Mission

The Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose is dedicated to promoting the classical dance forms of South India through instructional classes and professional performances. Our artistic programs maintain Indian Americans’ connection to their cultural heritage, and strive to expand the tradition’s expressive range, fostering its stylistic evolution in the United States.

Founded by Artistic Director Mythili Kumar in 1980

Created as a tuition-based dance school modeled after the rigorous dance training programs operated in India, Abhinaya's four-tiered instructional program, now in its twenty-sixth year, annually provides training in classical South Indian dance to approximately 120 Indian American children ages 6 to adult. Classes are held in San Jose, Monte Sereno, and Fremont.

Non-profit organization in 1990

Because of the company’s artistic and budgetary growth, Abhinaya incorporated as a non-profit in 1990. Abhinaya has a 8 member board of directors, two full-time staff, several part-time staff, and a core group of volunteers.

20th Anniversary - Natya Mahotsava

In July 2000, Abhinaya celebrated its 20th anniversary with - a two-day extravaganza of dance and music at the Mexican Heritage Theater, San Jose.

In 2005, Abhinaya celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with events all year long. See the 2005 newsletter

Performance

Abhinaya has emerged as a leading multi-cultural organization in the South Bay, known both for its adherence to tradition as well as its innovative multi-cultural collaborations. Since 1986, Abhinaya has annually staged several full-length dance dramas choreographed by Mythili Kumar, from Shiva - the Cosmic Dancer (1986), to Saakhyam (2005) and Kalidasa's Ritusamhara (2006). The company has been invited to present its acclaimed dance-theater production, Gandhi - the Mahatma (1995), at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and has also toured India as well as many US cities.

Recognition

The company’s reputation for artistic excellence has built a solid base of financial support and a substantial audience. Over the past ten years, Abhinaya has received more than 10 National Endowment for the Arts grants, as well as annual awards from the California Arts Council, the City of San Jose, and the Arts Council Silicon Valley. In 1991, Abhinaya was awarded a grant by the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation for its presentation, The Guru, a collaboration with the Kathak master Chitresh Das and his dance company. The Ramayana (1997), a collaborative performance with the Balinese music and dance ensemble, Gamelan Sekar Jaya was also funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. In addition Abhinaya has received grants from the Community Foundation - Silicon Valley, Koret Foundation, Farrington Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, David & Lucille Packard Foundation, Bay Area Fund for Dance, Western Digital, Mervyn's Corporation, Hewlett-Packard and Applied Materials.

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