Press Kit - The Sa Dance Company

The Sa
Dance Company
P R E S S
K I T
“They danced with irresistible
good humor and high energy…
breathtakingly pretty with
combined stamina, skill, and
wonderful glee.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES
A B O U T
The Sa Dance Company
The Sa Dance Company, founded by Artistic Director Payal Kadakia, is committed to increasing
awareness of Indian dance in the mainstream.
The company serves as a platform for expressing the Indian-American identity through movement inspired by
Indian folk, classical, and Bollywood dance as well as jazz, ballet, and contemporary. The name “Sa” originates in
the foundations of Indian classical music, in which “Sa” is both the first and laste note in the octave.
All Sa Dance Company dancers have been trained in various forms of Western and Indian dance, including
Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Ballet, Hip-hop, Jazz, Garba, Bhangra, and Bollywood. Grace, beauty, and artistic
integrity combined with innovative choreography are characteristics of Payal Kadakia’s work and can be seen in
every Sa performance.
The company has been featured in The New York Times, Elle, NY1, notable South Asian publications and
have been invited to perform at The Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Peabody Essex Museum, Emelin Theater,
Summerstage and other prestigious dance festivals around the country.
A R T I S T I C
D I R E C T O R
Payal Kadakia
Payal Kadakia started dancing at the age of 3
under the instruction of Usha Patel, and has
been trained in various classical and folk styles
of Indian dance.
Payal has always been known for her creative, yet
powerful choreography. The professional quality of
her presentation combined with her graceful dancing
and artistic integrity has allowed her to become a true
ambassador of Indian dance into the Western culture.
Her dancing and choreography have been the highlight
of numerous events and festivals across the country,
and her work has been featured in many live as well as
television and film productions.
Payal’s commitment and passion to raising the
awareness of Indian dance has cemented her status as
a role model for dancers of all cultures. Payal has been
quoted as “the dancer possessing not only stand-out
talent, but the undying passion, congenial disposition
and sharp business savvy to be truly a force to be
reckoned with” as the South Asian culture continues its
inevitable integration into America. Her work has been
published in a Bollywood Anthology called “Global
Bollywood,” alongside legendary names such as Farah
Khan.
Payal is now continuing her work to bring more
awareness to Indian Dance within a Western society
through The Sa Dance Company. Through The Sa Dance
Company, she hopes to share her and her dancers’
passion with New York City and beyond.
A B O U T
Notable Performances
The Sa Dance Company has performed across the nation at
various festivals, theaters, and events. A few notable
performances include:
• Indo-American Arts Council’s “Erasing Borders: Festival
of Indian Dance”
• The Ailey Citigroup Theater
• MIAAC Film Festival
• Nanubhai Education Foundation Gala
• American Indian Foundation Gala
• Sakhi’s 20th Anniversary Gala
• New York City Fashion Week
• The Peabody Essex Museum, “Sensational India”
• Rubin Museum of Art
• Museum of Art & Design
• Martha Stewart’s Omnimedia Headquarters
• Emelin Theater
A C C O L A D E S
In the Press
Just Try to Pass by Without Being Stunned
The New York Times
“...In maroon and black Indian attire—was the Bollywood team the Sa Dance Company, lip-synching as
they danced with irresistible good humor and high
energy....”
Sa, the First Note in India Dance
Bibi Magazine
“...an exciting new dance company has formed in
New York City which aims to fuse Indian dance
forms from Bollywood to Bhangra to Garba with
classical dance to bring a fresh twist and
contemporary beat and movement to a hip
and cosmopolitan audience.”
The Sa Dance Company Brings Bollywood
and Folk Moves to NYC Theater
Desi Hits
“Payal’s vision is uncompromising in her drive to
physically show us what she sees and hears in her head.
Payal’s Sa dance company is absolutely something
special.”
Sa’s Adventures in Dance
Lassi with Lavina
“When different lives, different experiences intersect,
you get something totally unexpected and fresh. That’s
the story of The Sa Dance Company—twelve dancers
coming from diverse disciplines and filtering their
moves together into something unique.”
Payal Kadakia’s Sa Company Born in NYC
Bollynatyam
The Sa Dance Company, with Mira Nair May 14th in NY
MTVIggy
“Most South Asian undergrads find it hard to keep
up with their Bollywood dance [sic] after they leave
college, but this was clearly not the case for Payal.”
“They’re the best at their craft—with honed, carefully
choreographed dances as clever as they are physically
inspiring.