Outreach
We recognize that South Asian dance traditions live and thrive not only in their regions of origin but also in the hands of diaspora artists who carry them forward in new cultural landscapes. Through our outreach initiatives, Kaustavi and the Dance and Community Research Institute partners with South Asian dance artists in the diaspora to strengthen their creative and professional infrastructure. See below for upcoming outreach events as well as past initiatives.
Odyssey/ Odissi 2026
May 1-3, 2026
Robinson Hall, UNC Charlotte
9027 Mary Alexander Road, Charlotte, NC 28223
Odyssey/ Odissi 2026 invites artists, scholars, students, educators, and cultural practitioners to gather for a three-day immersive conference celebrating traditional durational performance as a living, evolving practice. The 2026 conference theme, New Voices and Pathways in South Asian Dance Research, foregrounds Odissi within wider South Asian imaginaries, movement lineages, and transnational exchanges. The conference will feature scholarly panels and roundtables, lecture-demonstrations, performances, film screenings, curated conversations, book launches, community gatherings, and special presentations that bring together embodied practice and critical inquiry.
Odyssey/ Odissi 2026 Summer Dance Intensive: Moving Praxis: Transforming Worlds
July 12-19, 2026
Odissi Odyssey 2026 is a one-of-a-kind summer intensive dedicated to the pedagogy, practice, and transformative power of South Asian dance. Centered on Odissi, the program brings together leading artists and educators to explore how embodied knowledge can shape teaching, performance, and cultural dialogue. Participants will engage in a dynamic week of training that integrates technical rigor, expressive storytelling, and pedagogical inquiry. The intensive features a K–12 Teacher Training Institute led by Dr. Marissa Nesbit, a Gestural Enactment (Abhinaya) workshop with Guru Sharmila Biswas, and sessions on Postural Alignment and Percussive Acuity led by Guru Aruna Mohanty. Designed for K12 learners, adult beginners, pre-professional and professional dancers, educators, and scholars, Odissi Odyssey offers a rare opportunity to deepen artistic practice while examining how South Asian dance pedagogies can inspire new approaches to teaching, creativity, and community engagement. Learn more.
