Leela School of Dance
presents
Dashābdi
A Decade of Growth, Tradition and Dance
Saturday June 28, 2026 at 3pm
Durham Arts Council
120 Morris Street
Durham, NC 27701
On this occasion celebrating a decade since the founding of the school, we are proud to present Dashābdi: A Decade of Growth, Tradition, and Dance. Through music, movement, and storytelling, our students honor the rich heritage of Indian classical dance while sharing the journey that has shaped them.
Leela School of Dance
Founded by Asha Bala, recipient of the 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award for her contribution to the cultural heritage of this state, Leela School of Dance is a center for excellence in dance education. Students receive in-depth instruction in Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form that brings together Indian myth and legend to convey spiritual and philosophical sensibilities.
It is a personal form of prayer where the dancer is inseparable from the dance as the body is trained to become one with the mind and spirit to experience the supreme joy of dance called rasa.
At Leela, we nurture and inspire our dancers to reach these heights in an environment that fosters discipline, dedication and passion for the art. With a well-balanced curriculum, students advance from learning the rudiments of movements to complex dance pieces that form the Bharata Natyam repertoire.
At Leela, dance is more than a performing art. It is an education.
Order of Events
Welcome
Sharlini Sankaran & Diya Rau
Reflections/ Opening Remarks
Sonal & Prayag Bandivadekar
Pushpanjali
Ragam: Natai
Talam: Talamalika
Vocals: Smt. Rama Ganapathy & Guru Sounderrajan Pillai
Choreography: Smt. Asha Bala
Performed by:
Diya Rau, Harini Anantharaman, Lahari Jaligama, Pratishtha Kothari, Nivrithi Kothimbakam, Shanjna Nagalingam, Shivali Bhaskarabatla, Tharuni Chinthapalli, Vaidehi Parmar
Adavus — Building Blocks of Bharatanatyam
Preceded by Guru Vandana
Performed by:
Aatmika Sridhar, Anaitha Tripathi, Kushi Kadlur, Prisha Dhineshkumar
Ganesha Kauthuvam
Followed by Kartikeya Kauthuvam
Ragam: Natai
Talam: Adi
Recited by: Guru Sounderrajan Pillai
Choreography: Smt. Asha Bala
Performed by:
Durga Sreesmaya Bhogadi, Harshini Sreejith, Jeswita Sakamuri, Sahasrakshaya Bhogadi, Shravani Sreejith, Samyukta Aravind
Nottuswaram
Ragam: Sankarabharanam
Talam: Rupakam
Composer: Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar
Choreography: Padmashri Leela Samson
Alarippu
Ragam: Naatai
Talam: Mishra Chapu
Performed by:
Aadya Manukonda, Kaviya Parmar, Tanishkaa Shridhar, Reeva Krishna Koday, Smaya Battula, Prakruthi Mahidharan, Shruti Ravipati, Sahana Venugopal, Gowri Valora Neradugomma
Jatiswaram
Ragam: Kaylani
Talam: Adi
Vocals: Smt. Mathangi Shankar
Choreography: Smt Asha Bala
Performed by:
Pratishtha Kothari
Kaa Vaa Vaa
Ragam: Varali
Talam: Adi
Choreography: Padmashri Leela Samson
Performed by:
Mihika Nakkala, Nandita Anantharaman, RitiMeenakshi Devulapally, Rheann Shiju, Srihaa Vaidya, Swaraa Prayag Bandivadekar
Shri Gowri Sharadhe
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Adi
Vocals: Smt. Kalaimamani Girija Ramaswamy
Choreography: Smt. Asha Bala
Performed by:
Nivrithi Kothimbakkam & Tharuni Chintapalli
Thillana
Ragam: Charukesi
Talam: Adi
Vocals: Smt. Rama Ganapathy
Choreography: Smt. Asha Bala
Performed by:
Durga Sivamani, Nikita Parmar, Rashmi Itagi, Sara Kesan, Sharlini Sankaran, Suma Rau
Recognitions and Reflections of 10 Years of Leela
Smt. Asha Bala
Abhanga Vani
Abhanga Vani is a dance production describing the pilgrimage devotees take to the sacred city of Pandharpur to worship the flute-playing Krishna: the presiding deity of that city.
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Adi
Music Composition: Sri Narayana Mani
Choreography: Smt. Asha Bala
Performed by:
Class A: Diya Rau, Harini Anantharaman, Lahari Jaligama, Pratishtha Kothari, Nivrithi Kothimbakam, Shivali Bhaskarabatla, Tharuni Chinthapalli, Vaidehi Parmar
Class B: Mihika Nakkala, Nandita Anantharaman, RitiMeenakshi Devulapally, Rheann Shiju, Shanjna Nagalingam, Srihaa Vaidya, Swaraa Prayag Bandivadekar
Nayikas: Nikita Parmar, Rashmi Itagi, Ruby Gill, Sara Kesan, Sharlini Sankaran, Suma Rau
Closing
Smt. Asha Bala
Acknowledgements
Artistic Direction and Choreography
Smt. Asha Bala
Music Director
Smt. Smitha Prasad
Emcees
Sharlini Sankaran & Diya Rau
Student Teachers
Vaidehi Parmar, Pratishtha Kothari, Shivali Bhaskarabatla, Shanjna Nagalingam
Costumes
Shanthi Tailors, Chennai, India
Costume Coordination
Deepa Anantharaman, Chaitanya Kosanam, Sonal Bandivadekar
Annual Program Organization Committee
Preeti Chauhan, Deepa Anantharaman, Nikita Parmar, Suma Rau, Sirisha Palakodety, Anantharaman Velayudham, Sharlini Sankaran
Invitation and Digital Program
Durga Sivamani & Nikita Parmar
Slideshow Presentation
Vaidehi Parmar, Pratishtha Kothari, Shivali Bhaskarabatla
Decor Committee
Ravishankar Sivaraman, Shalini Shiju, Sirisha Palakodety, Deepa Anantharaman, Santhoshi Srinivasaraghavan, Anuja Battula, Sarala Kona, Vijaya Kothimbakam, Felcy Selwyn, Sudha Devi Nagalingam
Lighting
Ansel Hollis, Harini Anantharaman, DAC Lighting Technician, Radhika Ramakrishnan, Nisha Polk
Audio
Aravind Ragupathi