About
Vision
To create a global network where dance becomes a catalyst for positive social
change, cultural understanding, and community building.
Mission
DNC is dedicated to promoting the study, practice, and appreciation of dance
as an art form while fostering research and community engagement. We strive to
provide a collaborative environment for scholars, artists, and communities to explore,
create, and connect.
Core Values
Four Pies
Dance and Community Research Institute, UNC Charlotte Dance(dNc) has been working in the Indian diaspora in the United States in the fields of South Asian aesthetics, dance education, performance research, theorizing praxis, scholarly mentoring, and peer-reviewed publications. It has had Fulbright scholars, renowned choreographers, and important artists working through federal, state, and regional grant funded opportunities. Kaustavi Sarkar, as dNc convenor, has been coordinating the multiple pipelines of activities in this institute, some of them are the peer-reviewed journal South Asian Dance Intersections, the online professional certification through UNC Charlotte called Indian Classical Dance Pedagogy Certificate, and the performance wing, Dance and Community Ensemble. This institute is born out of research in technique, education, aesthetics, choreography, and cultural studies perspectives within South Asian dance practice especially with a focus on Odissi from the eastern Indian state of Odisha.
Education, Research, Artistry, and Infrastructure are the four pies of Dance and Community Research Institute.
Objectives
The institute’s objectives are as follows:
To promote the recognition, development and understanding of South Asian
dance.
To encourage and support the research, education, criticism, creation and
performance of South Asian dance.
To facilitate communication and exchange among dance individuals, institutions
and organizations interested in South Asian dance.
To liaise, co-ordinate and participate in activities with other dance organizations
in the world.
To provide a forum for discussion of matters relating to South Asian dance.
To create more awareness and appreciation and systemization of pedagogy of
South Asian dance in the United States.
Dance is creating space, time, and meaning with the body-mind.
In South Asian traditions, dance is deeply woven into ritual, storytelling, spirituality, and social life, making it both an art form and a way of being in the world. From the mudras or gestures to the communal energy of Garba or dance with claps, movement has long carried meaning that transcends words. At dNc, we view dance not only as performance, but as a language of memory, identity, and cultural continuity. Movement allows us to honor histories, embody philosophies, and engage with contemporary issues. When structured with intention, dance becomes both art and research—a pathway for education, community-building, and intercultural dialogue. South Asian dance encompasses a wide spectrum: codified forms; ritual practices; village traditions; celebratory movements of regional styles; and the innovations of diaspora and contemporary South Asian choreography. At dNc, we acknowledge the wide range of these practices, the people and cultures that sustain them, and their interconnectedness with global dance traditions. We recognize the histories of marginalization and erasure that have often excluded South Asian and diasporic voices from academic and artistic discourse. Our mission is to create a space where these traditions are valued, studied, and reimagined in conversation with broader frameworks of dance scholarship, equity, and justice.
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Dance communicates meaning about the human experience—joy, sorrow, devotion, resistance, and transformation. In South Asia, dance has historically been a form of offering, a pedagogical tool, and a means of preserving intangible heritage. For artists in the diaspora, dance often becomes a way to negotiate identity, hybridity, and belonging. Through research, performance, and education, dNc supports dancers, educators, and students as they explore how South Asian dance practices shape and reflect lived realities. We see dance not only as an art form but as a dynamic archive that carries stories across time and place.
Dance and Education
South Asian dance studies at dNc engage learners across ages and backgrounds. Our programs span:
The Four Processes of Dance Literacy
In alignment with National Core Arts Standards frameworks, dNc supports students in becoming literate in South Asian dance through four interrelated processes:
Studying South Asian dance fosters not only physical and artistic development, but also cultural understanding, empathy, and critical inquiry. Research shows that dance education cultivates collaboration, creativity, and self-expression. In the South Asian context, it also deepens appreciation for heritage, enriches diaspora identities, and provides tools to engage with global diversity.