Leela Foundation

### Context Profile for Leela Foundation

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - The Leela Foundation is dedicated to promoting and preserving the traditional Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam. Their mission emphasizes cultural education, artistic expression, and community engagement through dance. They aim to provide a platform for learners of all ages to explore and deepen their understanding of Bharatanatyam, fostering a love for the art form and its cultural significance.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - The foundation conducts various activities, including:
     - **Workshops**: They host Bharatanatyam workshops led by experienced instructors, including master classes by renowned artists like Leela Samson.
     - **Community Programs**: These programs focus on engaging the local community in dance, offering classes for different skill levels (junior, intermediate, and advanced).
     - **Events**: Regular performances and showcases to highlight student progress and celebrate the art form.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone of the Leela Foundation's communications is **friendly**, **inspiring**, and **informative**. They convey excitement and enthusiasm about dance while maintaining a professional approach to education. The language is accessible, aiming to engage both novices and experienced dancers.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The organization uses emojis sparingly but effectively to convey excitement and engagement. For example, they use 🎉 in promotional materials to create a celebratory tone. Emojis are primarily used in informal communications, such as event announcements and social media posts.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: The specific founding date is not mentioned on the website, but the foundation appears to have a strong community presence.
   - **Scale**: The foundation has conducted multiple workshops and email campaigns, indicating an active engagement with their audience.
   - **Impact Metrics**: While specific metrics are not detailed, the foundation’s focus on community involvement suggests a commitment to reaching diverse audiences and fostering cultural appreciation.
   - **Volunteer Info**: The website does not explicitly mention volunteer opportunities, but the community-oriented nature of their programs may imply a need for volunteer support.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - **Style**: Use clear, engaging language that reflects the excitement of learning and participating in Bharatanatyam. 
   - **Structure**: Organize content logically, with headings and bullet points for easy readability.
   - **Inclusivity**: Ensure language is inclusive, welcoming participants of all backgrounds and skill levels.
   - **Call to Action**: Encourage participation and engagement through strong calls to action, inviting readers to join workshops or events.

### Conclusion
This context profile provides a comprehensive overview of the Leela Foundation, focusing on their mission, activities, and communication style. It serves as a guide for creating personalized and impactful content that resonates with their audience and promotes their initiatives effectively.

Grants entry to the event with access to standard amenities and activities.

General Admission

<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' id="isPasted" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Event Title: Shastriya: Classical Dance Festival&nbsp;<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Join us for a mesmerizing evening of classical dance presented by three renowned dancers: Ramya Kapadia, Priyadarshini Inmon&nbsp;and Kaustavi Sarkar. These iconic artists will grace the stage with their distinctive styles, bringing together the rich traditions of Indian classical dance.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ramya Kapadia: A Moment in Time (commissioned by the American Dance Festival)<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ramya S. Kapadia is a Knoxville-based multi-disciplinary artist specializing in Bharatanatyam dance, Carnatic music (South Indian dance &amp; music), Warli art and writing (children&rsquo;s fiction). Ramya has toured all over the United States &amp; abroad to present solo &amp; group works. She regularly provides vocal accompaniment to dancers around the world and composes music for their productions.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A Moment in Time that she wants to hold onto forever; an experience that she wishes would never end - isn&rsquo;t this how we all go through life? A series of snapshots that are woven together, the spaces between them extrapolated by the memory of emotion. She yearns for union with the Lord of Chidambaram time and time again, even as Time never does stand still.&nbsp;<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The varnam is the pi&egrave;ce de r&eacute;sistance of an evening-length Bharatanatyam recital. Ramya interprets the alternating narrative and rhythmic sections as her internal dialogue with the Lord of Chidambaram and her external interaction with the world she finds herself in.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Who is the mother and who is the child? Who nurtures and offers shelter? Who seeks and finds bliss in warm embrace? In &ldquo;Embrace&rdquo;, Ramya explores the interplay between the mortal and the divine.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Varnam - Swami Naan Undan Adimai<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Composer - Papanasam Sivan<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kaustavi Sarkar: An Unstuck Feather and Enigmatic Bliss<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kaustavi Sarkar is a professional Odissi soloist, performing and touring the eastern Indian traditional art form for the past two decades. In a recent review of a February 2025 performance in New Delhi, India, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://narthaki.com/info/dm/dm62.html" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">critic Ashish Mohan Khokar wrote</a>that in her dance &ldquo;one saw clarity of poses and emotional range.&rdquo; Sarkar investigates virtuosity in dance-theater as fostered in traditional Indian aesthetics through her research on choreography and creative processes.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Guru Poushali Mukherjee initiated Kaustavi Sarkar into the half circles and full circles of Odissi movement. After her death in 2024, Kaustavi hopes to keep her words alive in her movements. Working with choreographer/scholar Rohini Dandavate, Kaustavi will present a series of philosophical works inspired by the idiom of Odissi but speaking to contemporary themes of immigration, ecological justice, and search for one&#39;s soulful purpose. Her pieces &#39;An Unstuck Feather&#39; and &#39;Enigmatic Bliss&#39; are based on poetry by Uday Dandavate and Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore. Music has been composed by Anirban a Bhattacharyya and Ramprasad Gannavarapu.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Every registration to this event will bring us closer to achieving our mission. Together, we can create a brighter, more compassionate world for all.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;Priyadarshini Inmon:<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Priyadarshini Inmon has been a choreographer, performer, and teacher of SATTRIYA, only the living Dance form of India and one of the eight classical dances of India. She founded Nritya Dhwani School of Performing Arts in 2018 and Nritya Dhwani Cultural Foundation in 2021 and currently serves as -Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Principal Dancer. She is also trained in Kathak dance and a trained Hindustani classical singer.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thank you for supporting our mission, your support is invaluable.<p fr-original-style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;font-size:15px;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;' style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for registering for our event and supporting us. Your registration greatly helps our mission. 🚀 Leela Foundationinfo@leela-foundation.org

