Opening of the NCPA Mumbai Dance Season 2026

An NCPA Presentation

The Mumbai Dance Season will be inaugurated with folk and creative dance styles curated by Prashant Bhafalekar and Sushant Jadhav. Renowned troupes representing different cultures from various parts of Mumbai and the country will come together to showcase the vibrance of Indian folk dance traditions.

Prashant Bhafalekar is an experienced Folk Dance Teacher with a Degree in Folk Dance from the University of Mumbai (1994). He has been associated with Nalanda Nrityakala Mahavidyalaya as a Visiting Faculty since 2013, contributing nine years of dedicated service. With over 50 workshops attended and more than 200 conducted, he has trained and guided numerous students for youth festivals at state, zonal, and national levels. His contribution has been recognized with several accolades, including 7 state-level, 8 zonal, and 8 national awards. Passionate about preserving India’s folk traditions, Bhafalekar continues to inspire the younger generation through his teaching and performances.

Sushant Jadhav is a choreographer, dancer, lighting designer, and the artistic co-director of Sankhya Dance Company, Mumbai. Trained in Kathak, Indian Folk, and Creative Dance, he brings versatility and depth to his work across performance, production, and direction. He is also the co-curator of SINDHU – Celebrating Dance, an annual festival that showcases the diversity of Indian dance. Rooted in tradition yet contemporary in approach, Sushant crafts performances that are evocative, layered, and transformative. His wide-ranging choreographic work spans folk and dance musicals that traverse diverse regions and styles, maintaining authenticity while infusing artistic innovation. Notable productions include Namo Gurjari Namostute (India and USA, 2012), Usha–Aniruddha (with over 500 shows across India and Poland), and Urvashi. As a director, he brings a keen eye for detail and concept-driven storytelling. He has co-directed several acclaimed Sankhya productions such as Shrimanta Yogi, Nibandhana, Seasons, and Voice of Tagore, and collaborates closely with Bharatanatyam exponent Vaibhav Arekar on dance-theatre works like and She Spoke and Venugaan, both performed to full houses across India.

Artist details

• Kathak – Manisha Jeet & Manas Culture Institute
• Odissi -Nivedita Mukherjee & Aratrika Institute of Performing Arts
• Chari and Dangarya -Basuraj Gurav & group
• Hojagiri and Ponung  – Sumit Natekar & group
• Dangi and Kupari – Deepak Dilip Patange & group
• Talvar Rass and Koli  -Manish Bhutavale & group

Free Event admission free on a first-come-first-served basis.