Surat : Surat’s renowned Utkarsh Dance Academy LLP has been conducting government-recognized training in Bharatanatyam and traditional folk dances for the past 32 years. Under the leadership of its Founder and Director, Mrs. Behnaz S. Todiwala, a group of 23 talented dancers aged 15 years and above has been selected to represent India at one of the world’s most prestigious international folk dance festivals, the ASBL Festifolk Festival Mondial de Folklore de la Ville de Saint-Ghislain, recognized by CIOFF (UNESCO), 40th Edition – “Le Monde Est Ma Tribu.” The academy will participate in the festival in Belgium from June 16 to June 26, 2026.
A total of 13 countries will participate in this international festival. Utkarsh Dance Academy from Surat has been selected to represent India alongside cultural groups from countries including Argentina, Latvia, Lithuania, Colombia, South Korea, Mexico, Poland, Slovenia, and others.
During the festival, the 23 dancers from Surat will present a vibrant repertoire of Indian folk dances, including Dalkhai (West Bengal), Karagam (Kerala), Lezim performed to Lord Ganesha Aarti, Teratali and Kalbelia (Rajasthan), Bhangra (Punjab), Dangi (Dang district of Gujarat), and several other energetic and popular folk dance forms representing India’s rich cultural diversity.
The entire performance will be accompanied by live music, featuring Ditulal Bhatt on drums, Kumar Krishnan on lute, and Hitesh Sandane as vocalist, creating an authentic and immersive cultural experience.
To encourage and motivate the dancers, “Nritya Beyond Borders 2” was organized on February 9, 2026, at the Performing Art Center Auditorium, Pal, Surat. More than 300 people attended the event and extended their support and best wishes to the dancers as they prepared to represent India on an international stage.
“These dancers successfully mastered folk dances from seven to eight different states and regions of India within just 35 days. We are deeply grateful to Shri Jagdishbhai Italia, Founder of Sanskar Bharati Vidyalaya, for generously making the school auditorium available for rehearsals throughout this intensive preparation period and for continuously encouraging, supporting, and motivating the dancers. We express our heartfelt gratitude to him,” said the academy.
The complete credit for the choreography and dedicated efforts behind all the performances goes to Tamanna Patel and Nikshita Jain, members of the Utkarsh Dance Academy team who worked under the guidance of Mrs. Behnaz S. Todiwala. The academy also extends special appreciation to Khyati Desai and Pooja Bhagat for their invaluable hard work and contribution to the success of this project.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Behnaz S. Todiwala
Director
Utkarsh Dance Academy LLP, Surat
