Natya Vriksha Will Present World Dance Day Festival 2025

Natya Vriksha will present the 18th edition of the World Dance Day Festival 2025 in collaboration with the India International Centre (IIC). Conceived and curated by Padmashri Geeta Chandran, the two-day celebration will take place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April at IIC, New Delhi.

This year’s festival continues Natya Vriksha’s legacy as the first institution in India to mark formal celebrations on World Dance Day. Over the years, it has evolved into a vibrant cultural platform featuring performances, lectures, workshops, and discussions, spotlighting both the heritage and future of Indian dance. What sets the WDD Fest apart is its inclusive spirit—embracing and presenting all styles and forms of dance, encouraging participation and dialogue across traditions.

Curated by Padmashri Geeta Chandran, the festival continues to draw wide participation—from young dancers and seasoned gurus to scholars, art connoisseurs, and curious first-time audiences. What makes the WDD FEST truly distinctive is its inclusive embrace of all dance forms—classical, contemporary, and experimental—offering a rare and holistic celebration of movement and dance aesthetics. This year’s line-up includes Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, and Odissi artists, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness the rising stars of Indian dance.

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A key highlight of Day I (Saturday 26 April) is the conferral of the 6th Natya Vriksha Lifetime Achievement Award to SPIC MACAY and its visionary founder, Dr. Kiran Seth, in recognition of their tireless efforts in preserving and promoting India’s cultural heritage amongst youth. Dr. Seth, a Padma Shri awardee, academician, and cultural reformer, founded SPIC MACAY in 1977 and has since transformed it into a movement of national importance, impacting millions of students.

The festival opens each day with a Movement and Dance Aesthetics Workshop by the legendary Tanusree Shankar, free for trained dancers (with minimum five years of training) across styles. Internationally acclaimed for her choreography rooted in the Uday Shankar style, Tanusree Shankar has performed in over 40 countries and is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

As the World Dance Day Festival enters its 18th year, NATYA VRIKSHA continues to uphold its founding vision: to make dance not just a performance, but a conversation across generations, forms and cultures. With each passing edition, the festival grows not just in scale, but in depth, creating a space for reflection, recognition, and renewal in the world of dance.

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