Chitkara University Commemorates World Dance Day with Mindful Movement Workshops and Performances
Chitkara University marked World Dance Day with campus wide performances that turned lecture theatres and lawns into immersive stages of expression and reflection. Hosted by the Office of Student Affairs, the event framed dance as a serious art form—an intentional conversation between body and mind rather than mere spectacle.
The celebration commenced with a series of solo, duet, and ensemble performances that wove together classical and contemporary vocabularies. Dancers delivered sequences steeped in tradition, their poised arabesques and measured footwork paying homage to centuries old forms. In contrast, modern pieces pulsed with personal narrative, each gesture and extension articulating emotion in motion. The performers eschewed flamboyance, opting instead for disciplined authenticity; every pause and arabesque was inflected with deliberate meaning, underscoring that genuine artistry emerges from focus as much as flair.
Esteemed mentors Balkar Sidhu and Samira Koser assumed the role of session chairs, lending their expertise to the proceedings. Their feedback shifted the spotlight from technical perfection to emotional courage, commending those who dared to reveal vulnerability through movement. Their insightful observations reminded participants and onlookers alike that dance is not perfected in rehearsal alone but discovered in the frank exchange of energy between dancer and audience.
The afternoon’s highlight arrived when choreographer Akanksha Sharma led a movement workshop designed to strip dance of its external trappings. In a spacious hall devoid of mirrors and spotlights, students were guided to attune to their breath and centre of gravity. What began as a series of simple shifts and weight transfers evolved into an immersive practice in self awareness. In that reflective interlude, dance reclaimed its roots as a form of meditation and personal discovery.
World Dance Day at Chitkara University was neither a contest nor a display of spectacle; it was an invitation to rediscover movement as a language of intention. Chitkara University reaffirmed its commitment to fostering disciplines that value depth over display and introspection over imitation. By nurturing spaces where students can explore the intersection of movement, mindfulness, and meaning, the university continues to cultivate not only skilled performers but thoughtful practitioners of embodied art.
