Off the Beat Dance Podcast Ameya King and Kiran Rajagopalan

In an epilogue to our Off Season Chats, we bring a very special roundtable discussion that we led as part of our first collaboration with Rasabodhi Arts Foundation for its 2023 festival EVAM. We co-hosted a panel discussion with six brilliant classical dancers from around the world. Our in-depth conversation was recorded on January 30, and it covers a wide range of topics especially relevant for Indian classical dance in the diaspora, including communities and dance spaces, sustainability and funding, as well as opportunities and hopes for building a new dance future. 
We’ve edited the conversation for length and clarity, but you can watch the entire conversation on Rasabodhi Arts Foundation's Facebook page. You can also find our interview with Rasabodhi founder Keerthana Ravi on episode 1 of Off Season Chats. EVAM 2023 will be available for viewing through March 7 - you can purchase your tickets on Tikkl. 
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more updates on our other projects at @ameyagking (Ameya) or @kirandance (Kiran). Podcast updates, as always, can be found on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter at @offthebeatdance.  
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people: 
Rasabodhi Arts Foundation (@rasabodhiartsfoundation) and Keerthana Ravi (@keerthanaravi) for bringing together this panel, as well as our esteemed panelists Ashvini Sundaram (@ashvini.sundaram), Kripa Iyer (@iyer_kripa), Nadhi Thekkek (@nadhidances), Neelambaree Prasad (@neelambaree_dance), Rajitha Bharatan (@rajithabharatan), and Sruthi Mohan (@sruthimohan).We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo And a very special thanks to Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr. 
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at www.offthebeat.dance. We’d love to hear from you. 
Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture. Please consider supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/offthebeatdance so that we can continue to bring you more content. And together, we can create a new dance future...one beat at a time! 
Off Season Chats is an Off The Beat production. 

Over the past seven weeks, we’ve shared conversations with dancers who move and inspire us in a new series called Off Season Chats. Before we truly wrap up Off Season Chats, we have to bring it to a close OTB style. So, we will reflect on what we’ve learned over the course of these conversations and leave with a call to action. 
Themes that emerged over the course of the last seven episodes include sustainability, technology, trusting process, and building community. We’ll also be talking about what our guests said that challenged our own ways of thinking.  
We are going on a hiatus for a bit while we take time to focus on some of our other projects as independent artists. But first, we will share a sneak preview of Season 2. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more updates on our other projects at @ameyagking (Ameya) or @kirandance (Kiran). Podcast updates, as always, can be found on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter at @offthebeatdance.  
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people:    
We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering   Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo   Arts Horizons for the recording space  And a very special thanks to Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr.  
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at www.offthebeat.dance. We’d love to hear from you.    
Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture. Please consider supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/offthebeatdance so that we can continue to bring you more content. And together, we can create a new dance future...one beat at a time!  
Off Season Chats is an Off The Beat production. 

