Indian contemporary artists, supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), recently traveled to South Africa for the 2024 Joomba Contemporary International Dance Festival. This festival took place at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on September 5 and 6, followed by events in Johannesburg on September 11 and 12 at the Market Theatre.

The ICCR facilitated the participation of the highly regarded Bangalore-based choreographer Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy and his team to present Indian contemporary dance.

In their performances, the dance troupe highlighted their experiences with diverse Indian art forms, including yoga, Kalarippayattu (Indian martial arts), Bharatha Natyam, and more. These classical forms were beautifully modernized for the stage.

Their two decades of expertise culminated in performances called ‘Weight of Time,’ which encouraged audiences to embrace a fresh perspective on art, letting go of their prior expectations to fully immerse themselves in the experience.