How this dance studio connects adopted children to their native roots
GRANBY, Colo. — Every year, families from across the country gather for a heritage camp where adopted Indian and Nepalese children come to learn about their roots.
Mudra Dance Studio has been part of the annual camp for over 20 years. Founder Namita Khanna Nariani said the mission of the studio is to "celebrate diversity through the universal language of dance and music and to expose the world to the beautiful cultural fabric that India brings to our culture here [in the United States]."
The Aurora, Colorado-based dance company leads many crafts and workshops throughout the three-day camp, including traditional Indian dance classes, leading up to a big final performance on the last day.
Nariani's favorite class to teach is an adult class for adoptive parents. She said that during the final performance some children are laughing, some are embarrassed, some are overjoyed. It allows the parents to feel closer to their kids because "they're taking a little piece of culture with them."
The goal of the camp is to expose adopted children to their native roots, but Namita also hopes to spread love and diversity throughout the world, connecting cultures and people together.
This report originally appeared on Rocky Mountain PBS' "Arts District."
Support Canvas
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
The holiday, which serves as a nationwide communal event reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression, spans seven…
The Library of Congress announced the 25 films that made it into this year's National Film Registry. The registry, started…
Zakir Hussain, one of India's most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on…
The newest world chess champion is also the youngest ever to claim the title. Eighteen-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated defending…
She has painted portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. But much of Amy Sherald's work is about filling in…
The animated PBS Kids series, "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum," follows Xavier as he, his sister and friend meet…
Bryan Stevenson, the prominent lawyer and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has blazed a trail representing the poor,…
Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy, who captured history with his sketchbook for more than 40 years died on Monday…
Nikki Giovanni, a fierce and lyrical voice of the Black experience, has died. Giovanni's work illuminated love, liberation and the…
Author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a born confessor and performer whom fans came to know her well…
A tried and true program in East L.A. helps former gang members, drug users and those leaving incarceration build a…
The nominations for Globes, which will be televised by CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Jan. 5, were announced on…
After more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years, the global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift's Eras…
"Polarization means division, but it's a very specific kind of division," said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large, in an…
In 1958, when John Cruitt's mother died, his third-grade teacher made a small gesture of kindness that meant a great…