereotyped into Goddesses or minions and easily pigeonholed in society.  The highlight of the work is Sarabhai’s closing signature of Chitra Natyam, where she paints a figure with her feet while maintaining a complicated rhythm in a dynamic movement sequence.  Sarabhai has done enormous work in resurrecting dying folk and traditional dance forms in India, and this is a rare opportunity to see her mastery in Chitra Natyam at work. Watch video clips of Chitra Natyam here.

Monday October 27-Wednesday October 29: Workshop with legendary master teachers Srimathi Shanta and Sri VP Dhananjayan. Register Now!

Bharata Natyam and Abhinaya Workshop with Srimathi Shanta and Sri VP Dhananjayan. Considered the living legends of India, they have an impeccable style that is known for its dynamic movement and intricate rhythms. Advanced Bharata Natyam students will learn a Padam and a Tillana during the day times, and all classical Indian dancers are invited to the Abhinaya workshop in the evenings. The workshop has limited slots available to ensure that each student gets to work one-on-one with both these wonderful teachers. Be sure to register early to avoid disappointment. Email Minakshi AT dakshina DOT org for more details. Click here for the Registration Form.