Spectrum 2026 at NCPA celebrates the evolving language of dance across cultures
The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is set to present Spectrum 2026 – A Festival of Dances from Around the World, its much-anticipated annual dance showcase that brings together classical depth and contemporary imagination. Scheduled on January 30, February 14 and February 22, 2026, the festival will unfold across the Tata Theatre and the Experimental Theatre, offering audiences an immersive journey through diverse movement traditions from India and abroad. Over the years, Spectrum has emerged as a significant platform where classical forms are revisited through individual artistic voices and contemporary works push the boundaries of movement, space and sound. The 2026 edition continues this legacy, presenting a thoughtfully curated programme that includes Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak and international contemporary dance, along with focused pedagogical initiatives for students and practitioners.
The festival opens on Friday, January 30, at the Tata Theatre with a compelling double-bill. Renowned Bharatanatyam exponent Rama Vaidyanathan leads the evening with Bahukriya, a work that reflects her deep-rooted training under eminent gurus while articulating an evolved personal movement language. This is followed by Khańkhanā – The Sound of Dancing Feet, an Odissi ensemble production by Surupa Sen and the celebrated Nrityagram ensemble. Sen, the first graduate of Nrityagram, brings decades of rigorous training, choreographic inquiry and ensemble-building to the stage, presenting Odissi as a living, breathing tradition grounded in discipline and research.
On Saturday, February 14, the focus shifts to Odissi and Kathak through performances by Ratikant Mohapatra with Srjan in Ānanda-Rasam – The Essence of Bliss, and Shama Bhate’s Nadroop with Ram Lalla. Mohapatra’s presentation reflects more than four decades of artistic practice and institution-building that has significantly shaped the contemporary Odissi landscape. Bhate’s Kathak work, rooted in the Jaipur gharana, draws from her extensive experience as a performer, teacher and musician, offering a nuanced engagement with rhythm, narrative and devotion.
The festival concludes on Sunday, February 22, at the Experimental Theatre with BRICKS, a contemporary dance production from Switzerland choreographed by Nicole Morel, with music by Colombian composer Violeta Cruz. Conceptualised as a piece of physical poetry, BRICKS uses sculptural visual design and movement to explore ideas of structure, space and human presence, offering an international counterpoint to the classical Indian works featured in the festival.
Extending beyond the stage, Spectrum 2026 also places strong emphasis on learning and reflection through the NCPA’s Nrityagurukul initiative. The first of two masterclasses is a two-day session by Surupa Sen on January 28 and 29, supported by Bank of America, titled Techniques for Longevity in an Indian Dance Career. Open to practitioners across Indian classical forms, the masterclass examines longevity as a sustained relationship between body, mind and artistic practice.
This is followed by Orchestrating Stillness and Movement: Sthāna, Gati, and the Dynamic Function of Cārīs in the Dancer-Actor’s Training, a two-day Marga Natya masterclass by Piyal Bhattacharya on February 18 and 19. The session explores stillness and movement as foundational aspects of performance, positioning the body as a site where breath, awareness and motion converge.
With its blend of performance, pedagogy and cross-cultural dialogue, Spectrum 2026 reaffirms NCPA’s commitment to celebrating dance as a continually evolving art form rooted in tradition yet open to new possibilities.
