Leela Dance Collective Unveils Schedule for AAPI Heritage Month Celebrations

Leela Dance Collective has revealed its full schedule of performances, community events, and online programming to celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Based in Los Angeles, Leela Dance Collective is an internationally-touring kathak dance company that combines classical dance from North India with contemporary influences. This robust slate of dance and culture events will take place throughout Greater Los Angeles and online May 2-23, 2024.

May 2024 performance highlights include free Leela Dance Collective pop-up performances in Culver City, Venice, Santa Monica and the UCLA campus; Imagine India, a showcase performance by the Leela Youth Dance Company (Artistic Director Rukhmani Mehta); and workshops for UCLA students. Leela Dance Collective will also host Let's Talk Kathak, a series of online conversations featuring kathak artists from Greater Los Angeles. Event details are below.

"We celebrate Indian-American culture and art every day, but Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month offers a special opportunity to connect with our Greater Los Angeles community. Leela Dance Collective, our artists, and our Youth Dance Company are so excited to welcome our loyal supporters and new audiences into the beautiful world of kathak dance," shared Rukhmani Mehta, Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective.

Leela Dance Collective was founded in 2016 by Rukhmani Mehta, Seibi Lee and Rachna Nivas, dedicated to preserving the traditions and technique of classical kathak dance while also sharing the art form with a wide audience of dance and music lovers. Leela began as a collective artistic experiment and has grown to encompass a touring company, youth company and training center, and The Leela Foundation, which is the only endowment fund dedicated to kathak dance and Hindustani music in the U.S. Through traditional works and cross-genre collaborations, Leela brings the richness and depth of classical kathak dance to diverse audiences across the U.S. and India. Notable original works include Encounters with Beauty, which combines traditional kathak dance with contemporary chamber music; SPEAK, a kathak-tap dance collaboration featuring Michelle Dorrance and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards; and Son of the Wind, the story of India's mythological hero, Hanuman, brought to life through dance-drama.

Leela Dance Collective Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month

Event Details

Thursday, May 2 & Friday, May 3 at Noon

Leela Dance Collective Pop Up Performance @ UCLA, in partnership with Center for India and South Asia

FREE

Bruin Plaza, UCLA Campus, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Saturday, May 4 10 & 11am

Leela Dance Collective Pop Up Performance @ Venice Beach

FREE

Find Leela Dance Collective at the busking or artist spots on the Venice Beach Boardwalk

Saturday, May 4 3pm & 4pm

Leela Dance Collective Pop Up Performance @ Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade

FREE

Find Leela Dance Collective at the busking or artist spots on 3rd Street Promenade

Sunday, May 5 Noon, 2pm & 5pm

Leela Dance Collective Pop Up Performance @ Culver City

FREE

The Culver Steps, 9300 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Saturday, May 11 4:30pm & 7:30pm

Imagine India featuring Leela Youth Dance Company

Agoura Hills Performing Arts & Education Center

28545 W Driver Ave, Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Tickets: In-Person $25-50 and Live Stream $10

Saturday, May 18, 5-7pm

Kathak Master Class with Rukhmani Mehta

Electric Lodge 1416 Electric Ave, Venice, CA 90291

FREE

The class is ideal for dancers and dance enthusiasts with some previous experience. Dancers from all forms and backgrounds are welcome.

RSVP Here

May 7-23

Online: Let's Talk Kathak: A Conversation Series Hosted by Rukhmani Mehta, Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective

Tuesdays & Fridays at Noon PST

Featuring Smita Alves, Prachi Dixit, Sonal Kumar Turakhia, Bhairavi Kumar, Rachana Upadhyay, Shweta Saraswat, and Anvita Sharma

FREE

Let's Talk Kathak will stream on Leela Dance Collective's YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram platforms

Photo credit: Babita Sangeeta

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