Dr. Mukesh Sharma and his son Pulkit perform Rajasthani music pieces Jhirmir Jhirmir, Lolee and Gorbandh, as well as a dhol solo.

In this video Neha Patel, Artistic Director of Sarjan Nartan Academy India & UK, performs Ghoomar, a traditional and enthusiastic dance from Rajasthan, Terah Taal, one of the most popular Rajasthani folk dances which involves the skilful use of Manjeeras (or cymbals) attached to various parts of clothing, with folklore-inspired Kalbeliya songs and dances.

Rajasi Vaidya-Lohokare performs folk music from the state of Maharashtra, including Lavani, a combination of song and dance. The word ‘Lavani’ is derived from the word Lavanya, which means ‘beauty’. Lavani aims to take various aspects of social life such as politics, religion, romance, etc. and present them in an entertaining form.

Performer, choreographer and Kathak teacher Ketaki Kulkarni-Deshpande presents a medley of two Lavani songs – Apsara Aali & Vajle Ki Bara (both from the movie ‘Natrang’) and Lallati Bhandara, a Jogwa-dance (from the movie ‘Jogwa’).

Indi Singh Soor, founder and head of the Leicester-based Dhol drumming band DEA, performs Punjabi folk music using traditional instruments including the Tumbi, Alghoza, Chimta and Dhol.

In this video multi-award winning dance artist Ravneet Kaur performs a selection of traditional Punjabi folk dances. The styles include Bhangra (which refers to several forms of folk dance and music that originate in the Punjab region of India), Gidha (often considered to be derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as Bhangra) and Jhumar (a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Multan).

A disciple of Guru Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Suhani Dhanki Mody has been learning the Thanjavur tradition of Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of her Guru since 15 years in the Shastra (theory) and Sampradaya (practice) methodology. Bharatanatyam is a dance of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It traces its origins back to the Natyashastra, an ancient treatise on theatre written by the mythic priest Bharata. Originally a temple dance for women, Bharatanatyam often is used to express Hindu religious stories and devotions.

Sruthi Sailesh is a young dancer who has performed across the world both as a soloist and in groups. A current masters student at the University of Leicester, Sruthi believes dance is a beautiful connection to life in this journey.

Shree Savani is a 21 year old Bharatanatyam dancer and physiotherapy student at the University of Birmingham. Her love for many forms of dance has been nurtured by Nupur Arts Dance Academy, having been given the opportunity to explore and present a range of different styles from tap and modern to Bollywood. Shree was the first Bharatanatyam dancer to win the South Asian category and dance in the Grand Final of BBC Young Dancer 2019 and since then, she has gone on to perform and represent South Asian Classical Dance to a wide range of audiences on different platforms, including Sadlers Wells.

Pranita Choudhry is a Bharatanatyam dancer who has been learning the dance form since the age of eight. She has performed at various prestigious festivals such as the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Kerala, Taj Mahostav in Agra, Neemrana Music Festival, and Rajasthan Tourism Festival in India, and has been a part of solo and group performances at venues in the UK such as the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Nehru Centre, and Westminster Abbey among others.

Dance artist, choreographer and teacher Pallabi Basak Vijay performs a number of Odissi dances. A major ancient Indian classical dance, Odissi originated in the Hindu temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India.

Elena Catalano is an Odissi dancer, teacher and scholar presently based in the UK. Her artistic and academic career has been strongly influenced by an instinctive interest in the diversity of human practices and beliefs. This fascination with the nature of culture, honed by higher studies in cultural anthropology, has gradually merged with Elena’s inborn talent for the performing arts. Founder and artistic director of Bhumi, Elena has established herself as one of the most impressive and influential Odissi dancers in the UK. Following her PhD at Durham University researching Odissi Training, she lectures at Kingston University where she teaches Odissi, yoga and dance anthropology. Elena has distinguished herself as a dancer and a scholar for her understanding and embodiment of Odissi aesthetics. Elena is a core member of the Odissi Ensemble and Nritya Yuva Award Winner 2017.

Payal Ramchandani is a dancer with 27 years of overall experience including training and performances on the global stage. Kuchipudi is considered one of the toughest forms of Indian classical dance that originated in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Prathap Ramachandra is an internationally acclaimed South Indian Percussionist, specialising in playing Mridangam, Ghatam, Khanjira instruments, and also rendering Konnakool (creating percussion syllables orally).

Over the last two decades Prathap has accompanied world-renowned artists from India and abroad, and taken his sounds to some of the biggest stages in the world. His cross-cultural collaborations have allowed him to craft interesting approaches to Indian rhythms, and this has lead to the creation of his own band Rhythm Yatra, which can be translated as “Journey of Rhythms”.

Jyotsna Srikanth is the most sought after South Indian Carnatic violinist in Europe and is a composer known for her versatility and ability to collaborate with different genres seamlessly and with ease. Srikanth started her musical career at the age of nine, learning from her mother Rathna Srikantiah and later from R. R. Keshavamurthy, the legendary seven stringed violinist. She is an all rounder who has given numerous South Indian classical (Carnatic) solo concerts, jugalbandhi concerts, jazz – fusion concerts and Contemporary Indian Music shows.

Shruti Sriram had her early training in Carnatic vocal from her grandmother Kalpakam Balasubrahmanian and in Bharatanatyam from her mother, Pushkala Gopal. She has continued to train, perform, and teach, and has more than 150 pupils in East London where regular classes are held and students trained for the ISTD dance examinations, arangetrams, and regular local performances.

Sanju Sahai (also known as Vishnu Sahai) is currently one of the finest Tabla players of his generation. Sanju began playing at an early age under the guidance of the illustrious Pandit Sharda Sahai Ji, and as a child prodigy gave his first solo Tabla performance at the Sankat Mochan temple in Benares at the tender age of 9. His career now spans more than four decades, with his music taking him to some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world including Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall.

Award winning, London-born vocalist and composer Deepa Nair Rasiya has been making waves on the World Music platform internationally and is being increasingly recognised as a pioneering and innovative composer with a deeply soul-stirring vocal style.

Deepa’s vision has been to summon the essence of Spirit through devotional singing, predominantly from the Sufi tradition. For her, devotion is most effectively expressed through music and therefore singing in a spirit of prayer is a powerful spiritual experience both for the performer and for the listener.

Combining soulful musicality with complex rhythm, Kaviraj Singh is a unique and celebrated talent of the new generation. He is the youngest artist to have performed at the prestigious Darbar Festival in 2008 and has shared his music widely at popular venues across India, Europe and the UK.

Jaina Modasia is an upcoming Kathak artist who has performed in many prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall, South Bank Centre, Rich Mix, Edinburgh Mela, Latitude Festival, Kala Academy in Goa and many more. Jaina was also a BBC Young Dancer 2015 and 2017 category finalist, being one of five to represent South Asian dance nationally.

In this video Shalini Shivashankar and Daniella Zak Varghese perform Ramasaptham, which depicts the famous epic Ramayana, the story of Lord Rama. Episodes shown include Rama breaking the mighty bow Shivadhanush and winning Sita’s hand in marriage; meeting the challenge of Parashurama to string the bow of Lord Vishnu; obeying his father and going to the forest in exile; following the golden deer to capture it for Sita, which unfortunately leads to Sita’s abduction by Ravana; protecting the monkey king Sugreeva; and finally the battle with Ravana to rescue Sita.

Debanjali Biswas has received extensive training in classical Manipuri dance and has presented her dance across dance festivals in India, and in performances in Bangladesh, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States of America.