Wonderful India Festival: Teen Night Spirituality & Wellbeing Through the Arts

An engaging exploration on how arts, music, and dance can be used to support individual spiritual pursuits and overall well-being, presented by Tara Srinivasan (bharatanatyam dancer) and Nilesh Goswami (visual artist). Through engaging presentations geared specifically for their fellow teens, these young artist presenters will share their revelations about the positive benefits of the arts through hands-on demonstrations, live art-making, and interactive discussions.

All are welcome to attend, especially teens interested in learning more about the arts and holistic wellbeing overall, as well as young individuals interested in learning more about India’s art, dance, and music traditions specifically. Teen-friendly snacks will be available.

Parents: Parents can remain onsite to observe the teen session or attend the adult session in the Gallery Hall next door at the same time. The evening will conclude with group kirtan singing led by members of Round Rock ISKCON in the Gallery Hall.

RSVP required to attend, with suggested pay-what-you-can donation to support additional and ongoing programs celebrating the work of local artists specializing in Indian arts, music, and cultural traditions. Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.

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Schedule

6:00p: Bharatanatyam As a Path to Wellbeing, presented by Tara Srinivasan

7:00p: Spirituality through Art and Creative Expression, presented by Nilesh Goswami

___________ About the Speakers

Tara Srinivasan, a Westlake High School freshman, has studied Bharatanatyam for a decade under the tutelage of Smt. Vidhya Mani. She completed her Arangetram at the Dell Performing Arts Center and was then invited to perform at Guruvayoor temple in Kerala. With 7+ years of diverse dance training in ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop at Alisa’s Dance Academy and as a member of Austin Dance Elite, she was recently selected as a member of Westlake High School’s award-winning dance drill team – Hyline. Tara has mentored young dancers and conducted free camps in Austin and India. Beyond dance, she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and inspired by the efforts of the African community around Kilimanjaro, Tara embarked on a project to raise funds and supplies for them to help make a positive impact on their lives. Tara exudes a passion for both artistry and altruism, embodying a multifaceted personality.

Nilesh Goswami is a visual artist whose main goal is to understand the supreme truth through art as process. He is a self-taught artist, and his medium is currently digital art. With his father’s guidance, he started exploring art long before he can recall and has been doing it ever since. His most influential teachers and inspirations have been great musicians and composers, such as Thyagaraja, Andal, Surdas, and classical singers including M.S. Subbulakshmi, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Prabha Atre, along with many others. The aim of his artwork is to reveal the deeper connection between all art forms, especially between visual art, singing, and dancing, and how all of these work together to reveal the Supreme Truth.