Navaratri Festival Student Dance Showcase: Akhil Joondeph '26 plus WesGrooves Social Dance Series: Bollywood Dance Party

Friday, September 26, 2025 at 4:30pm
World Music Hall

Free and open to the public.

An informal afternoon of dance begins with a showcase featuring choreographer and dancer Akhil Joondeph '26.

Then WesGrooves will host the third event in their new series of social dance events with a vision to create community connection through rigorous play and creative movement, featuring a gender-bending Bollywood dance party with an introductory dance lesson, music curated by students, and a "Samavesha" mocktail in honor of Friday evening’s gender-bending dance performance by husband and wife Indian dance stars Srikanth Natarajan and Aswathy Srikanth. Come as you are or dress to impress. No dance experience needed.

This event is part of the 49th anniversary Navaratri Festival at Wesleyan.

Akhil Joondeph '26 is a dancer and choreographer from the San Francisco Bay Area. His work is interested in queerness, rupture, and imagining dance beyond genre, and is inspired by his South Asian-American heritage and queer identity. His choreography has been featured in the Fresh Meat Festival, FACT/SF Summer Dance Festival, Mandala Makers Festival, and beyond. He has performed at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, SF Pride Main Stage, San Francisco International Arts Festival, and other festivals across the United States, Canada, and India.

Read Students Perform During Annual Celebration of Indian Music and Dance in The Wesleyan Connection. 

Learn how different dances and music from across the world bring people together to move, play, and express themselves. WesGrooves is a community dance party that explores social dance styles from around the globe, offering a short introductory workshop suited for beginners and led by a visiting instructor, and open dancing to live or recorded music. All are welcome to join in a joyous atmosphere to create connection through rigorous play and creative movement.

Learn more about WesGrooves events.