Dancing with Devotion, Growing with Joy: Ananda Mela 2026

When I look back at Ananda Mela 2026, the first thing I remember is the smiles.

There is so much to love about a performance - the music, the costumes, the moment when a group moves together. But for me, the happiest part is seeing that joy on our dancers' faces. It tells a story that reaches far beyond the stage.

A festival that feels like a homecoming

Ananda Mela calls itself the “Joyful Festival of India.” Held outdoors at Redmond City Hall, the annual festival brings together Indian food, shopping, cultural exhibits, family activities, and live performances. Since its beginnings in 2010, it has offered a gathering place for people to experience and share India's traditions.

For Nrityangan, our connection is personal. From our classes at the temple to the annual Ananda Mela, this has been a long-standing relationship woven into our dance journey. Returning to the festival feels like carrying something of that familiar space into a larger celebration.

Discover Ananda Mela, the Joyful Festival of India ↗

Our offering to Lord Krishna

I think of this as a divine relationship: learning, practicing, and sharing dance within a community connected by devotion. Our performance at Ananda Mela was our tribute to Lord Krishna, offered with love and gratitude.

For me, that intention begins before the stage. It is there in the care we bring to practice, in the respect we show one another, and in the willingness to give our best. Dance becomes a way of expressing what words alone cannot always hold.

Many dancers, one piece

A polished ensemble performance asks each dancer to be aware of the whole group. Coordinating steps means listening to the same music, attending to timing, and knowing how one's own movement belongs within the formation. A gesture may be individual, but the picture we create is shared.

That is the work behind the professional finish we strive for: practice that allows the dancers to move with both confidence and consideration for one another. The stage photograph captures a little of that shared intention, with the performers spread across the space and their arms shaping the group composition.

Watch this piece for the coordination of the steps and the way each dancer contributes to the ensemble. It is a lovely reminder that performing together is also an exercise in trust.

Watch Nrityangan's coordinated ensemble performance at Ananda Mela 2026 ↗

The joy of red and white

Our red-and-white costumes brought another beautiful image to the day. The white fabric, vivid red borders, and matching details gave the group a shared visual identity while leaving room for each dancer's expression.

I love the photograph of the dancers standing together in these costumes. Away from the stage formation, there is an ease and warmth to the moment. The performance belongs to the audience, but these small moments of togetherness belong to our memories, too.

Watch the red-and-white costume performance ↗

The smiles are the best part

And then there is our rocking troupe—the laughter, the playfulness, and the joy of simply being together!

For all the attention we give to steps and formations, I never want us to lose that spirit. The group photographs and cheerful selfies are reminders that dance can create friendships as well as performances. There is room for concentration, and there is room for laughter.

Watch our rocking troupe share a laugh together ↗

Confidence that travels beyond the stage

Every performance is an opportunity to grow a little more confident. Preparing, stepping forward, remembering one's part, and supporting the group are experiences that can stay with a student long after the music ends.

As a teacher, I am happy to contribute to those life skills: patience, teamwork, responsibility, and the courage to be seen. We practise dance, but we are also practicing how to listen, how to keep going, and how to stand beside one another.

That is why those smiles mean so much to me. They are part of the achievement. I hope each dancer carries something of that feeling into the next class, the next performance, and the other parts of life where a little confidence can make a difference.

With gratitude to our students, families, and the Ananda Mela community - and with love for Lord Krishna - we carry this joyful experience forward.

Chandrayee Bhattacharyya

Founder & Director, Nrityangan Kathak Studio