Come January, the dance fraternity of the city is abuzz with preparations for the NCPA Mumbai Dance Season, one of the most awaited events for the community across the length and breadth of Mumbai. A flurry of activities follows soon after Dr. Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, Head – Dance department, NCPA, sets the tone for the season in the introductory meeting. From sharing themes for their presentations, inviting peers to perform at their events, to collaborating on shared spaces and accompanists, the interest and enthusiasm that the season generates can be felt across Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The focus of the event being ‘local’, the dance community comes together as one to put their best foot forward in their respective localities.

The fifth edition of the Mumbai Dance Season saw over 500 dancers perform in over 27 events in an 18-day extravaganza from 18th January to 4th February 2024. Along with multi-artiste and multi-disciplinary performances, the audience was also treated to a variety of events that complement the world of dance.

Right from the opening ceremony that saw a mélange of Indian folk dances curated by exponents Jayashree Nair (Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakali) and Lata Rajesh (Bharatanatyam) to the finale evening featuring classical Indian dances on the theme of ‘Bhakti Rasa’ curated by stalwarts Darshana Jhaveri (Manipuri) and Dr. Tushar Guha (Kathak), the Mumbai Dance Season did not cease to enthrall.

The season saw audiences gather in auditoriums, community halls, amphitheatres, dance studios and even a shopping mall to experience the magic of Indian classical and folk dances. ‘Prayag 2024’ by Shubhada Varadkar and ‘Lakshita’ by Namita Bodaji offered a platform for seasoned as well as young and up-and coming dancers in the suburb of Vile Parle. At Dadar, the heart of Mumbai, audiences were taken on a spiritual journey through various episodes of the Ramayana with ‘Ramchandra Vedh Se’ by Manisha Jeet, while ‘Kavitta Chanda’ by Rupali Desai saw veteran artiste Dr. Manjiri Deo teach unique compositions to young and senior students. Radhika Phanse’s ‘Dev-Devata’ at Wadala showcased, in Kathak and Odissi styles, the deities who have shaped the very essence of classical dance. Rehana Patel-Rane attempted to simplify the intricate terminology of the Kathak repertoire with ‘Aayaam Kathak Ke’ at Malad. The NCPA hosted ‘Lok Gatha’ where Shila Mehta and Maya Sapera (from Belgium) put up an enthralling performance combining Kathak and Rajasthani folk dances. Watching international artistes perform Indian classical and folk dances testifies to the fact that our artistic heritage transcends languages, cultures and geographies.

The Mumbai Dance Season also uniquely brought to the fore an important aspect of dance—space—and its creative use. How does one reach out to the masses and make dance accessible to all while putting together a memorable event? The answer lies in oft-used corporate jargon: think outside the box. And this was something that all participating artistes did. Breaking away from closed spaces and bringing alive dance in non-traditional set-ups has been a defining feature of this season.

Bharatanatyam exponent Lata Surendra chose to set the stage in the modern hub of social interaction—a mall. With over 30 artistes and their disciples performing at the Culture Hub at the Inorbit Mall in Malad, both time and shoppers stood still. The spellbound audience watched the artistes pay obeisance to the imagery of devotion and emblems of a deity’s power in ‘Ode to Sacred Symbols’. In other quarters of the city, rather than rue the fact that the younger generation does not take to classical Indian and folk dances the way they do to Western and Bollywood dances, artistes decided that if the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain. And so, they collaborated with colleges that offered them space and a captive audience. Nagindas Khandwala College in Malad, Somaiya Vidyavihar University and Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College in Ghatkopar saw performances by artistes and their disciples including Latasana Devi (Manipuri), Dr. Sarmishtha Chattopadhyay (Mohiniattam), Prateesha Suresh (Sattriya), Tina Tambe (Kathak) and Dr. Swapnokalpa Dasgupta and Nivedita Mukherjee (Odissi). Sessions on ‘De-mystifying Classical Indian Dance’ provided a platform for an engaging discussion with students, many of whom evinced interest in learning Indian classical and folk dances. It also allowed the young students of Dashrath Arjun Bata Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Vikhroli, who have been learning Odissi under Mukherjee as part of the NCPA’s CSR programme, Nrityaparichay, to display their skills to a senior audience. At KC College in Churchgate, a national seminar was organised by Dr. Paullami Mukherjee, who, along with a panel of dancers and educationists, deliberated on the role of the performing arts in higher education and the effective implementation of the NEP 2020, while at IIT, Powai, Ranjana Phadke’s symposium ‘Srujan’ had stalwarts like Vaibhav Arekar (Bharatanatyam), Sushant Jadhav (Bharatanatyam) and Jhelum Paranjape (Odissi) familiarise the audience with various aspects of dance including choreography, costume, light and backdrop. With inter-collegiate events dotting the calendar, there were many takeaways for aspiring dancers.

