We welcome you to an evening of sheer artistry, talent, and tradition. For the first time ever we present a captivating Indian Classical dance and music production at the historic Ojai Art Center streamed live via Zoom. 

What is the Kritya Ensemble?

Kritya ensemble is a collaborative/interdisciplinary initiative between Carnatic musicians and Kuchipudi dance (a South Asian classical dance form) founded by Yamini Kalluri. They create work originating from ancient South Indian traditions and also collaborate with other world traditions to expand the scope and vocabulary of Kuchipudi and Carnatic music. Both the music ensemble and the dance ensemble meet several times every month to rehearse and create new dialogues to challenge norms which are no longer relevant to the present social climate and to preserve various precious elements of their traditions. Every year they create new original music and dance works to present internationally.

The Kritya Ensemble Mission

The Kritya Ensemble performs with the mission to bring more visibility to Kuchipudi dance and Carnatic music on a global scale. Kritya has both a dance and music ensemble where the 2500+ year old Carnatic music tradition and 500+ year old Kuchipudi dance tradition from South India come together to tell ancient stories rooted in spirituality and social themes.

The Kritya Ensemble - Who We Are

We are Indian American and artists of other cultures based in various parts of the US who practice Carnatic Music, South Indian dance traditions and spent time training in Western techniques such as Western classical music, Jazz, Ballet, Modern dance and Contemporary dance to enhance our traditions and to create works that are more appropriately formulated for western audiences. We spend a great deal of time both in India and the US to embrace both South Indian and American culture. We combine our experiences in the US and India to present authentic storytelling from our unique perspectives. We draw inspiration from other cultures and traditions and all of this experience and cultural heritage reflects in our works.

$15 minimum donation. Any additional donations are very much appreciated and will support the work of these dedicated artists!

We look forward to receiving you for this special and unique production!