THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
Executive Director, Crystal Field
Presents
FESTIVAL OF INDIA
Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 8:00 pm & 9:00 pm
Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 3:00 pm & 4:00pm
Tickets – $25
COMMUNITY SPACE
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
155 First Avenue (between 9th and 10th Street)
New York, NY 10003
Directions
Festival of India Dance Workshop
Saturday, April 4, 8:00pm
Amulya Pilla, a Kuchipudi dancer with more than two decades of experience is a dedicated disciple of Smt. Padma Sonti and Smt. Bala Tripura Sundari.
Amulya has played lead roles in several dance-drama productions, has taught and choreographed traditional and fusion pieces, and is an ardent believer that passing sacred art forms to future generations requires deep respect to its origins and intentional evolutions to its details.
Amulya is also a singer-songwriter, educator, and event planner.
Holi – Indian Spring Festival
Saturday, April 5, 9:00pm
Join us in welcoming the Spring and celebrate Holi – the Indian Festival of colors.
Time to clap your hands and tap your feet to some joyous traditional songs in six different Indian Languages with our amazing artists.
Om Guha has studied Hindustani Classical Music for sixteen years under the guidance of Shri Hemant Kulkarni. He performs Classical, Semi-Classical, Bhajans, and Light music in languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi.
Om has performed at National and International Venues like Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in Madison Square Garden, the International Indian Icon in Chicago and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs North America in Mumbai, India.
Abhinav Acharya has studied Tabla for the last nine years under the tutelage of Shri Prabhakar Betrebet. He has performed with the Archana Joglekar Institute and artists like Naveen Kumar and Pt. Supratik Sengupta.
Srikar has studied Harmonium with Guru Hemant Kulkarni for over ten years and has performed solo pieces at numerous competitions. He has also accompanied Singers,Tabla Players and Kathak Dancers. He served as Music Chair of the University of Michigan’s Indian Classical Music and Dance Organization.
Saraswati and Natraj Arts Festival
Sunday, April 5, 3:00pm
Come join us for an afternoon of amazing performances by our rising stars.
Enjoy a wide array of Indian Classical Arts and Indian Folk Arts from various parts of India.
The event begins with a Saraswati Vandana in Raag Bhairavi by singer Oviya Gandhi and tabla player Argha Dev Paul followed by Classical Dance performances by students of Guru Liza Joseph’s Natyamudra Dance School and Folk Dance performances by students of Guru Sonal Jhaveri’s Khushi Dance School.
Oviya Gandhi is a 9th grader with a passion for Hindustani vocal classical music who has completed the Madhyama Pratham level through the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal. She trains under Guru Smt. Anjali Nandedkar of Swaranjali Music Institution. Oviya regularly participates in community events. She is also plays the flute for her school’s marching band. She has performed with her band at a University of Pennsylvania football game.
Argha Dev Paul’s passion for tabla started at the age of 3years and he began his training at the age of 7 under Guru Uchhal Banerjee. He has performed at at Columbia University as part of Dhwani Academy and performed solo at Mandra Saptak’s August Baithak. He is also a member of Dinesh Band at Sri Chinmoy Center. Argha has accompanied musical artists Sarod player, Puspen Dey.
Kiara Mahindru is an 8th grader who has been training in Bharatanatyam under Guru Liza Joseph at Natyamudra School of Dance since the age of 7 years. Apart from being a member of the National Junior Honor Society, Kiara is also a member of her school’s Drama Club through crocheting and sewing, crafting with the same patience and precision that defines everything she does.
Kavya Mahindru has been training with Guu Liza Joseph’s Natyamudra School of Dance since the age of 3 years and has performed at various cultural events . A Junior Kavya also competes in both Cross Country and Track and serves as Co-founder/Co-president of the school’s Psychology Club. A member of the National Honor Society and National English Honor Society, she enjoys writing poetry, listening to music.
Anvi Iyer is a 3rd grader at Ardsley Elementary School who has been studying Bharatanatyam with Guru Liza Joseph at Natyamudra School of dance.
Dahlia, a 3rd grader has been training with Guru Liza Joseph’s Natyamudra School of Dance. She expresses her creativity through singing, sketching and enjoys skating and swimming.
Festival of India Sitar Workshop
Sunday, April 5, 4:00pm
Come and join us for a spectacular Sitar performance by a rising young artist Om Guha and Tabla Player Abhinav Acharya.
Om has studied Sitar for the last ten years under the tutelage of Pandit Supratik Sengupta Ji and Pandit Indrajit Banerjee Ji and has incorporated his Sitar into Music Therapy Research at local Medical Hospitals. He has performed Sitar at various venues in New York and New Jersey.
Abhinav Acharya has studied Tabla for the last nine years under the tutelage of Shri Prabhakar Betrebet. He has performed with the Archana Joglekar Institute and artists like Naveen Kumar and Pt. Supratik Sengupta.