BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE
Atlanta, GA, November 17, 2020: In recent years, Forsyth County has seen tremendous growth in the local Indian population. A testament to the fact, Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts, in association with Forsyth County Arts Alliance are slated host “UTSAV 2020”, Forsyth Indian Dance Festival, featuring traditional Indian dances. The virtual event is slated to be streamed live on Facebook on November 21st at 6.30 pm and November 22nd at 11.30 am and 6.30 pm.
First of its kind, UTSAV 2020 will feature award winning, Indian traditional dancers from Forsyth, St. Louis, and India, along with five dance schools from the Forsyth neighborhood. The event will be telecast live on www.facebook.com/sooryafoundation.
The festival features performances from award winning dance gurus Sushma Mohan, Prasanna Kasthuri, Pulikeshi Kasthuri, Forsyth Indian dance schools and gurus including Naada Arts Academy, Darshini Natyalaya, Samyuktam Natya Academy and Bharatha Darshana, Soorya Performing Arts from St.Louis, and Shantala Dance Ensemble from Bangalore.
“I wanted to do a festival and create a platform that features young talent specially in the US. There are so many kids that learn dance but with zero opportunities. I got in touch with the Forsyth County Arts Alliance to ask for assistance and we were awarded a grant to undertake this event,” said Sushma Mohan, Artistic Director- Secretary, Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts. Mohan will be performing ‘SRICHAKRA-the holy geometry’ at the festival.
Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts was one of the recipients of the grant presented by The Forsyth County Arts Alliance (FCAA) this year to thirteen different Forsyth County arts organizations, projects, or entities. The Forsyth County Arts Alliance was created in 2005 by proceeds from the sale of the Sawnee Arts Center. Since 2008, the FCAA has awarded about $550,000 in grants and scholarships.
You may contact sooryafoundationla@gmail.com for more information.
The lineup includes:
November 21st 6.30 pm
Prajna Balaji – Soorya Arts Academy GA
Varsha Jinka Ashok – Naada Arts Academy, GA
Guru Gayathri Sheshadri – Darshini Natyalaya, GA
Guru Prasanna Kasthuri – Soorya Performing Arts St.Louis
November 22nd Sunday 11.30 am
Guru Pulikeshi Kasthuri – Bangalore
Shantala Dance Ensemble – Bangalore
November 22nd Sunday 6.30 pm
Preetha Subramanyam – Samyuktam Natya Academy, GA
Soujanya Madhusudan – Bharatha Darshana, GA
Sushma Mohan – Soorya Arts Academy, GA