This year’s Arts Day was a tremendous success, a joyful, full-hearted celebration of Indian classical dance, music, and community.
What made the day special wasn’t only the performances on stage, but the spirit of collaboration, led by our Artistic Director Sushmita Pati, whose planning and dedication shaped the event from start to finish. Sushmita coached the dancers, coordinating the banners, arranging refreshments for the audience, and making sure the musicians and performers were stage-ready. We’re deeply grateful to both Sushmita and Urbi Basu for their tireless work teaching and preparing our students.
The day’s programme flowed seamlessly thanks to our team, whose warm and engaging presence kept everything on track and added a lovely personal touch to the proceedings. Behind the scenes, the preparation was just as vital. Our volunteers, Jyothi and Rakhee gave invaluable help dressing the Odissi dancers in their traditional dhoti-style sarees with silver jewelry, and assisting with makeup and bindis. Our Kathak dancers looked stunning in their pink and blue costumes, complete with traditional silver hip belts.
The day opened with a moving rendition by the children of Guru Vandanam — a fitting tribute to the teachers and traditions that guide us. From there, the stage came alive with a series of captivating performances. Both individual and group Odissi pieces showcased the artistry of our seasoned dancers and the promising dedication of our newer members. The performances were accompanied by a vibrant Kathak set of live music, beautifully sung by Sushmita and her fellow musicians. It was a joy to watch the children perform — their enthusiasm was infectious, a reminder of why we do this.
The energy throughout the day was electric. The highlight was seeing the joy on the faces of our audience, including the many parents and grandparents who came to support these young artists. During the break, everyone gathered over Indian food, turning the day into a true celebration of community and culture.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to our dancers, our musicians, our volunteers, and especially our parents. Your ongoing support, effort, and patience made this day possible. The children’s enthusiasm, the seasoned grace of our senior performers, and the quiet dedication of everyone behind the scenes came together to create something truly memorable.
“I loved seeing how expressive the dancers were. Every movement seemed to have meaning, and it was clear how much dedication and history is behind this beautiful art form. Many of the dancers are studying Odissi, so it was especially lovely to see them perform in an intimate theatre setting, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable performance experience.
The musicians were equally impressive. Their performances were calm, confident and engaging, creating a peaceful atmosphere. I especially enjoyed that they invited the audience to join in by reciting or responding to the vocals, making everyone feel part of the experience.
Overall, I found Arts Day to be a welcoming and rich event. It gave me the opportunity to experience Asian storytelling through dance and music, and I left with a genuine appreciation for its beauty, history and the strong community that keeps these traditions alive.”
– Nicole Marcussen
Feedback from last year’s attendees
“Fantastic performances and a great show, our daughter Raiya loves attending Kala The Arts.” – Matthew Mariathas
“Beautiful performance by everyone. I could see the massive effort that went behind all this. Thank you for the experience.” – Tharangini Muougeuyan
“It was a great effort put on by the team. We have enjoyed it a lot. Great initiative for the kids.” – Misha
