On August 2, 2026, the Grand Ritz Theater in Escondido came alive with RDM Studio’s An Untold Saga, an original Odissi dance production bringing together ancient Indian tradition, storytelling, and contemporary stagecraft for a diverse Southern California audience.
Independently produced by RDM Studio, An Untold Saga marked the studio’s fourth curated production and the world debut of an original work performed by Artistic Director Nilanjana Banerjee and her team.
The production carries a deeply personal connection to RDM’s artistic lineage. An Untold Saga was conceived by Banerjee’s lifelong Guru, Mitra Purkayastha, as a tribute to her Guru Muralidhar Majhi, connecting the work directly to the tradition from which RDM Studio’s Odissi training has evolved.
At its heart was an evocative idea: What if the temple dancers and sculpted figures adorning India’s ancient temples could step out of stone and come alive through dance?
Odissi, with its sculptural poses, lyrical movement and historical relationship with India’s temple traditions, became the language through which that world unfolded. Moving between devotion, mythology and human experience, the production was created to engage both those familiar with Indian classical dance and audiences discovering Odissi for the first time.
The production was directed by RDM Studio mentor Sukalyan Bhattacharya, a master of modern stagecraft who traveled to San Diego to direct the work. His theatrical vision integrated choreography, lighting, multimedia, narration, music, and stage movement, giving the classical vocabulary a contemporary frame while preserving its traditional foundation.
Based in Carlsbad and now more than a decade old, RDM Studio brings together children and adults from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. Rooted in the traditional Guru–Shishya approach to learning, the studio also creates opportunities for its dancers to experience the discipline and scale of theatrical productions.
That intergenerational spirit was visible throughout An Untold Saga, with young students, adult dancers and experienced performers sharing the stage.
For Banerjee, the larger vision is to present an image of India that reflects the country today—deeply connected to its heritage, yet creative, sophisticated and continually evolving. Contemporary stagecraft becomes a bridge, allowing an ancient artistic vocabulary to communicate with audiences beyond its traditional circles.
An Untold Saga ultimately celebrated lineage, artistic inheritance, and the continuing evolution of a centuries-old tradition—carried from Guru to disciple and from one generation of dancers to the next.
RDM Studio returns to the Grand Ritz Theater in Escondido for its fifth curated production on Saturday, July 31, 2027.
