Indian dances in New York dance festival

New York: The fifth edition of "Erasing Borders Festival of Indian Dance", bringing Indian and India-inspired dance to the New York City, will be presented Aug 17 during the Downtown Dance Festival here.

Launched by the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) in 2008 to promote Indian dance in New York City, the premier event besides Indian dance in an array of forms, old and new, also presents concerts featuring performances traditional and experimental, classical and post-modern, folk and popular. The 31st annual edition of the Downtown Dance Festival, New York`s longest-running free public dance festival organised by Battery Dance Company, will take place from August 11 to17, with performances at the Lawn at Battery Park and One New York Plaza. The 5th edition of "Erasing Borders of Indian Dance Outdoors" curated by IAAC will be presented on Friday, August 17 from noon to 2 p.m. at One New York Plaza, according to the organisers. The programme will include Bageshree Vaze performing Kathak, Jaikishore and Padmavani Mosilikanti performing Kuchipudi, Mayuri Dance Company presenting Bhangra, Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance performing Bharata Natyam, alongside the Chhau Dance Company sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The IAAC supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of the Indian subcontinent in North America. The IAAC will also offer two weeks of master classes, August 3 - 16, at Dance New Amsterdam as part of the Downtown Dance Festival this year. IANS