Daya Arts

#Repost @kirandance #FirstWorldProblems - How many of you get that dreaded "storage is full" on your smartphone? Purging my phone of videos & found this clip from Oct 2019 of me rehearsing "Kubera Navasandhi Kauthuvam" for #Vairavaa - my dance-theater production on the Hindu/Buddhist/Jain deity of wealth. #Dancefamily - @ramyakapadia (Vocal), @kripabaskaran (Nattuvangam), @kasiaysola (Video), @deepti_navile (Rehearsal Space), & @shrudance (Hospitality). . . . P.S. - I d...on't know why I'm clapping my hands so loudly & choreography should be fully credited to K.P. Kitappa Pillai. I based my interpretation on renditions of this navasandhi kauthuvam performed by Vyjayanthimala Bali & Sudharani Raghupathy. For the production, I reduced the number of repetitions & changed a few adavus & hands. . . . #bharatanatyam #indianclassicaldance #livemusic #rehearsal #bts #dayaarts #prakritidance #kubera #guardianofthenorth #yaksha #navasandhikauthuvam See more

Happy Pride! Remembering the magic of #TightSlap2019 at BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance a year ago! My arts organization Daya Arts had hoped to do #TightSlap2020 this year, but honestly, Wes Bane and I couldn’t handle curating a virtual showcase during these difficult times. Wesley is a social worker, an essenial employee who has been working long hours at the COVID-19 battlefront in the Bronx. He’s been on emergency mode now since mid-March, and he puts his health at... risk each and every time he’s out in the field. Meanwhile, I had to navigate major pivots in my part-time jobs to accommodate virtual learning. I had never previously taught online, nor has the non-profit I work at historically dealt with online arts residencies. I had to equip myself very quickly to this new medium of teaching and to ever-shifting (and ever-confusing) policies and paradigms. The lack of separation between my home, work, cross-training, and dance spaces has been especially hard to cope with. But I’m also very cognizant of the privilege of not only working a from home, but also having a home and job(s) during a pandemic. I dedicate my Pride to Wesley and every other frontline, essential employee who can’t work from home and have to be out each and every day. I dedicate my Pride to the artists who are too overwhelmed to share their art right now on virtual platforms. This includes me... I dedicate my Pride to those who continue to fight against discrimination and systemic racism on and off the streets. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay Creative. #BlackLivesMatter

#blackouttuesday #blacklivesmatter

Episode 1 of #ParentsofDancers - a special Mother's Day conversation between co-founder Kiran Rajagopalan and his brilliant mother Vi Rajagopalan - noted psychologist, professor, & poet. Dr. Rajagopalan was truly a revelation in her erudite and incisive conversations about parenting in which she seamlessly integrated perspectives from her background in psychology, her own cross-cultural experiences, and her South Indian upbringing. We hope to continue the conversation with her on a variety of other topics...stay tuned! VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m_rh16e2K4

We hope that you & your loved ones are safe & well during these difficult times! We are pleased to announce the launch of our new IG live series #ParentsofDancers in which professional dancers & their parents engage in conversations about art, life, & creativity. We start with a special Mother’s Day livestream with co-founder Kiran Rajagopalan & his mother Vi Rajagopalan discussing raising dancers, building community, positive psychology, & much more! Be sure to tune in to our IG @dayaartsnyc this Sunday at 10:30AM EST/8:00PM IST . . . #mothersday #mothersofdancers #dancemoms #dayaarts #artisttalks #iglive #family #positivepsychology #ashenamaste #communitybuilding #bharatanatyam #indianclassicaldance #indianclassicalmusic #raisedinthemidwest