Dr. Maha Gingrich
By Dr. Maha Gingrich
My dance academy will be celebrating the 22nd anniversary of Dances of India production on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Matthews Community Center in Matthews, NC. We are now taking our show to many parts of our region. Our show has been receiving wonderful support from the local and international community of the Carolinas from its inception.
Audience members have travelled from as far away as Raleigh-Durham, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, Michigan and many other states to see this show. Each year we continue to showcase classical dances and storytelling through folk traditions.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to the continued success of this show.
The main reason for writing this article is that people ask me as to why I am sticking with only traditional dance styles and not open to incorporating Bollywood in my show. In my opinion, everything has its own place. It all depends on individual teacher’s own vision and passion.
My passion is the traditional dance styles that include classical dances and traditional folk dances.
I love to research and learn about the influences of Indian dances on world cultures. I want to show people visually our similarities and differences. Our signature dance, “Unity in Diversity” has been acclaimed by many for its uniqueness and the beauty of inclusion. I believe when you know where you come from, it is easier to understand where you are going.
Since the age of 5, I have had a strong desire to dance. My father nourished my wishes. I discovered that dancing was not predicated upon the movements of legs and arms, but that it grew from an inner urge for prayer in motion. I see many of my students in the same light. Either the parents are fulfilling their own unmet dreams through their children, or the students want to experience the energy of dancing.
My students’ enthusiasm, motivation, energy and happiness while dancing is totally contagious. Their hard work and my creativity is a fine blend of success.
Irrespective of the general opinion, there are lifelong benefits of classical dances. These dances not only teach discipline, but also stories from Hindu religion, long term commitment to an art form that is very difficult to learn, a perfect balance of right and left brains, balance of body and mind, just to mention a few.
The stories told through dances are not known even to some of the new generation of Indians coming to the USA.
Many of my students have been admitted into prestigious colleges due to their long-term commitment to these classical dance forms and training. When these students commit to learning traditional dance forms for 7 to 10 years, their commitment to achieve their life goals is apparent. Many continue to dance during their college years and beyond.
Several people also ask me about the language barrier these second-generation Indians face in this country. They wonder how these students are able to express the stories told through dancing so beautifully. This language barrier is not unique to the second generation. As India has so many spoken languages, it is almost impossible to learn them all. As a teacher/guru, I explain the stories to the students to bring out the inner emotions of storytelling using dance as a medium.
Growing here in the beautiful USA and making it my home, I have a great opportunity to spread these seeds of Indian culture through dance. Many of the Indian dance teachers in the U.S.A. teach these dances to support themselves financially.
Some teachers like me may want more out of it, such as reintroducing our culture to our own Indian community, introducing the culture to the non-Indian community and building recognition, appreciation, interest and respect for our culture. As we are learning Western culture, we should also teach Indian culture in exchange. We all must learn to grow.
Traditional dances have already gained popularity in the US. Thanks to many pioneers who contributed to this popularity. Each person’s contribution to these arts becomes an integral part of the overall vision to share these beautiful dance forms with the world.
In my opinion, where instant gratification is the way of life, the need and search for authentic exposition is pressing and dance shows of this dimension and character is indeed the need of the hour.
Indian art is a Science, a discipline, an art and an exposition at the same time. With the co-operation, philanthropy and good will of the art lovers of America, I am confident of promoting and fostering an appreciable understanding of the ancient cultural heritage of India among the aesthetic public.
Arts are not to be restrained from sharing with others. They are suitable for all cultures. Dances of India production gives me this opportunity to share with pride my Indian heritage. We are looking forward to seeing you at the show.
For questions or comments, contact Dr. Maha Gingrich via email at gingrichmaha@gmail.com. Website: mahasdancesofindia.com.
