Classical Dance Festival Kalayatra 2026 Opens to Packed House in Delhi
The love for classical dance filled Kamani Auditorium to capacity recently. This marked the opening evening of the Festival of New Choreographies: Kalayatra 2026. The five-day event celebrates India's living classical dance traditions with great enthusiasm.
Curated by Sonal Mansingh
Odissi and Bharatanatyam exponent Sonal Mansingh conceived and curated the festival. It brings together new choreographic works by ten dance institutions based in the capital. The festival is a joint presentation. The Department of Art, Culture & Languages, Government of NCT of Delhi, and the Centre for Indian Classical Dances (Shri Kamakhya Kalapeeth) organized it together.
Opening Production: Amruth-Manthan
The opening production was titled Amruth-Manthan. Sonal Mansingh choreographed and directed this piece. It depicted the cosmic churning of the ocean for nectar from ancient scriptures. The production conveyed a clear moral that righteousness ultimately prevails.
Dancers trained in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, and Kathakali came together for this performance. Their collaboration highlighted the unity of diverse classical forms.
Sonal Mansingh emphasized the festival's purpose. "Every new choreography carries the weight of tradition and the courage of renewal. This festival stands for that delicate balance," she said.Evening Concludes with Kathakali Performance
The evening concluded with the pulsating beats of chenda and cymbals. Artistes from the International Kathakali Centre presented Athijeevanam. This production centered on the important theme of nature conservation. Kathakali exponent Sadanam Balakrishnan directed the work.
Guru's Role in Evolving Art
Speaking on the occasion, Sonal Mansingh elaborated on the festival's philosophy. "This festival stands for that delicate balance, where the past is honoured with reverence and the present expressed with responsibility," she stated.
She further explained the guru's role in classical arts. "The guru's responsibility is not to preserve art as a museum piece. It is to allow it to breathe, evolve and respond to society. Kalayatra is a collective offering by gurus who understand this duty," Mansingh added.
The event saw attendance from notable figures in the arts community. Parul Shah, Vanashree Rao, Sharon Lowen, Geeta Chandran, and Malini Awasthi were present. Aneish P Rajan, Director from the Ministry of Culture, also attended. Gangakumar from CICD and Rajendra Gangnani participated as well.
Kalayatra 2026 continues for five days, showcasing the vibrant future of India's classical dance heritage through new creative works.
