Bharatanatyam in Canada

Nova Dance is developing an exhibition with a national partner exploring the history and evolution of Bharatanatyam in Canada through the stories, objects, memories, and lived experiences of the community.

We invite artists, teachers, students, and community members across Canada to contribute salangai with personal or historical significance, arangetram and performance materials, photographs, archival records, and oral histories.

Together, we hope to build a living archive that preserves not only performances and milestones, but the teaching lineages, relationships, artistic practices, and communities that have carried Bharatanatyam across generations in Canada.

We are particularly interested in:

Salangai (ghungroo) with personal or historical significance. If the exhibition is confirmed, selected salangai would be borrowed for display during the anticipated exhibition period of January 2027 through April 2027. They would remain the property of their owners and be returned at the end of the exhibition. At this stage, we are asking people to identify salangai they may be willing to lend. We will discuss permissions, handling, display, and return arrangements directly with each lender before accepting any items.

Arangetram and performance materials, including programmes, invitations, posters, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other archival records. These materials may be shared digitally, loaned temporarily for display, or donated, depending on your preference and comfort level.

Artists, teachers, and practitioners willing to participate in oral history interviews about:

• Training and artistic journeys

• Community building and cultural transmission

• The evolution of Bharatanatyam within the Canadian diaspora