Intersections is a dynamic convening of Indian classical dancers, scholars, and creatives from across the diaspora—coming together to explore how tradition evolves, innovates, and flourishes in new cultural landscapes.

Featuring over 40 speakers and artists from the global Indian diaspora.

Schedule

Planning Your Visit

Sulekha Intersections Banner (1540 x 300 px) (2).png

our mission

Intersections is a one and a half-day conference that brings together Indian classical dancers, scholars, and practitioners from across North America to explore how tradition evolves in a diaspora. Hosted at MIT and Harvard, it’s the first event of its kind to spotlight U.S.-based artists not just as culture bearers, but as creators of new movement vocabularies, research, and pedagogy.

This is not a dance festival, but rather a conference - discussion, debate, and professional development are the focuses.

We’re addressing urgent questions: How do we sustain a professional life in dance? How does our art reflect the diasporic experience? Why does the American dance ecosystem so often ignore its own Indian classical artists? And how do we present Indian classical forms not just as traditions, but as living, evolving art? How is the art itself - the movement vocabulary, thought processes, and pedagogical and presentation methods, changing as it interfaces the various evolutionary pressures of our society.

vision & motivation

centering the diaspora

Intersections was born from the need to create a dedicated space for Indian classical dancers based in North America—a space to share, question, and reimagine what it means to practice these traditions outside of India. To spotlight how artists often exist at the intersection of dance and other disciplines, merging multiple facets of their identities.

beyond the cultural checkbox

Too often, Indian classical dance in the U.S. is relegated to the role of cultural entertainment/exposure. This conference reframes it as a serious, evolving art form with scholarly, professional, and aesthetic rigor.

tradition meets transformation

The title Intersections reflects our commitment to bridging ancient techniques with contemporary experiences—from science and identity to migration and multimedia.

important dates

open call for abstracts opens

April 20

abstract submission closed

June 10

abstract status communicated

By late July

early bird registration

Open Now!

July 15 - August 15

general registration closes

September 27

conference dates

September 27 - 28

program highlights

New Works, Research Presentations & Panel Discussions: Over 25 artists will present performances, lecture-demos, and research on topics spanning biomechanics, abhinaya pedagogy, and diasporic identity.

thematic tracks:

new worlds,
new experiences
_____________________________

Stories of immigration, travel, and navigating new worlds through dance.

embodied inquiry

___________________________

An exploration of movement through deep questioning ranging from injury prevention, to the haptic experience of dance.

dancing the archive,
feeling the future
___________________________

Reimagining traditional repertoire in modern contexts.

sustaining the spark

________________________

How do artists build lasting careers in Indian classical dance? What does it take to keep the creative fire alive?

workshops & skill development tracks:

______________________________________________________

"Art & Enterprise: Practical Tools for Creative Careers"

"Into the Body: Movement, Memory, and Mechanics"

_______

key initiatives

-White Paper on Diaspora Dance: We’re collecting data from across the community to develop policy recommendations for presenters, sabhas, and funders.

-Professional Development Focus: From grant writing to artist statements, we are equipping artists with tools to succeed on their terms.

-Intergenerational and Intersectional Lens: The conference intentionally brings together emerging and senior artists, those trained in India and those raised here, scholars, and practitioners from allied fields.

_______

our approach

-Academic + Artistic Integration: Hosted at MIT and Harvard, this is one of the few conferences where art-making, research, and pedagogy share equal stage.

-Cross-Disciplinary & Inclusive: We have sessions ranging from the immigrant experience, evaluating the historical narratives that shape our practice, and technology in dance, recognizing that classical dance doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

-Diaspora Ownership: This conference is not about being “like” Indian artists—it’s about defining what excellence means here, rooted in our unique contexts.

_______

long-term goals

-Build a presenters’ network to support U.S.-based tours.

-Launch a Digital Institute to centralize resources and training.

-Explore the narrative shift from “preserving tradition” to “creating tradition.”