The Dance Complex presents an evening of Mohiniyattam-style Indian dance featuring Dr. Neena Prasad, one of India’s most celebrated dance artists, on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 7pm. This performance is part of The Dance Complex Presents fall series and is produced by the Rasik Dance Concert Series, a Boston-based grassroots initiative dedicated to presenting Indian classical dance in their traditional forms.
Prasad is widely regarded as the foremost performer of Mohiniyattam, the lyrical classical dance form of Kerala, an Indian state on the country’s southwest coast. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award—India’s highest national honor in the arts—she has earned international acclaim for virtuosic performances and groundbreaking choreography. Prasad’s artistry is defined by a rare blend of rigorous academic training, deep aesthetic sensibility and creative innovation within the tradition. Her contributions to Mohiniyattam have significantly enhanced its movement vocabulary, resulting in a distinctive style within the broader tradition.
“We are thrilled to open Dr. Prasad’s U.S. tour right here at The Dance Complex,” says Rasik Co-Founder Sapna Govindan. “Audiences in this country rarely have the opportunity to experience Mohiniyattam, a classical dance form that was nearly lost but has been revived and transformed thanks to the pioneering efforts of its traditional performers, master artists, and the scholars who collaborated with them. Dr. Prasad’s groundbreaking work has expanded its existing movement vocabulary more than threefold, resulting in a distinctive style within its broader tradition. Her innovative and bold approach to choreography has pushed its boundaries, thereby shaping the form for a new generation of artists and audiences.”
“There’s an abundance of beautiful Indian dance in the Greater Boston region and many of those artists have been seen here,” says The Dance Complex Executive Artistic Director Peter DiMuro. “When the Rasik team brought to us the idea of presenting Dr. Prasad, we were eager to open the season with her performance. Indian dance is threaded throughout the next year at the Complex, in classes and in performances. So, it felt right to kick things off with this internationally renowned artist.”
At this performance, which is part of month-long U.S. tour, Prasad will be accompanied by a live ensemble of four musicians including: Changanasseri Madhavan Nampoothiri (vocals and composer); Ramesh Babu (mridangam, a percussion instrument); Kalamandalam Arundas (idakka, or “talking drum,” rarely seen in the U.S.); and Shyam Kalyan (violin). Together with Prasad, the musicians bring audiences into the rich world of Mohiniyattam, where intricate rhythm, poetry and storytelling converge.
“What makes this concert truly extraordinary is that Neena will perform with four musicians who have collaborated with her for decades,” says Rasik Co-Founder Priya Bangal. “In Indian classical dance, the interplay between dancer and live musicians creates the spark that makes each performance unique, and it is uncommon today for artists of her stature to tour the U.S. with such an ensemble. This is an unprecedented opportunity to witness one of the world’s great icons of Indian dance in the fullness of her artistry.”
Over her career, Neena Prasad has performed across India and on many international stages, leading both solo and ensemble productions. In addition to her performance career, Prasad has made lasting contributions as a scholar and educator, and founder of two institutions dedicated to Indian classical dance: the Bharathanjali Academy of Indian Classical Dances in Thiruvananthapuram and Sougandhika Centre for Mohiniyattam in Chennai.
The Dance Complex Presents: Dr. Neena Prasad in Concert will be at The Dance Complex (536 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA) at 7 pm on October 4. Tickets are $22-75 and may be purchased at dancecomplex.org or eventbrite.org.
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