Events & Workshops

Devi Bollywood Dance offers a diverse range of programs for colleges, schools, and communities. We focus on the arts and culture of India while inspiring participants to explore innovation within tradition. A variety of programs can be designed based on age, skill level, and interest, including: Performances, Lecture-demonstrations, Workshops, and Residencies.

Upcoming

Winter Solstice

108 Sun Salutations on Winter Solstice

Embrace the transformative power of the season as we gather together for 108 Sun Salutations in honor of the Winter Solstice. Led by the wonderful instructor Megan McClain and accompanied by live drumming from Griffin Brady! This will be an evening of reflection, renewal, and grounding as we honor the longest night of the year and welcome the return of light.

Live Drumming!

Friday, 12/21

Time: 7 – 8:30pm

Cost: $25

Past Events & Workshops

Vaanavil Arts and Crafts - Holiday Edition

Dot Mandala Painting

Come, join us for an evening of DOT MANDALA PAINTING🎨🖌 Dot Mandala is a beautiful, colorful and meditative art form that helps you relax, destress and concentrate. Find the artist in you with us ! 🎨 No previous art experience needed. All materials will be provided.

Chai and Samosas provided!

Friday, 11/22

Time: 7 – 8:30pm

Cost: $45

Rhythms of the World: A Day of Movement and Connection

Join us for a day of incredible dance classess led by some of Buffalo’s finest instructors.

What to expect: Salsa, Bellydance, Modern, Garba and more!

10-11am Drumming Class with Griffin Brady

11:15-12:15 PM Salsa Class with Natasha

12:30-1:30 PM Indian Classical Dance with Nitya

2PM-3:15 PM Modern Contemporary dance w/ Holli Simme

3:30-4:30 PM Bellydance with Kenzie

5-6 PM Somatic Movement with Megan and Live Jazz by Alex McArthur (Equinox Special)

 

Sunday, 09/22/2024

 10 – 6:00pm

Cost: $60/day, $20/class

Saree Wearing & 'Dole Re Dole'

Think you can’t wear a Saree? Think again, we are offering an opportunity for you to feel and look your best.

What to expect: We will learn how to drape a saree, we will learn some interesting history and facts about it and then have a short dance choreography to the song “Dole Re Dole” From the film Devdas  

What to bring: Bring a saree that you have tucked away waiting for that special occasion or borrow one from us.

Bring a long skirt or leggings to wear underneath.

Friday, 09/13/2024

 7 – 8:30pm

Cost: $35

Bollywood Wedding Choreography

Let’s get the wedding season ready! We are calling all guests, bridesmaids, bridal parties, aunties, uncles, and even the cameraman!
In this class, you will learn three upbeat, fun for your next Indian wedding, and you will receive the music track for your playlist (or share it with the DJ)!
Be ready to make some moves on the dance floor and party all night long with everyone.

Friday, 06/21

Time: 7 – 8:30pm

Cost: $35

Gong Bath

Liz Holland
Join us, as we embark on another meditative sound bath with gongs. Reserving your spot is HIGHLY encouraged , as we are reducing capacity for this event.

As early as 4000 B.C., gongs have been used as spiritual tools to help guide meditation. A gong produces motions and vibrations that cause frequencies of difference ranges. Scientific studies have shown the therapeutic use of sound frequencies to benefit overall health and well-being. Immersion in a full gong bath takes the participant on a journey of meditation and self-healing.

A sound bath using gongs is a meditative sonic experience, where the participant is “bathed” in sound waves from various gongs. The practice finds it’s roots in ancient cultures and Kundalini yoga and is more recently used by sound healing practitioners.
The participant can expect to be taken on a meditation journey enhanced and assisted by the frequencies of these ancient instruments. The experience will last roughly 45 minutes and led by Liz Holland, MM Percussion Performance.

Liz Holland M.M., practitioner of Ancient Alloys, has been a percussionist for her entire life. She holds a M.M. in Percussion Performance, with a focus in exploratative techniques of percussive instruments for new music. She has been features in Drum! magazine, Modern Drummer, and has toured and performed around the country many times. A native of Buffalo, NY, she is now based in Seattle, Washington.

Thursday, May 23rd

Time: 7-8pm

Cost: $25

Kathak Masterclass with Jayeeta Dutta

Adults Kathak Workshop  w/ performance opportunity

Students will learn a Saraswati composition and a technical composition, which they will perform on Friday.

Wednesday 4/24 | Time: 6-8 pm 

Thursday 4/25 | Time: 7-9 pm 

Rate: $65 (includes 2 tickets to performance) – NON-PERFORMANCE RATE: $35

Kids Kathak Workshop w/ performance opportunity: 
Students will learn a simple Kathak composition, which they will perform on Friday.
 