Event Title: Shastriya: Classical Dance Festival Join us for a mesmerizing evening of classical dance presented by three renowned dancers: Ramya Kapadia, Priyadarshini Inmon and Kaustavi Sarkar. These iconic artists will grace the stage with their distinctive styles, bringing together the rich traditions of Indian classical dance.Ramya Kapadia: A Moment in Time (commissioned by the American Dance Festival)Ramya S. Kapadia is a Knoxville-based multi-disciplinary artist specializing in Bharatanatyam dance, Carnatic music (South Indian dance &amp; music), Warli art and writing (children’s fiction). Ramya has toured all over the United States &amp; abroad to present solo &amp; group works. She regularly provides vocal accompaniment to dancers around the world and composes music for their productions.A Moment in Time that she wants to hold onto forever; an experience that she wishes would never end - isn’t this how we all go through life? A series of snapshots that are woven together, the spaces between them extrapolated by the memory of emotion. She yearns for union with the Lord of Chidambaram time and time again, even as Time never does stand still. The varnam is the pièce de résistance of an evening-length Bharatanatyam recital. Ramya interprets the alternating narrative and rhythmic sections as her internal dialogue with the Lord of Chidambaram and her external interaction with the world she finds herself in.Who is the mother and who is the child? Who nurtures and offers shelter? Who seeks and finds bliss in warm embrace? In “Embrace”, Ramya explores the interplay between the mortal and the divine.Varnam - Swami Naan Undan AdimaiComposer - Papanasam Sivan Kaustavi Sarkar: An Unstuck Feather and Enigmatic BlissKaustavi Sarkar is a professional Odissi soloist, performing and touring the eastern Indian traditional art form for the past two decades. In a recent review of a February 2025 performance in New Delhi, India, <a href="https://narthaki.com/info/dm/dm62.html" target="_blank">critic Ashish Mohan Khokar wrote</a>that in her dance “one saw clarity of poses and emotional range.” Sarkar investigates virtuosity in dance-theater as fostered in traditional Indian aesthetics through her research on choreography and creative processes.Guru Poushali Mukherjee initiated Kaustavi Sarkar into the half circles and full circles of Odissi movement. After her death in 2024, Kaustavi hopes to keep her words alive in her movements. Working with choreographer/scholar Rohini Dandavate, Kaustavi will present a series of philosophical works inspired by the idiom of Odissi but speaking to contemporary themes of immigration, ecological justice, and search for one's soulful purpose. Her pieces 'An Unstuck Feather' and 'Enigmatic Bliss' are based on poetry by Uday Dandavate and Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore. Music has been composed by Anirban a Bhattacharyya and Ramprasad Gannavarapu.Every registration to this event will bring us closer to achieving our mission. Together, we can create a brighter, more compassionate world for all. Priyadarshini Inmon:Priyadarshini Inmon has been a choreographer, performer, and teacher of SATTRIYA, only the living Dance form of India and one of the eight classical dances of India. She founded Nritya Dhwani School of Performing Arts in 2018 and Nritya Dhwani Cultural Foundation in 2021 and currently serves as -Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Principal Dancer. She is also trained in Kathak dance and a trained Hindustani classical singer.Thank you for supporting our mission, your support is invaluable.

Leela Foundation

Shastriya: Classical Dance Festival

120 Morris St

General Admission

US$20