"After I began training in modern dance and ballet alongside my Kuchipudi practice, I found myself naturally choreographing phrases to Western classical music that deeply moved me. Even though I felt insecure about sharing my crossover work—blending Indian classical dance with Western classical music—because I was still new to modern dance, I pushed through my self-doubt. I posted it on Instagram, driven purely by my love for the art form.

 

To my surprise, these posts caught the attention of the renowned violinist Vijay Gupta, who later commissioned me for his residency at Music Worcester. He needed a group dancer for This Love Between Us, a composition by Reena Esmail. That’s when I formed the Kritya Modern Dance Ensemble, which allowed us to premiere at the historic Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA.

 

For this project, I made sure all the dancers trained in Kuchipudi fundamentals to honor the crossover between Indian classical and Western dance forms. Reena’s music, which beautifully fuses Hindustani and Western classical traditions, became a natural fit for the ensemble. This experience not only solidified my collaboration with Vijay and Reena but also deepened my passion for bridging artistic worlds. It’s one of the reasons we continue to work together frequently—our shared love for cross-cultural, cross-genre creations."