Speaker & Performer
Drawing from decades of performance and pedagogy, Leela Samson reflects on the evolving language of Bharatanatyam, tracing its journey from inherited tradition to contemporary inquiry. Through a combination of critical reflection and demonstration by dancer Bhavajan Kumar, she examines the form’s foundational principles while engaging with questions of interpretation, continuity, and change.
The session will explore how Bharatanatyam’s vocabulary and expressive possibilities have been shaped over time, and how dancers today negotiate its historical frameworks alongside present day sensibilities. By interweaving practice with insight, the lecture demonstration offers audiences an understanding of how the form continues to transform while remaining rooted in its aesthetic and philosophical core.
This event is a part of our programming to celebrate World Dance Day 2026, ‘The Many Lives of Dance’.
Speaker & Performer
Leela Samson
Leela Samson is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer who trained at Kalakshetra, Chennai (1961–67), earning a first-class diploma and later joining its repertory, performing widely in India and abroad. From 1975 to 2005, she taught in Delhi and developed Spanda, a body of choreographic work celebrated for its innovative yet rooted approach to Bharatanatyam.
Renowned for her precise nritta and sensitive abhinaya, she has performed at major dance festivals internationally. She served as Director of Kalakshetra (2005–2012), where she expanded its academic scope and led initiatives in publications, films, and archival documentation.
Leela has also held key cultural leadership roles as Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (2010–2014) and the Central Board of Film Certification (2011–2015). An author of books including Rhythm in Joy and Rukmini Devi: A Life, she has also appeared in films such as O Kadhal Kanmani and others across Indian cinema.
She is the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the Padma Shri, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Nritya Choodamani, and Natya Kala Acharya.
Bhavajan Kumar
Bhavajan Kumar is a sensitive Bharatanatyam artiste with a captivating stage presence, precision in movement and a deep devotion to the art form, he is a natural artiste with an innate understanding of the art he practices.
Bhavajan Kumar is a disciple of Guru Leela Samson. He not only absorbs and imbibes the subtle nuances of his guru’s distinctive style, but is also keen on presenting the art with sincerity, keeping intact its aesthetic and spiritual essence.
He is a recipient of various recognitions and awards from prestigious sabhas. As part of the Spanda Dance Company directed by Leela Samson, Bhavajan has performed extensively with the company worldwide.
As a keen student of Bharatanatyam, Bhavajan continues to learn and discover the intricacies of the art and strives to adhere to its aesthetic beauty.
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The Many Lives of Dance
World Dance Day 2026
