Indian diaspora in New York City to celebrate Independence Day with a dance festival

The Indian Independence Day is not only celebrated in the country but also proudly focussed on by the Indian Diaspora living across the globe. Every year, they gather around in community halls or public functions remembering their country and its struggle for Independence. This year, the longest running dance festival – The Annual Battery Dance Festival – which is in its 44^th year is all set to celebrate the Indian Independence Day through cultural performances which evoke the Shakti, or the female energy.  

Here’s what you need to know about the Indian Independence Day celebrations at New York City

The Annual Battery Dance Festival which will take place from August 12-16, will mark India Day on August 15. Jonathan Hollander, the founder and artistic director of the Festival comments, “ The last two years we had a very strong focus on ‘Purush', male dancers, and this year we have switched it around and we will have a strong focus on ‘Shakti, divine energy. The specially curated day will have seven different groups which will offer their “creative take on the essence of the feminine principle in creativity and in life itself. It's a really important theme for today's world, where there's so much conflict, fracture and unknowns.”

Interestingly, Shakti which explores the female divinity also refers to performances on the themes of mother, a universal subject that touches every heart. The program is backed by the Consulate General of India in New Delhi. Perfoming troupes include Nandanik Dance Troupe from Pittsburgh with choreographer and soloist Subhajit Khush Das from Kolkata in a new production on the Goddess Kali; choreographers Bijayini Satpathy, Maya Kulkarni, Lada Pada, Sonali Skandan, Swathi Gundapuneedi-Atluri, Subhajit Khush Das, Renjith Babu and Malini Srinivasan. They will explore dance styles like Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Uday Shankar.

Hollander states, “When you're sitting at the park, in a community of people whom you don't know, and you are shoulder to shoulder with people of all cultures, ethnicities, and ages; I think there's a sense of celebrating human nature and celebrating what we have in common.” This indicates the Battery Dance Festival, the longest running free public dance Festival does not just celebrate the Diaspora or the culture it celebrates the oneness that one achieves through cosmopolitamism and universalism.  

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