Sa Dance Company to Present RISE: A JOURNEY THROUGH RESILIENCE

The Sa Dance Company, an all-female ensemble that combines Indian classical and folk dance with contemporary movement and storytelling, performs RISE: A Journey Through Resilience on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center on the campus of California State University, Long Beach.

Told in four movements, RISE follows the journey of an Indian woman from the aspirations of youth through social expectations and adversity to a renewed sense of hope that emerges through faith and sisterhood. The work celebrates women's empowerment, paying tribute to the resilience, sacrifice, and generosity of grandmothers, mothers, and aunts who have paved the way for women of today. Sa's style is defined by grace, expression, layered choreography, and intricate formations, offering an accessible window into modern Indian American communities.

A pioneer in contemporary Indian dance, The Sa Dance Company performed at the White House's 2022 Diwali reception attended by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. Sa Dance has also appeared at Lincoln Center, SummerStage and the Ailey Citigroup Theater, and has worked with Disney, Art Basel, and New York Fashion Week. Members of the company have been recipients of the Princess Grace Award, L.A. Treasures Award, and YoungArts National Merit Award. Artistic Director Payal Kadakia Pujji trained in traditional Indian folk dance, jazz, contemporary dance, Bollywood, and ballet. Her work with Sa draws on these cross-cultural influences to connect Indian movement and storytelling with contemporary South Asian dance. Payal founded Sa in 2008 and is also the founder of ClassPass.

A Q&A with Artistic Director Payal Kadakia Pujji follows the performance.

Sa Dance's RISE is part of the Carpenter Center's Dance Series, which also includes performances by Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo on Feb. 6 and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana on March 20. Dance Series subscriptions are available for $123. Additional dance performances not part of the Dance Series include Pacífico Dance Company on Dec. 4 and Forever Tango on Dec. 6.

Event Details

The Sa Dance Company — RISE: A Journey Through Resilience

When: Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m.

Venue: Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815

Tickets: $45–$65 at carpenterarts.org/event/sa-dance-company

Also This October

Mumu Fresh draws from her expansive musical background in gospel, jazz, soul, hip-hop, and more in this uplifting program.

When: Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m.

Venue: Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815

Tickets: $15 at https://www.carpenterarts.org/event/mumu-fresh

Additional ticketing information is available at carpenterarts.org/ticket-office.

Attendance and Parking Information

Patrons are advised to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page at www.carpenterarts.org/faqs before any performance for the most up-to-date attendance information.

Convenient parking is available directly in front of the Carpenter Center in Lot G12. All parking lots on campus, including Lot G12, are operated by CSULB's Parking and Transportation Services, which sets all parking fees. The Carpenter Center does not earn any portion of the collected parking fees. Parking fees this season remain at $10 after 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and $10 all day on weekends. Additional parking information is available at www.carpenterarts.org/parking.

About the Carpenter Center