Welcome to the June 2026 edition of the Vishwa Shanthi newsletter. Below, you will find a table of contents with links that take you directly to individual articles allowing you to easily navigate to the sections that interest you most. If you prefer reading without leaving your inbox, you can simply continue scrolling here to read the complete newsletter.
From the Artistic Director
STUDENT INSIGHTS
What brings our alumni back to VSDA? Hear their stories below.
STUDENT CORNER
We are delighted to share an article written by our student Maya as part of her school assignment.
COLLABORATIVE PERFORMANCE
Vimsati Utsava
Hear from Rakshaa Venkatraman as she shares her experience participating in Vimsati Utsava.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent VSDA at Yuva Bharati’s Vimsati Utsava. Dancing to a live orchestra is a rare privilege, and I was especially excited to have that experience again after my Arangetram. I loved witnessing how the choreography would flow and adapt to the live music, taking on a slightly varied form with each rehearsal and performance. Every iteration of the piece revealed new layers and taught me something different.
I truly enjoyed bringing the season of Hemanta (pre-winter) to life through the combination of Kalidasa’s lyrics, carefully curated jathis, and intricate swarams composed by Asha Aunty. Prior to this performance, I knew very little about how seasons are depicted in traditional Indian literature. Through this process, I was fascinated to learn about Kalidasa’s Ritusamhara, which vividly describes the six distinct Indian seasons.
Dancing alongside my fellow VSPA dancers is always a joy. I especially loved the shared giggles, experimenting with formations, getting ready together backstage, and collectively bringing the emotions of the season to life. It was an exhilarating experience to dance to Roopa Aunty and Shreelata Aunty’s beautiful choreography, which could not have come together without their detailed corrections and constant feedback.
Most of all, I am so excited to have returned to dancing with the VSDA family, and I am ever thankful to our Gurus for providing us with the guidance and opportunities to grow within this art form.”
FEATURE
26 Years of Excellence in Bharatanatyam.
Anandotsavam 2026 — HUSD Performing Arts Center, Hayward, March 7
26 years is not simply a number. It represents thousands of hours in the classroom, generations of students, and a community that has chosen, year after year, to invest in something enduring.
Anandotsavam 2026 brought that conviction into full view.
Held at the HUSD Performing Arts Center in Hayward on March 7, our annual celebration drew students, teachers, musicians, alumni, and families from all six VSDA branches. It was, in the truest sense, our entire community made visible.
On stage, Bharatanatyam emerged not as mere spectacle, but as a lived discipline shaped through rigor, continuity, and devotion to the form. This year’s program paid tribute to the musical and choreographic legacies of the Carnatic Trinity - Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri - alongside the foundational works of the Tanjore Quartet. The performances were accompanied by a live orchestra of young Bay Area musicians, adding a rich, spontaneous dimension to the evening that beautifully enhanced the dance.
From the youngest students presenting foundational adavus to post-arangetram dancers navigating intricate compositions, the evening beautifully traced the full breadth of a dancer’s journey.
As VSDA enters its twenty-seventh year, we look ahead with the same dedication that has carried us this far: to nurture artistry rooted in tradition, enriched by community, and carried forward through the next generation.
PRODUCTION
HANUMAN: Strength. Devotion. Wisdom.
An original Bharatanatyam production by Vishwa Shanthi Performing Arts - Menlo Atherton Performing Arts Center, April 26
HANUMAN stands as a powerful testament to our school’s legacy of annual productions.. This ambitious new work brought together a custom score composed in India, twenty dancers, and a deeply layered exploration of one of the most enduring figures in Indian Mythology.
Presented to a packed audience in April 2026, the presentation was received with immense enthusiasm and stood out for its scale, artistic depth, and immersive storytelling. Rather than retelling mythology as spectacle alone, HANUMAN approached its central figure as a metaphor for inward transformation, tracing themes of purpose, resilience, devotion, and self-realization through movement and music.
Rooted in the vocabulary of Bharatanatyam while embracing ensemble-driven staging and theatrical storytelling, the choreography moved fluidly between grandeur and introspection. What emerged on stage was a collective artistic experience that resonated deeply with audiences across generations.
This latest achievement reflected our continued commitment to pushing the possibilities of classical dance-making while remaining deeply grounded in tradition.
COMMUNITY
VSDA Picnic 2026
Cardoza Park, Milpitas, March 28
Between rehearsals, performances, and the daily rhythm of dance academy life, the VSDA community came together at Cardoza Park for a joyful afternoon of connection, laughter, and relaxation away from the studio.
Bringing together teachers, students, and families, the gathering created space to pause, unwind, and simply enjoy each other’s company. Filled with games, shared meals, conversations, and moments of camaraderie, the picnic reflected the spirit that lies at the heart of VSDA, a family built not only through dance, but also through enduring relationships.
The afternoon served as a reminder that the strength of our academy extends far beyond performance and training, thriving equally in the bonds, memories, and sense of belonging nurtured along the way.
UPCOMING
Upcoming Events
FREE TRIAL CLASS
Curious About Bharatanatyam? Step Into the World of Dance with VSDA.
Bharatanatyam is more than movement; it is a beautiful blend of rhythm, storytelling, expression, and discipline. At VSDA, students of all ages learn in an environment that is deeply rooted in tradition while remaining welcoming, inspiring, and creatively alive.
We offer classes for all levels across our six locations:
San Mateo | Palo Alto | San Jose
Milpitas | San Ramon | Mountain House
Through our structured curriculum, dancers build technique, confidence, and stage presence—one step at a time. Whether you are exploring dance for the very first time or looking to reconnect with the art form after years away, we invite you to join us for a session and experience the energy of our community firsthand.