The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) has announced the 18th annual Erasing Borders Dance Festival, taking place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 6 p.m. at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City. According to a press release, tickets for the two-night showcase start at $20 and are available online.

Recognized as New York’s premier festival of Indian dance, Erasing Borders brings together eminent Indian classical masters and U.S.-based dancers representing Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, and contemporary forms.

Diverse Two-Night Performance Lineup

The opening evening on Saturday, September 19, will open with a Bharatanatyam duo performed by Ganesh Vasudev and Bay Area-based artist Nitya Narasimhan, the artistic director of Prayukti Arts. The evening will also feature a Kuchipudi solo by Sreelakshmy Kallungal Govardhanan, a Kathak trio featuring Shila Mehta, Salonee Satagar, and Sanchita Dighe, a contemporary solo by U.S. Department of State Arts Ambassador Preeti Vasudevan, and a presentation combining Bharatanatyam and Kalaripayattu by Radhe Jaggi and Team.

The festival continues on Sunday, September 20, featuring a Kathak solo by Radha Varadan, a Mohiniyattam group performance by Dr. Neena Prasad and her accompanying musicians, a Sindhoor Natya and Navarasa performance by Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda, and an Odissi presentation by Arushi Mudgal and Sawani Mudgal.

Celebrating Classical and Contemporary Mastery

The roster of artists includes both globally recognized figures and prominent members of the South Asian diaspora in America:

  • Radhe Jaggi: A Kalakshetra-trained disciple of Smt. Leela Samson, Jaggi weaves classical rigor with yoga practice. She has performed extensively across India, Europe, and North America, including a 2017 U.S. tour with the Spanda Dance Company for Nadi – Of Love and Longing.
  • Dr. Neena Prasad: A foremost scholar and performing artist of Mohiniyattam, Dr. Prasad holds a doctorate and post-doctoral fellowship in dance from Kerala and is celebrated for extending the expressive horizons of the classical form.
  • Shila Mehta: With over four decades of experience in the Lucknow gharana, Mehta has researched Charani ballad singing and serves as founder of the Nupur Zankar Academy, performing widely across India, Europe, the UK, and the USA.
  • Sreelakshmy Kallungal Govardhanan: A recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, she is a Kuchipudi dancer, choreographer, researcher, and professional psychologist who founded Avanthika Space for Dance.
  • Arushi Mudgal: An acclaimed Odissi dancer trained under Guru Madhavi Mudgal whose work MÅ«rta–AmÅ«rta was named among The New York Times Top Ten Dances of 2018.
  • Ganesh Vasudev: A Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and researcher who has been performing his own works for the last 15 years. He has been training for more than 30 years and under the guidance of Bragha Bessel since 2009.
  • Sawani Mudgal: A Hindustani classical vocalist trained under Pandit Madhup Mudgal at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in New Delhi, who has performed at major U.S. venues including the Kennedy Center and the Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center.
  • Preeti Vasudevan: An award-winning choreographer and 2018 Arts Ambassador of the U.S. Department of State who founded the arts impact nonprofit Thresh in 2005 to bridge ancient traditions with global storytelling.
  • Nitya Narasimhan: Based in California, Narasimhan leads Prayukti Arts, an organization active in building community for Indian performing arts in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda: Leaders of Sindhoor Natya – Navarasa who blend Mysore-style Bharatanatyam, Kalari, and theater. Joining them is Bay Area-based Manipuri exponent Sanjib Bhattacharya, founder of Movements in Motion.
  • Radha Varadan: A U.S.-trained artist and finalist for the 2025 Pt. Birju Maharaj Yuva Puraskar who holds a Fulbright Nehru Award for her scholarship translating ballet into the Kathak vocabulary.

Dr. Sunil Kothari Lecture Series

As part of the festival’s extended programming, the fifth annual Dr. Sunil Kothari Lecture will take place on September 24, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Bruno Walter Auditorium inside the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Initiated in honor of the late dance scholar and Padma Shri recipient who frequently reviewed the festival, this year’s lecture will be presented by renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan. Her presentation is titled “The Balanced Dance as a Journey Towards Inner Stillness and Equanimity”.

The festival is organized by the Indo-American Arts Council, a North American nonprofit dedicated to promoting, supporting, and building audiences for Indian performing, visual, and literary arts across the United States.

This text was edited with the assistance of an AI tool and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and clarity by India Currents.