We R Dancing 2025 Day 2

Day 2

Kathak - Maithili Patel
Maithili Patel is a Kathak dancer and choreographer based in New Jersey. Under the mentorship of her Guru Dr. Pali Chandra she has been fortunate to share her work globally (Dubai Kathak Festival London Parliament House of Lords Modhera Dance Festival). Kathak a storytelling dance form allows her to weave narratives that reflect on contemporary human experiences while still staying true to her cultural roots. Maithili’s debut choreography Dark Inside (2018) explored themes of mental illness and internal conflict while Quantum Dances (2025) delved into concepts from quantum mechanics.

Shilpanatanam - Aishwarya Madhav
Aishwarya Madhav is an Indian classical dancer and an Arts educator. I have studied Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi under renowned Gurus in India. I have performed widely across India and the US at prestigious venues like the Lincoln Center Yale University 92Y and famed festivals such as Battery Dance Queens Borough Dance Festival etc. As a Dance educator in NYC public schools I have taught more than 2000 students introducing Indian cultural dances and Yoga to students.

Shilpanatanam - Bharathi Penneswaran
The Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Aalokam Bharathi Penneswaran is an accomplished dancer and choreographer based in New York City. She specializes in Shilpanatanam and imbues traditional Indian dance with a boldly energetic perspective. Aalokam Productions melds traditional and contemporary themes to create a unique set of works that combine music movement acting and storytelling.

Aalokam Dance Company was founded in 2014 by Bharathi Penneswaran and Jyotsna Kalyansundar in New York City. Today it is led by Artistic Director Bharathi Penneswaran and is rooted in the traditions of Bharatanatyam and Shilpanatanam. The company creates work that bridges traditional vocabulary with contemporary themes. Aalokam produces original productions curates festivals such as We R Dancing and trains dancers of all ages through its school. Its vision is to hold space for both rigorous classical practice and progressive storytelling centering women’s voices immigrant narratives and ecological themes.

You may also like the following events from Aalokam:

• This Saturday, 4th October, 06:30 pm, We R Dancing 2025 Day 1 in New York