Our last Off Season Chat is a 2-part conversation with Brinda Guha, a NYC-based multifaceted dancer and choreographer who has trained in a variety of styles including:  Kathak, Manipuri, Yorchhā, Flamenco, and Contemporary. Last week, Brinda reflected on her artistic journey, and ways to build a dance community responsibly, and the future of South Asian dance at large. This week, she elaborates on the dance community, and how we can build on the wisdom of the previous generations to nurture and hold space for the needs of today and tomorrow.  
Off Season Chats is a new series in which we have intimate conversations with dancers who are forging new paths in their artistic, personal, and professional lives. Our special guests are accomplished artists whose works span across many genres of South Asian dance including: Kathak, Kandyan, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Odissi, and much more.  
About Brinda Guha 
Brinda Guha identifies as a non-disabled, caste-privileged, cisgender and queer South-Asian American, and is a trained Kathak dancer for over 20 years. During training and performing for years in the Kathak (Malabika Guha) & Manipuri (Kalavati + Bimbavati Devi) dance disciplines, as well as Flamenco (Carmen de las Cuevas; Dionisia Garcia) and Contemporary Fusion vocabularies, she co-founded Kalamandir Dance Company in 2010 based in the vocabulary of #ContemporaryIndian. She’s choreographed for many national stages, the North American Bengali Conference at Madison Square Garden, and self-produced original feature-length dance productions which earned her artist residencies at Dixon Place (2018) and Dancewave (2019) to continue to develop work. Now, she is represented by CESD Talent Agency and is pursuing artistic direction, performance and arts education. She trains in Kathak, Manipuri, Yorchhā (est. Ananya Chatterjee), and Contemporary.
Her dream of having art meet activism was realized when she created WISE FRUIT NYC, a seasonal live arts installment (est 2017) dedicated to the feminine divine and honoring select women-led organizations. For her day job, she works as the Symposium Coordinator for dance service organization based in the values of justice, equity & inclusion: Dance/NYC. 
Dive Deeper
Ananya Chatterjea's Yorchha™ movement practice (with video clip)Nrithya Pillai: "Cycles of Cultural Violence within Performance and Scholarship of Bharatanatyam." The News Minute. 21 June 2022. Janete Silva's websiteSoles of Duende at Jacob's Pillow on August 5, 2022
Credits
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people:    
We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering   Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo   Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr.  
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on IG, FB, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at a href="http://www.offthebeat.dance/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Our last Off Season Chat is a two-part conversation with Brinda Guha, a NYC-based multifaceted dancer and choreographer who has trained in a variety of styles including: Kathak, Manipuri, Yorchhā, Flamenco, and Contemporary. This week, Brinda reflects on her artistic journey, ways to build a dance community responsibly, and the future of South Asian dance at large.
Off Season Chats is a new series in which we have intimate conversations with dancers who are forging new paths in their artistic, personal, and professional lives. Our special guests are accomplished artists whose works span across many genres of South Asian dance including: Kathak, Kandyan, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Odissi, and much more. 
About Brinda Guha
Brinda Guha identifies as a non-disabled, caste-privileged, cisgender and queer South-Asian American, and is a trained Kathak dancer for over 20 years. During training and performing for years in the Kathak (Malabika Guha) & Manipuri (Kalavati + Bimbavati Devi) dance disciplines, as well as Flamenco (Carmen de las Cuevas; Dionisia Garcia) and Contemporary Fusion vocabularies, she co-founded Kalamandir Dance Company in 2010 based in the vocabulary of #ContemporaryIndian. She’s choreographed for many national stages, the North American Bengali Conference at Madison Square Garden, and self-produced original feature-length dance productions which earned her artist residencies at Dixon Place (2018) and Dancewave (2019) to continue to develop work. Now, she is represented by CESD Talent Agency and is pursuing artistic direction, performance and arts education. She trains in Kathak, Manipuri, Yorchhā (est. Ananya Chatterjee), and Contemporary. Her dream of having art meet activism was realized when she created WISE FRUIT NYC, a seasonal live arts installment (est 2017) dedicated to the feminine divine and honoring select women-led organizations. For her day job, she works as the Symposium Coordinator for dance service organization based in the values of justice, equity & inclusion: Dance/NYC. 
Credits
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people:   
We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr. 
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on IG, FB, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at www.offthebeat.dance. We’d love to hear from you.   
Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture. Please consider supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/offthebeatdance so that we can continue to bring you more content. And together, we can create a new dance future...one beat at a time! 
Off Season Chats is an Off The Beat production.

