The Moving Thread

A Choreography Festival
Presented by Laya Arts Collective

October 25, 2026 | 5 PM

Krishna Charitamrutha

Choreography: SomaShekar Chudanath and Priya Narayan
Performed by: SomaShekar Chudanath and priya Narayan

Krishna Charitamrutha is an excerpt from a larger dance ballet that explores the Navarasas—the nine aesthetic emotions—through Krishna's life.

This presentation highlights two contrasting rasas: Bhayanaka (fear) and Hasya (humor). From the peril surrounding Krishna’s birth to the mischief of his childhood, the work moves between suspense and playful delight. The fear and uncertainty accompanying his arrival give way to the laughter inspired by a young Krishna whose antics charm and exasperate those around him. Together, these episodes reveal the emotional richness of his story, where the divine finds expression through deeply human experiences.

Taal Tarang

Choreography: Pooja Ganesh
Additional choreography: Karishma Sharma, for her individual segment
Performed by: Pooja Ganesh, Sukanya Kumar, and Karishma Sharma

Taal Tarang explores the interplay of padhant—the spoken recitation of rhythmic syllables—and traditional Kathak repertoire. Through samvaada (dialogue) and jugalbandi (rhythmic exchange), the dancers respond to and build upon one another’s movement, creating a lively conversation between voice, rhythm, and dance.

A central passage gives each dancer space to share repertoire from her own training while the other two recite the accompanying padhant. Karishma Sharma contributes her own choreography to her individual segment.

Madhu Madhurya

Where Nature Blooms and Love Awakens

Choreography: Vidyalatha Jeerage
Performed by: Shreela Suresh, Smitha Srinidhi, Shivani Bhat, and Sharmila Gopinathan

Drawing inspiration from Kalidasa’s evocative poetry of the seasons, Madhu Madhurya celebrates spring as a time of renewal, when nature awakens with joy and love begins to stir. Blossoming flowers, tender foliage, and the rhythms of the natural world evoke the presence of Manmatha, the god of love.

As the landscape transforms, so does the human heart. Through movement and expression, the choreography brings together nature’s exuberance and the sweetness of awakening love, capturing the anticipation, tenderness, and delight of the season.

Bhanika

Daśakṛti-kṛte — Salutations to the One with the Ten Great Incarnations

Choreography: Ashwini Srivatsan
Performed by: Ashwini Srivatsan with Leema David and Vaishnavi Rajagopalan

Bhanika draws upon a reconstructed Uparūpaka, a short theatrical form traditionally performed by a solo female artist, weaving acting, dialogue, dance, and music into expressive storytelling.

This production explores Vishnu’s ten incarnations as symbolic stages of human existence, from birth to dissolution. Bringing together Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam, Vedanta Desikan’s Dashavatara Stotram, and a Vajrayana Buddhist interpretation, it traces a journey of devotion, transformation, and spiritual awakening. The work emerges from Ashwini Srivatsan’s study and training in the Marga system.

Mentor: Piyal Bhattacharya
Script: Piyal Bhattacharya, Sayak Mitra, and Ashwini Srivatsan
Music Composition, Dialogue, and Guidance: Sayak Mitra