Chandrabhanu Bharatalaya Academy

Happy 60th birthday to Krushna ji!
🥳💝🎂
Perfect way to celebrate, performing to his heart's content at LEGACY Odissi Festival!

Don't miss it...book your tix!

https://arts.darebin.vic.gov.au/Whats-on/Legacy-Odissi-Festival

Last chance to see Dashamahavidya during today's show at 4pm.
Next week we are presenting Navadurga.

Legacy: Odissi Festival Celebrating the 60th birthday of Dr. Chandrabhanu OAM and Krushna Chandra Ray

LEGACY: Grand Odissi Festival
Aug 1st, 2nd & 8th, Darebin Arts Centre, Preston
🎟 Book your tickets now!🎟
https://arts.darebin.vic.gov.au/Whats-on/Legacy-Odissi-Festival

In total, we have 20 dancers, who are busy rehearsing! And the musicians from Odisha will be arriving soon.
We are premiering a new composition 'Ravana Stotram', and re-presenting two powerful classics: Dashamahavidya and Navadurga.

Book your tickets to witness the legacy! ✨️

All our efforts are futile without an audience! You are equally important to witness and preserve the legacy. We have planned x4 shows across two weekends in August...I hope you can join us to be a part of our LEGACY as well?

As usual, the Odissi music for the LEGACY season will be sublime.
Visiting us from Odisha this time will be...
Dibakar Parida on Pakhwaj
Soumya Ranjan Joshi on Flute
Sabyasachi Rout on Sitar
Pradeep Kumar Moharana on Violin.

The pakhwaj rhythms, together with the melodies of the flute, sitar and violin will provide beautiful support for Krushna Chandra Ray's vocals.
Join us for a memorable experience of Odissi music and dance.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/legacy-odissi-dance-show

Legacy: Odissi Festival Celebrating the 60th birthday of Dr. Chandrabhanu OAM and Krushna Chandra Ray

Reminiscing as we prepare for LEGACY: Grand Odissi Festival
Aug 1st, 2nd & 8th, Darebin Arts Centre, Preston
🎟 Book your tickets now!🎟
https://arts.darebin.vic.gov.au/Whats-on/Legacy-Odissi-Festival

Meet our dancers...

Chandini Doguparthy

Chandini began learning Bharatanatyam in 1998 at the age of seven at Bharatalaya Academy after being inspired by watching her mother learn the art form. She completed her Arangetram in 2007 and has continued to perform in Bharatalaya productions while further developing her practice.

In 2023, Chandini commenced training in Odissi, embracing the opportunity to broaden her knowledge of Indian classical dance and explore a new style.

Outside of dance, Chandini is a marketing professional in the biotechnology sector. She also enjoys travelling and discovering new places with her family. As the proud mother of two young boys, the theme of Legacy holds particular significance, reflecting the cultural traditions she hopes to share with the next generation.

Chandini is grateful to her gurus, Mamu and Ambika Akka, her family, and her fellow dancers for their unwavering encouragement and support, and is honoured to be part of this celebration.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/legacy-odissi-dance-show

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EvaohycUD/

Reminiscing as we prepare for LEGACY: Grand Odissi Festival

Aug 1st, 2nd, 7th & 8th, Darebin Arts Centre, Preston

🎟 Tickets now available 🎟
https://arts.darebin.vic.gov.au/Whats-on/Legacy-Odissi-Festival

Meet our dancers..

Anushka Banerjee

My dance journey started at Bharatalaya, learning Bharata Natyam from the age of five and eventually completing my arangetram at sixteen in 2009. After what I’ll call a short break, I returned in 2023, this time to (finally) begin my Odissi journey. Coming back to dance felt like returning to a part of myself I hadn’t realised I missed. What was once something I simply learned and did now feels far more intentional and personal.

Mamu has shown me that dance is about much more than movement. While learning choreography is one thing, understanding the feeling, intention, and connection behind it is another challenge entirely. It’s something I’m still learning, but it has given me a much deeper appreciation for dance.

Watching his choreography evolve in real time alongside live music composed by Krushna Ji, while Ambika Akka thoughtfully brings together every production and costume detail, is truly unique. Especially knowing how rare it is to experience a creative process like this, something I don’t take for granted.

I’m fortunate to be performing in Legacy alongside such a talented and dedicated cast, spanning multiple generations. To me, this is a testament to the legacy Mamu has built over so many decades, and together we hope to play a small part in carrying that legacy forward.

Photography credit:
Lyrical Sky, Prashaanth Ravindran

https://www.gofundme.com/f/legacy-odissi-dance-show

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18YhVyDHvB/