Carrying forward the ethos of reclaiming spaces were Dr. Chattopadhyay’s ‘Chetonar Ronge Season 4’ and Dr. Nandhini Ashok’s ‘Bandra Cultural Utsav’ at Nerul Gymkhana’s amphitheatre and the promenade at Carter Road in Bandra respectively. Blurring conventional lines, these artistes welcomed everyone in their fold—dancers, students, the discerning, the connoisseurs and the average rasik. The splashes of colours, costumes and the strains of melody enveloped the onlookers in the warmth of classical dance forms on a wintry evening. At Bandra, the audience also witnessed students of a municipal school showcase their talent in classical dance.

When the artistes ran out of available public spaces, they turned to each other for support. Those who have their own dance studios opened their doors for fellow dancers. Kathak artiste Dr. Piyush Raj’s Natanam Studio in Goregaon saw events held by dance exponents through the season. ‘Sanchari’ by Keka Sinha spoke of expressions travelling from the dancers to the rasikas, while Sunil Sunkara’s ‘Chaaran Samagam’ had acclaimed scholar Dr. Ambadan Rohadia, along with Sanket Sadhu and Akshobhya Bharadwaj, introduce the audience to the community of storytellers from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Raj himself organised ‘Baithak’, an evening of classical music and dance showcasing Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi and other dance forms. Gauri Sharma Tripathi’s ANKH Cube provided a space for learning and sharing of experiences among those on the path of learning, with a workshop by Nandita Puri unveiling the legacy of the Jaipur gharana and a Sunday Sit-down encouraging young performers to look at the holistic aspect of dance.

As in every dance season, the NCPA team travelled to cover the events at every location and it was gratifying to see the sheer reach of this initiative. Vasai saw a classical Indian dance event organised by Dr. Chitra Vishwanathan as she took centrestage in ‘Glory of Tamizh - Eyal Esai Naadakam’ to highlight the richness of Tamil literature. In Badlapur, Kathak danseuse Gayatri Bhat’s ‘Janani Festival’ celebrated the collaboration of artiste mothers with their equally talented daughters and included her daughter, Suhani Bhat. The event also had the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo of Odissi exponents Debi Basu and Archana Basu. Dombivli saw two distinct events—a tribute to Birju Maharaj at the ‘Dombivlikar Kathak festival’ organised by Dr. Vaishali Dudhe, while ‘Shabdamanthan’ by Sheetal Kapole encouraged students to delve into the significance of theoretical aspects of dance art. With exponents performing in these places to packed audiences, the Mumbai Dance Season enabled both artistes and audiences to bridge several gaps—geographical and perceived.

Drawing the curtains on the fifth edition of the Mumbai Dance Season, Dr. Dasgupta says, “This is an engagement started by the NCPA in association with the entire dance community in Mumbai and beyond. It provides an opportunity for established and up and-coming dancers to connect under the NCPA banner, fosters creativity in choreography, encourages co-creation by collaborating with fellow artistes and enables a range of events related to dance. And along the way, we also help audiences develop an appreciation for Indian classical and folk dances and ensure that its conscious promotion and preservation continues for generations to come.”

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