August Dance Residency 2026

By Dr. Sonal Mansingh
Godrej Dance Theatre & Experimental Theatre
Sunday, 23rd & Monday, 24th – 11.00 am onwards

An NCPA Presentation

The artistic heritage that we take pride in has been handed down to us for generations by gurus of dance. They have, through their institutions, kept alive the rich culture, sacred texts and knowledge of dance. The August Dance Residency at the NCPA seeks to celebrate premier institutions that have been the torchbearers of classical Indian dance.

This year, the NCPA has invited renowned Bharatanatyam and Odissi maestro Dr. Sonal Mansingh and the Centre for Indian Classical Dances, a leading public institution in New Delhi.

An iconic cultural personality,
Dr. Mansingh has mastered multiple Indian classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Chhau. She is a renowned scholar and seasoned art administrator who has performed, given lectures and conducted workshops in 90 countries around the world. As the Founder-President of the Centre for Indian Classical Dances (1977), she has trained several talented performers who are carrying forward the message of Indian culture all over the world. She is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan (1992) and Padma Vibhushan (2003).

Dr. Mansingh has also been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna (Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi). She has been Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and has served as the Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. She is serving her second term as trustee of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

Jayadeva wrote the unusual love poem Geet Govind dedicated to Radha and Krishna in 12th-century Orissa. Racing through a gamut of expressions of passionate love in its prismatic glory, the plot revolves around the longing, separations, misunderstanding, pleadings and triumph of love in an unparalleled combination of imagery, lyricism and spirituality. The poem has become synonymous with the magic of Krishna where his beloved Radha is the presiding deity, and it is she who wields and holds the power of life and love.

The workshop will weave a garland of selected verses from some of the 24 cantos in an evocative and bold display of love as the ruling power in the world. This will also be an exercise to understand the gravitas of the prabandha poem which should ideally be approached with deep respect, mature sensitivity and a reposeful mind.

Programme:
Day 1
Masterclass on Geet Govind
Godrej Dance Theatre
Sunday, 23rd – 11.00 am to 2.00 pm

Lecture-demonstration
Experimental Theatre
Sunday, 23rd – 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Day 2
Masterclass on Geet Govind
Experimental Theatre
Monday, 24th – 11.00 am to 2.00 pm

Archival video viewing and reflections
Talk
Godrej Dance Theatre
Monday, 24th – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Tickets for the Lecture-demonstration on Day 1:
Rs. 180 & 270/- (Members)
Rs. 200 & 300/- (Public)
Box Office now open

Entry free for the Talk on Day 2

Registration fees for masterclass: Rs. 2,000/- for both days (Inclusive of GST)

For details regarding registration, please call: 8879114939/8879313834
Email: mdsouza@ncpamumbai.com / ashetty@ncpamumbai.com