Thursday 4/25 | Time: 6-7 pm | 
Rate: $35 (includes 4 tickets to performance)

Please note: All classes are held at Devi Bollywood Dance Studio.

Kathak Performance | Friday, April 26th at 7PM

Enjoy a Kathak performance by world-renowned Kathak performer Jayeeta Dutta. This program will include a beautiful Kathak performance by local students and a professional Kathak performance by Jayeeta Dutta. We will follow with a talk and a meet and greet.

Location: Elmwood Commons Auditorium | 3200 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14228

Time: 7-8 pm (followed by discussion)

Purchase Adult Workshop


Select Option





Purchase Kids Workshop



Kathak Performance



Intro to Bharatanatyam with

Nitya Seshadri

The name Bharatanatyam signifies three concepts coming together, BHA- bhaava or emotions, RA- raaga or melody/musicality and TA- taala or rhythm. This class will take the dancers through these three fundamental concepts through a dive into Kalakshetra technique of Bharatanatyam. Participants will get a chance to explore emotion, story-telling and rhythm through their bodies and embody movement patterns such as crisp turns, deep plies, rhythmic grounded patterns with feet, classical hand gestures and graceful angular movements that are the signature of Bharatanatyam.

The dancers will get a chance to explore emotion, story-telling and rhythm through their bodies and embody movement patterns such as crisp turns, deep plies, rhythmic grounded patterns with feet, classical hand gestures and graceful angular movements that are the signature of Bharatanatyam.

Bio: Nitya Seshadri Vedantam is a performer-teacher-choreographer of Bharatanatyam and Modern dance. She holds a diploma in Bharatanatyam from Kalakshetra and a Master’s in Dance from Hyderabad Central University and an MFA in dance from SUNY Buffalo. She is currently an adjunct faculty at SUNY Buffalo where she teaches various courses including Global Dance Studies. She is an empanelled artiste of the Broadcasting Ministry of India. She has conducted several performances, master classes and workshops across the globe, including University at Buffalo, SUNY Fredonia, Purdue University, Ithaca College, Buffalo State College, Southern Utah University, Hyderabad Central University and MGI Mauritius. Nitya’s conference presentations include ACDA North-East Regional Conference, NYSDEA, NDEO and DSA. She has served as the graduate representative 2018-19, on the board of National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). Nitya also served as an adjunct faculty of dance at the Buffalo State College. Her dance style reflects the symbiosis between Bharatanatyam and modern dance, creating new avenues for movement exploration.
Labonee
Labonee

Kathak Workshop

Workshop Overview
  • Kathak technique – footwork, body/arms movement, and pirouettes
  • Dynamic choreography
  • Rhythmic Compositions and the underlying Mathematics
  • Kathak Yoga- unifying body and mind through dancing and simultaneously counting the rhythm
  • Lakshmi Composition
For Kids:
  • Kathak technique – footwork, body/arms movement, and spins
  • Dancing Poems & Stories
  • Basics of Indian Classical Rhythm

Kids class:

  • Tues (10/8) 6:15-7pm

Adult Classes:

  • Tues (10/8) 7-8:30pm
  • Wed (10/9) 7-8:30pm

 

Labonee Mohanta, disciple of Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das,  began her training in Kathak dance at the early age of 8. She is a prominent solo artist, regularly performing Kathak solos to great acclaim in dance and music festivals throughout the United States, Canada, India, and Europe. Labonee has become renowned for dynamism in her dance, fiery footwork, subtlety and grace in movement, and performing some of the fastest pirouettes in the field of Indian dance today. She also employs the technique “Kathak Yoga” where she simultaneously sings the rhythmic cycle, dances complex mathematical patterns, and plays an instrument at the same time. Labonee is the Artistic Director of Lavanya Academy of Indian Arts in California, where she trains her dance company and teaches 50 students in 3 locations in the Bay Area.  

**Prices increase October 4th

 

Kids: 10/8/2024

Time:  6:15PM- 7PM

Adults: 10/8/2024 & 10/9/2024 

Time: 7-8:30PM

Select Option

108 Sun Salutation Class

Celebrate Spring Equinox with us:

  • Studio Blessings led by Gaitrie Subryan
  • Meditation 
  • 108 Sun Salutations led by Megan McClain Kwacz 

Why 108 Salutations? It is a meditative practice that connects the body, the mind, and the universe specifically when nature is undergoing a change.

Tuesday, 03/19/2024

 7 – 9 pm

Cost: $25 |




Nicolette Ferguson

Afro-Caribbean Master Class

Let’s go to Jamaica!!! Enjoy a movement class introducing the traditional folk and contemporary dances of Jamaica. Taught by Nicolette Ferguson, be prepared to engage your mind, body and soul. Don’t forget your water bottles and attire is bare feet and comfortable clothing.

