NCPA Mudra Dance Festival 2024 – Exhibition & Talks

Exhibition on ‘To stitch or knot – a dialogue between fabric and form’ by Sandhya Raman
Dilip Piramal Art Gallery
Exhibition from Thursday, 25th to Sunday, 28th – 12 noon to 8pm

Sandhya Raman, an alumna of the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad with a Master’s in Apparel and Textile Design, has had a versatile career spanning 25 years. She is the cofounder of Desmania, a leading design consultancy firm. She also serves as a strategic design consultant for Arunachal Pradesh State Weavers Coop. Federation (AWFED). She is actively involved in training, developing, designing and upgrading the skills of artisans, thus enabling them to have a wider reach across urban markets. Over the years, her work with costuming for classical dancers, understanding dance forms and resolving ergonomic issues related to dance costumes has created a new language in the field. She has worked closely with several dance companies such as Battery Dance (New York), Natya Dance Theatre (Chicago), Bharatkala Natya Academy (Atlanta) and Sampradaya Dance Creations (Canada), amongst many others. The Government of India has conferred on Raman the Stree Shakti Puraskar for her contribution to empowering women, craftsmen and artisans. Raman’s exhibition will showcase her extensive research in the field of Indian textiles and weaves used in classical Indian dances. On the last day of the exhibition, there will be a workshop on costume design. It will delve into the various motifs and patterns used in jewellery and textiles that have been adapted over the ages and influenced the world of art. Participants will learn how to use patterns and drapes to create distinct costumes, stylish ways of draping a saree along with some design and styling tips.

Costumes and masks used in Indian folk dances
Talk by Dr. Malati Agneswaran
Dilip Piramal Art Gallery
Thursday, 25th – 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm

Dr. Malati Agneswaran is a writer, research scholar, teacher, dancer and choreographer. She has been associated with the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya (University of Mumbai) for over 30 years. She is a recipient of a senior fellowship for dance from Sangeet Natak Akademi and is an ‘A’ grade artiste in Mohiniattam.

Aharya – capturing the many facets. A study through historical sources
Talk by Dr. Radha Kumar
Dilip Piramal Art Gallery
Saturday, 27th – 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm

Dr. Radha Kumar is an expert in the field of Indian culture. She is an AssociateProfessor with St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, working with the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology. She also has a Sangit Alankar in Sitar and Bharatanatyam. Apart from choreographing, staging and performing various dance ballets on historical themes, Dr. Kumar is a consistent researcher who has presented and published papers in various research journals and conferences in India and abroad.

Entry free on a first-come-firstserved basis.