The twelfth annual Erasing Borders Festival goes virtual this year
Who: Shambhu Nath Karmakar/Ashpara Care Club, Neha Mondal Chakravarty, Krishnakshi Kashyap, Ganesh Vasudeva, Divyaa Unni, Arun Mathai, Sandhya Raju, Damir Tasmagambetov, Barkha Patel, Mesma Belsaré, Vishwakiran Nambi, Nahid Siddiqui
What: Virtual borderless dance festival
Where: Facebook Live
When: September 20-27, free with RSVP, 8:30
Why: The twelfth annual Erasing Borders Dance Festival is truly erasing borders by going virtual this year. Presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, which is “passionately dedicated to promoting, showcasing, and building an awareness of the arts and artists whose heritage lies in the Indian subcontinent in the performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, and folk arts,” Erasing Borders is a weeklong celebration of storytelling through movement, with free performances by eleven artists as well as workshops, all focused on healing during this difficult time, with pieces dealing with Black Lives Matter, transgender issues, womanhood, the nourishment of water, ritual, and more. “Moving to a virtual format has its own artistic challenges, but we believe it opened up many possibilities. Our artists are from across the world, representing many of India’s dance forms. Bringing them together on an online platform was not only the most responsible and exciting way of showcasing their work but also displaying the virtuosity of diversity,” festival director Deepsikha Chatterjee said in a statement. Below is the schedule, with the title of the work and the type of dance listed in parentheses.
Sunday, September 20
Shambhu Nath Karmakar/Ashpara Care Club (Mahisasur Mardini, Purulia Chhau)
Monday, September 21
Neha Mondal Chakravarty (Sukriti, Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam)
Krishnakshi Kashyap (Rama Niranjana, Rojaghoria Saali, Sattriya)
Tuesday, September 22
Ganesh Vasudeva (Descent of the Ganges, Bharatanatyam)
Wednesday, September 23
Divyaa Unni (It’s a New Beginning, Bharatanatyam)
Arun Mathai (Shivoham, Bharatanatyam)
Thursday, September 24
Sandhya Raju (Govardhana Giri Dhara, Kuchipudi)
Friday, September 25
Damir Tasmagambetov (Invocation: Ganapathi Stuthi, Kumarasambhavam, Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam)
Barkha Patel (Aravani, Contemporary Kathak)
Saturday, September 26
Mesma Belsaré (The Dancing Sculptures, Shilpa Natana)
Sunday, September 27
Vishwakiran Nambi (Pyre, Contemporary)
Workshops by Nahid Siddiqui (Sufi Kathak)