Date: Friday, 01/12/2024

 7-8:30pm

Sliding Scale $10-$25

Holli Simme

Silk Fan Dance Class

Come learn something new or brush up on your skills! We will cover the basics of fan dance, and integrate footwork and whole-body movements to take your fan dancing to the next level. Please bring your own set of fans if possible. Extra fans will be available for practice but not for purchase.

Date: Friday, 01/12/2024

 7-8:30pm

Sliding Scale $10-$25

Bhangra for Beginners

This energetic Beginner Bhangra class will entice your head, shoulder, knees, and toes to get moving and grooving! Bhangra, is a folk dance from Punjab which is mainstream on social media and around the world. Join us for an evening of fun learning and easy dance moves.

Instructor: Sunny Soloman

Tuesdays 11/7,  11/14, 11/21

 6:30 – 7:30pm

Cost: $23 per class

Dot Mandala Workshop
Vaanavil Arts and Crafts - Holiday Addition

Dot Mandala Painting

Come, join us for an evening of DOT MANDALA PAINTING🎨🖌 Dot Mandala is a beautiful, colorful and meditative art form that helps you relax, destress and concentrate. Find the artist in you with us ! 🎨 No previous art experience needed. All materials will be provided.

Wine and Snacks provided!

Friday, 11/17

Time: 6:30 – 8pm

Cost: $40

Garba Workshop

Garba is a fun dance form that originates from the state of Gujarat in India. The steps are easy to learn, and it’s fun to watch even if you’re not the dancing type! Garba is typically done during Navratri, it is a Hindu festival, literally meaning “nine nights”. While this festival is celebrated in various ways across India, Gujarat follows the prime tradition of performing Garba dance for nine nights as a symbol of respect for the goddess. Open to adults and kids

Friday, 10/13

 7- 8:30pm

Cost: $20 | $30 (day of)

3 Day Intensive: Back to Basics

Our 3 day intensive is open to everyone whis looking to get back into moving! We will focus on technique & conditioning for dance, building a yoga practice, body alignment, turns, hand movements, and gestures & expressions.

Friday 9/29 7-830pm

Saturday 9/30 6-730pm

Sunday 10/1 11-12:30pm

Dot Mandala Painting
Vaanavil Arts and Crafts

Dot Mandala Painting

Come, join us for an evening of DOT MANDALA PAINTING🎨🖌 Dot Mandala is a beautiful, colorful and meditative art form that helps you relax, destress and concentrate. Find the artist in you with us ! 🎨 No previous art experience needed. All materials will be provided.

Wine and Snacks provided!

Wednesday, August 16th

Time: 7:00 – 9pm

Sold Out

Gaitrie Subryan and Naryan Padmanbha

Yoga and Live Sitar

The goal of this class is to strengthen the larger muscle groups of the body, building balance and stability, while incorporating the multiple benefits of a mindful yoga practice. In this class we will use physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises, and meditation to improve our overall health and wellness.
* We will have a live sitar player as a musical accompaniment.

Thursday, August 10th

Time: 7:00 – 8pm

Cost: $30

Sukanya
Sukanya Burman

Indian Contemporary

Indian Contemporary Workshop is an hour and a half long session exploring the classical movement vocabulary from Bharatanatyam, Kathak and western contemporary technique inspired and influenced by these traditions. The workshop will begin with a warm up starting with breathing, mobility drills and yoga based stretches. This will be followed by floorwork and center work, particularly looking at the concepts of body and principles of movement embedded in NatyaShastra (ancient Indian philosophy on dance, dramaturgy and movement). The participants then will be led through a dance phrase creation using the unique contemporary movement language inspired, informed, and influenced by the concepts and principles of Indian physical and performance disciplines. The workshop will culminate with building your own Indian Contemporary dance phrase and a meditative cool down routine.

Saturday, July 29th

Time: 11:00 – 12:30pm

Cost: $30

Find Your Beat: Bollywood & Afro-Caribbean Dance w/live drummers

In this free workshop we will focus on:

– Learn choreography from Gaitrie Subryan of Devi Bollywood and Megan Rakeepile from Mahatammoho Collective. The choreography will be an excerpt from our production “Find Your Beat”

– Afro-Caribbean and Indian/Bollywood movements, vocabulary and technique

– Discussions with drummers and choreographers about the creative process and artistic direction with this excerpt

– Rhythm, sounds, energy

This workshop is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Statewide Community Regrant (SCR) program

Katak Workshop Buffalo NY

Wednesday, 06/5/2024

 6 – 8pm

Cost: $25

Wednesday, 06/5/2024

 6 – 8pm

Cost: $25