Our Bureau
New York, NY
The Sa Dance Company comes to New York for the final stop on their national tour of RISE. Performances run on May 7 & 8 at 7:30PM, and May 9 at 2PM and 7:30PM at New York Live Arts Inc., 219 W. 19th Street, New York, NY 10011 as part of New York Live Arts Independent Works. Tickets are $49 and can be purchased here.
RISE is a visually stunning full-length dance work that fuses Indian classical and folk traditions with contemporary storytelling to create an immersive theatrical experience. Audiences have described the show as “mesmerizing,” “deeply moving,” and “an experience that stays with you long after the curtain falls.” Through breathtaking choreography and deeply personal narratives, RISE explores resilience, identity, and the strength it takes to rise. Both intimate and epic in scale, RISE transcends genre and generation. It is not simply watched — it is experienced, remembered, and carried forward.
“The choreography fused classical Indian movement with contemporary expression, earning a standing ovation.” – Forbes
Credits
FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER: Payal Kadakia Pujji
THE COMPANY:
Roshni Badlani, Rashi Birla, Radhika Mehta Kirpalani, Nitya Srikishen Lakhi, Bhavika Kapadia Patel, Dhruti Patel, Juhi Patel, Kesar Patel, Neha Pathmanaban, Payal Kadakia Pujji, Sharanya Mukhopadhyay Sekhri, Manisha Nair Sokka
LIGHTING DESIGN: Christopher Chambers
MUSIC COMPOSITION: Niraj Chag
DRAMATURG: France Nguyen Vincent
STAGE MANAGER: Stacey-Jo Marine
CREATIVE PRODUCTION: Raakhi Kapur
ANIMATOR: Elyse Filigheri
PROJECTION DESIGN: Tia Chinai
AUDIO ENGINEER: Simon Larson Greenberg
Payal Kadakia is the Artistic Director and founder of The Sa Dance Company. Her artistic roots lie in traditional Indian folk dance, and she began training at the age of three with her lifelong Guru, Smt. Usha Patel. She is also trained in Kathak and Bollywood, and, growing up in the United States, studied jazz, contemporary, and ballet. These dual cultural influences shaped her distinctive choreographic style, blending Indian movement traditions with Western technique to create a contemporary expression of South Asian dance.
Known for her powerful and expressive choreography, Kadakia’s work has been featured at numerous festivals, cultural events, and film and television productions. Highlights include performances at Lincoln Center SummerStage, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, and the inaugural White House Diwali Celebration, as well as appearances for Disney, Art Basel, and New York Fashion Week. Her work has also been published in the Bollywood anthology Global Bollywood, alongside legendary choreographer Farah Khan.
Through The Sa Dance Company, Kadakia seeks to elevate Indian dance on the global stage while fostering a deeper understanding of Indian American identity through movement and storytelling.
Kadakia is also the founder of ClassPass, the global fitness and wellness platform.
“They danced with irresistible good humor and high energy… breathtakingly pretty with combined stamina, skill, and wonderful glee.” – The New York Times
The Sa Dance Company: An Indian American Dance Experience
The Sa Dance Company [Sa] is a pioneer in contemporary Indian dance. Comprised of an all-female ensemble, Sa blends the essence of Indian and American stories and movement to create a transformative audience experience. Sa’s productions celebrate the rich tapestry of the Indian-American identity, centering themes of womanhood, community, and the journey of the female spirit. They honor the past, reflect on present society, and pave the way for future generations.
By crafting a contemporary folk form, Sa’s performances transcend boundaries, merging both classical and contemporary influences to create a unique and distinctly Indian-American dance idiom. Sa’s work resonates on a deeply emotional and spiritual level, uniting and immersing audiences through the universal language of dance. With sold-out shows across the country, Sa brings a diverse audience into the realm of performing arts.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Payal Kadakia, Sa Dance Company stands as a cultural beacon within the South Asian community. Sa’s name, derived from Indian classical music, signifies the foundational note of the octave, symbolizing its commitment to blending ancient traditions with modern narratives. Sa’s work is a celebration of identity, community, and the boundless possibilities of human expression. sadancecompany.com
