Mandala South Asian Performing Arts continues celebrating 10 years of connecting audiences with the vibrancy, flavors, and colors of the performing arts traditions of South Asia, presenting its seventh Mandala Makers Festival. This annual platform for supporting multidisciplinary South Asian performing artists takes place September 5–7 at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.
The Mandala Makers Festival holds space for artists to progress and challenge traditions of the South Asian diaspora. The three programs include classical and contemporary dance; classical, folk, and contemporary music; Bollywood dance; and, for the first time, EDM.
“As a new generation of the South Asian diasporic population matures in the U.S., this year’s Mandala Makers Festival reflects on the aesthetic and creativity of these artists and the audience,” said Artistic Director Pranita Nayar. “The festival reveals how they honor the traditions they were born into and new works they are making as they encounter new cultural, social, and global influences.”
This year’s Mandala Makers Festival offers a vibrant celebration of culture through dance, music, and performance.
On Friday, September 5, the festivities begin with free contemporary dance and music performances from 6–8 p.m., showcasing innovative Indian contemporary dance and experimental works by South Asian and Desi talent. The night culminates in a high-energy EDM dance party at 8:30 p.m. ($40), featuring live DJs.
Saturday, September 6, brings a diverse mix of free events, starting with folk dance and music performances from 4–6 p.m., followed by dazzling Bollywood dance performances from 6–8 p.m., highlighting Punjabi dhol beats and dynamic group choreography by local and national artists. The evening wraps with a Bollywood dance party at 8:30 p.m. ($40).
On Sunday, September 7, the festival concludes with free classical dance and music performances from 2–6 p.m., featuring masterful displays of Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Carnatic, and Hindustani music, honoring the rich traditions of South Asian classical arts through seasoned performers and rising stars.
Participating artists offer a range of genres that celebrate tradition and the next generation of South Asian-influenced performing arts: dance performers Mandala Ensemble, Aikyam, Anindita Anaam and Shreevidya, and RVD Academy; DJs and EDM producers Deadstream, G-Tam, Atish Mehta, Nandu, Saqib, and Jimmy Singh; musical performers Chicago Jamrock Collictive, Ochin Pakhi, Rini, and Nate Torrence-American Alghoza; and more.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts presents the seventh annual Mandala Makers Festival
Friday, September 5, 6–8 p.m., Saturday, September 6, 4–6 p.m. and 6–8 p.m., and Sunday, September 7, 2–6 p.m. All performances are FREE. The EDM Dance Party takes place September 5 at 8:30 p.m.; the Bollywood Dance Party takes place September 6 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 each or $70 for both. To reserve free performance tickets or purchase dance party tickets,
visit eventcombo.com/e/mandala-makers-festival-2025-75550.
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts,founded by Artistic Director Pranita Nayar, has earned major support from the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. From classical to contemporary, Mandala connects audiences and students with the vibrancy of the performing arts traditions of South Asia. For more information, visit mandalaarts.org.
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