In the fifth episode of Off Season Chats, Ameya & Kiran chat with Colombo-based Kandyan dance teacher, performer, & principal dancer at the world-renowned Chitrasena School of Dance Thaji Dias. She reflects on her artistic journey, upholding a multigenerational family legacy, and how the pandemic and Sri Lanka’s economic struggles are impacting artists.
Off Season Chats is a new series in which we have intimate conversations with dancers who are forging new paths in their artistic, personal, and professional lives. Our special guests are accomplished artists whose works span across many genres of South Asian dance including: Kathak, Kandyan, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Odissi, and much more.
About Thaji Dias:
Thaji Dias is the youngest granddaughter of Chitrasena and Vajira, the illustrious dance duo of Sri Lanka, and the Principal Dancer of Chitrasena Dance Company, which is Sri Lanka’s oldest and most prestigious dance company. The company was established in the 1940s by Guru Chitrasena, who was instrumental in bringing Sri Lanka’s traditional dances from village rituals to the modern stage. Thaji has been a full-time professional dancer and teacher at the Company since May 2012.
Introduced to Kandyan dance under her grandmother nearly 25 years ago, she began touring with the dance company at age 12 alongside her aunt and Guru Upeka Chitrasena in an international festival in Paris at the Theatre Du Soleil as a guest of Ariane Mnouchkine. Since then, Thaji has toured Taipei (2004), Montpellier, France (2005), New York, USA (2011), Singapore (2012), and India on several occasions.
She also represented the company in their first international collaboration Samhara, with the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble of India. The performance toured the US, including the prestigious Joyce Theater and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and many parts of India including Music Academy (Chennai) and Konark Festival (Odisha) in 2012, 2013, and 2018.
Instagram: @dancethaji
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaji.dias
Dive Deeper:
Resistance in Dance: Thaji Dias. Why I Dance: The Chitrasena LegacyNrityagram and ChitrasenaThe Chitrasena legacy: Inspiring story at the Design FestivalPandal-making
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people:  
We Edit Podcasts for audio engineeringSangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logoWesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr.
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on IG, FB, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at www.offthebeat.dance. We’d love to hear from you.  
Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture. Please consider supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/offthebeatdance so that we can continue to bring you more content. And together, we can create a new...

For a special two-part Off Season Chat, Ameya and Kiran speak with Sai Venkata Gangadhar, a Kuchipudi dancer and teacher from Hyderabad. This week, Gangadhar delves deeper into the impact of social media on dance and the next generation of dancers. He also discusses powerful ways dance can connect, empower, and uplift communities.  
Off Season Chats is a new series in which we have intimate conversations with dancers who are forging new paths in their artistic, personal, and professional lives. Our special guests are accomplished artists whose works span across many genres of South Asian dance including: Kathak, Kandyan, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Odissi, and much more.  
Dive Deeper:
Golla Kalapam - traditional Kuchipudi kalapam centered on a milkmaid (Gollabhama) and a priest. Chandalika - Kuchipudi dance drama by Padmabhushan Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam based on Rabindranath Tagore's play of the same name. Tappeta Gullu - Andhra folk tradition, practiced by the Yadhava community Nee Prashnalu (Kotha Bangaru Lokam)
About Sai Venkata Gangadhar:
Sai Venkata Gangadhar is a young Kuchipudi dancer from Hyderabad. He has been training at Nishrinkala Dance Academy under Guru Smt. Sandhya Raju for the past 13 years, and he is a postgraduate in Business administration. He also pursued his Masters in Kuchipudi from University of Hyderabad. He is one of the prime students of Smt. Sandhya Raju. Recognizing his dedication, she appointed him as an assistant teacher soon after his Rangapravesham in 2015.  
He has participated several times with the Academy’s group ensemble and performed in many prestigious dance festivals including:  Sangeet Natak Academy’s Nrityaprathibha festival, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha’s Pongal festivals, Gandharva, and many others. Also trained in gymnastics, he has taken this art as a profession and continuously works to understand and enjoy the nuances of his chosen dance style. 
Instagram: @sai_venkata_gangadhar 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgEQ2F_PLAGW8l6ODIruOUQ  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gagadhar.venkat 
Today’s episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people:   
We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo Kasi Aysola for transcription of the Telugu portions Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr. 
Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on IG, FB, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at www.offthebeat.dance. We’d love to hear from you.   
Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture.