Dubai-based Nritya and Natya Dance Academy (NANDA) was founded in 2017 by Iswarya Bharadwaj, a Bharatnatyam exponent, who is also professionally trained in Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam.

At the 4th edition of ‘Nanda Gokula’, Iswarya’s dream project, held recently at Horizon International School in Dubai, over 50 dancers from the United Arab Emirates performed the myriad dance forms in the presence of more than 400 art and culture aficionados. The audience comprised Emiratis, Arabs, Indians, Europeans, Africans, and South East Asians.

“NANDA primarily focuses on creating awareness, teaching, performing, collaborating and choreographing Indian classical dance forms,” says Iswarya, who feels “truly blessed to be raised in an inclusive, tolerant and cooperative country like the UAE”, where she is able to freely spread Indian classical dance forms.

The event was presided over by Prof. Peter Barlow, Executive Director of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, and Jitendra Vaidya, President of Indian People’s Forum.

Well-known personalities from various fields were present on the occasion. Uma Shankri, Shilpa Nair, Shashidhar Nagarajappa, Reema Mahajan and Mohammed Saleem were among those who were felicitated. – editor@nrifocus.com