What We Do

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Creation of new dance works for all audiences.

The creation of new dance works is a significant aspect of Sahana Dance Company's artistic vision. Our dancers and choreographers collaborate to develop innovative and original pieces that explore traditional Indian classical dance forms in contemporary contexts. Through experimentation and exploration, we seek to push the boundaries of traditional dance, creating new and exciting works that reflect the evolving nature of the art form. Our is to not only honor the heritage of Indian classical dance but also to contribute to the ongoing development and relevance of the art form in the modern world. We are committed to nurturing creativity and fostering the growth of new dance works that inspire, challenge, and engage audiences. Check out our latest work here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKn3A4rvqmU

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Arts Education 

A Bharatanatyam workshop conducted by Sahana Dance Company typically involves a comprehensive exploration of this ancient Indian classical dance form. The workshop is designed to cater to participants of varying skill levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners. The workshop's activities may include: technique training, Abhinaya (expressional dance & storytelling), choreography, music & rhythm, and cultural context and history. 

Workshops, and informational sessions for emerging artists, students and audience members  fosters our objective of taking dance beyond the traditional studio and venue settings, and bending the boundaries between spectators and performers. Committed to taking dance beyond the traditional studio and venue settings, Sahana Dance Company has developed unique outreach initiatives to make dance accessible to all. We often engage communities in offering classes and workshops, pre-show chats, post-show talk backs, information sessions and intimate performance experiences. These ventures feed our desire to close the gap between us and our spectators and community. These activities can be customized to the needs of every theatre, school, or community based on their desires and unique needs.

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Dance Series And Festival

We will host a Dance series/festival, “Samarpanam” to invite Canadian and International dancers to present their work. The Samarpanam Dance Series and Festival is an important initiative by Sahana Dance Company. The series and festival are dedicated to showcasing the diversity and richness of Indian classical dance styles, featuring renowned dancers from around the world. It serves as a platform for artists to present their traditional and innovative works, providing a space for collaboration, learning, and exchange. The festival also aims to promote cross-cultural understanding by bringing together audiences from diverse backgrounds to appreciate the beauty and significance of Indian dance. Through the Samarpanam Dance Series and Festival, Sahana Dance Company seeks to highlight the artistry and talent within the Tamil dance community while contributing to the preservation and promotion of this rich cultural heritage. 

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Link to our Festival from 2016:

https://livestream.com/accounts/1729214/events/2189366/videos/141909802

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Summer Camps & Summer Youth Company

We also conduct “summer camps” focused on dance, theatre, music, history, languages, dance dramas and storytelling for children and youth in Markham. Camp leaders are funded by the Canada Summer Jobs Program. The camp is intended to provide culturally meaningful recreation to the children of the south asian community in markham. There is a need for diverse opportunities for the community of south asian children in markham where they can live, learn and play. By learning classical indian dance, the children of the community are learning about their own culture, such as south asian languages (tamil, sanskrit), and history. This camp will allow the tamil community to really come together and experience their diverse cultural activities. This camp will directly work with newcomers to Canada, members of the visible minority, children and youth. leaders will be in charge of educating students on storytelling and reading short stories relating to dance history and dance dramas. This multicultural storytelling will aid students in the understanding of dance dramas before partaking in them. The dance dramas will includes stories of ‘Silapathikaran’, an important historical scripture, and elements from the great Mahabharatham, the epic of India. Additionally, the leaders will be in charge of coaching and beginning the first training for teaching the dance associated with these stories as well as incorporating music and the element of drama. Reenacting these dance dramas are an important part of Indian classical dance and an important part of the history of which the dance form streams from. This program will lead and provide students the opportunity to learn the language of the meaning, obtaining an understanding of tamil folklore music and learning to appropriately wear makeup for the dance items. Some of the most important topics that children will be able cover include “5 grounds of dance”, Chera, Cholan & Pandian dynasties (tamil history of the the king dynasty - ancient times), 2 styles of koothu (vaithiyal (royal) and podhuviyal (public)). This will help to serve the diverse needs of the tamil community in Markham. 

The Summer Company, our annual youth program also funded by the Canada Summer Jobs, provides emerging dancers, musicians, and production workers with seasonal full-time employment. Since 2014, it has been an opportunity for youth to train, create, and perform alongside peers, and professional artists and is driven by the desire to give back to the arts community by supporting new artistic voices.