Intersections - Traditions and innovations in Indian classical dance

September 27-28, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the presentation and discussion of original dance works sections?

In keeping with the format of many academic-style conferences, this category will allow presenters to showcase 10-15 minutes of their work in performance, followed by a 10 minute discussion. We understand that this is a brief window, but we believe that the challenge of distilling a piece down to its essence, both in presentation and discussion can bring valuable clarity to the core innovation or inquiry within the work.

What are the costs to attend the conference?

Conference registration fees are as follows:
Regular: $45
Early Bird: $30 (Register by July 15th)
Graduate Student: $20 (valid student ID required)
Undergraduate: Free (valid student ID required)
Conference registrants will receive discounted ticketing for evening performances.
Presenters will receive complimentary registration.

Are there stipends for performing?

Yes, a modest stipend of $100-$200 will be offered to participants whose abstracts are selected for presentation, as well as to speakers. The exact amount will depend on the total number of selected applicants and the sponsorships received. Final stipend amounts will be confirmed before presenters are asked to commit to participation. As this is our inaugural year and we are working with a limited budget, we regret that we are unable to offer further compensation for travel or accommodation. While this mirrors the structure of many academic gatherings, we sincerely hope to be able to provide more support in future editions.

How will applications be evaluated?

All submissions will be juried by a panel of reviewers with expertise across performance and research. Juries for research abstract will be blinded to names and emails. We're committed to a thoughtful and fair review process.

Our Mission

• Establishing the Indian Diaspora Dance Community
• Discussing New Dance Works and Related Research
• Facilitating Conversations on Emerging Topics, Challenges, and Beyond
• Creating a community for artists in traditional forms to collaborate, debate, and push boundaries

Hosts:

MIT Heritage Arts of South Asia (MITHAS) and the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard.

Curatorial Partners:

Arts India US, Anubhava Dance Company

Location: Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building

201 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Session/ Presentation Opportunities:

Contemporary / New Works

Format: 15-20 minute dance performance + 10 minute analysis / Q&A

Eligible Works:

• New choreographic works. We encourage artists to submit new concepts that use the language of traditional artforms in any way. These can be pure dance, multimedia, theatre and other genres. Preference will be given to novel storylines, concepts, reinterpretations of classical works

Submission Requirements:

• Video of work (Minimum 5 mins excerpt or recording of practice session is fine) (Public/Unlisted YouTube links only)
• Notes regarding how this might be adapted for a conference presentation (200 words max)
• Choreographer's notes including details about artistic intention, storyline, and creative process (200 words max)
• Previous presentation history (if applicable - not a requirement)

Research Talks

Format: 10 minute presentation + 2 minute Q&A

Topics Include:

• New research findings
• Development initiatives
• Design innovations
• Interdisciplinary approaches
• Pedagogical methods

Submission Requirements:

• 5 00-word abstract with the following sections:
• Introduction, Methodology, Results and Conclusions
• Supporting materials (1-page limit):

• Figures
• Work samples
• Relevant links (Public/Unlisted YouTube links only)

Workshops

Available Formats:

• Compact Session: 20-30 minutes
• Extended Session: 1 hour
• We are open to working groups or roundtable discussions on specific topics.

• Ex. Skills, Professional Development, Grant Writing, Branding
• Specific movement technique

Submission Requirements:

• Workshop outline (200 words max, bullets preferred)
• Learning objectives (200 words max)
• Required materials or preparation
• Maximum participant capacity

Working Groups

We plan to have various working groups to discuss topics such as:

1. Professional Organization & Standardization
2. Funding & Infrastructure Development
3. Audience Development & Education
4. Artist Support & US Networks

Teams of diverse stakeholders will be assigned to each group and asked to provide drafts of potential solutions. Please email us at indiandanceconference@mit.edu  with ideas for additional groups.

Poster Presentations

Details about poster presentations will be announced based on interest and capacity.

Partnership Opportunities

For information about becoming a conference partner or sponsor, please contact: indiandanceconference@mit.edu

Important Dates:

April 20, 2025 Abstract Submission Opens

June 10, 2025 Abstract Submission Deadline

August 1, 2025 Final Conference Registration Deadline (All Attendees)

Questions? Contact: indiandanceconference@mit.edu