Monday afternoon (April 28), the stage at Mumbai's Veda Kunba Auditorium transformed into a living tapestry of courage, rhythm, and resilience, as Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise (IME) hosted "Dance Is for Everybody," an inclusive performance specially curated to honour International Dance Day.
With Sandip Soparrkar serving as sutradhar for the evening, and emcee Ratan Pratap introducing each act with warmth and grace, the event transcended traditional performance formats to place disabled artists at the very heart of India's dance narrative.The showcase brought together dancers representing India's full 17 recognised disability categories-including blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured status, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, dwarfism, intellectual disability, mental illness, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, specific learning disabilities, speech and language disabilities, multiple disabilities, acid attack survivors, and Parkinson's disease. Each performer brought a unique story to the stage, demonstrating that dance is not about symmetry or speed-but about presence, spirit, and truth.
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Indrani Mukerjea and Sandip Soparrkar
Indrani Mukerjea, Founder of IME, addressed the audience, sharing, "True resilience is not about returning to where you were, but about moving forward differently-with wisdom, grace, and courage. Tonight's performers didn't just dance; they dismantled old ideas about who the stage belongs to."Sandip Soparrkar added, "Every movement tonight was a declaration. Dance doesn't ask for perfection; it asks for heart-and every artist here answered that call."
Following tradition, the evening began with a Saraswati Vandana-an invocation to the goddess of wisdom, learning, and the arts-setting a tone of reverence and inspiration before Soparrkar guided the audience through the tapestry of performances.
Among the dignitaries present were Mr. Haresh Mehta, President of the India Fine Arts Council, and Mr. Sampat Singh, Director of Veda Kunba, whose support underscored the event's commitment to celebrating artistic integrity and social impact.
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Indrani Mukerjea and Sandip Soparrkar with performers
Dance Without Barriers - The program included vibrant classical routines in Indian Sign Language, breathtaking wheelchair performances, expressive group pieces by dancers with Down syndrome, and soulful solos by survivors of acid attacks and performers managing chronic neurological conditions.
Every participant contributed not just their art but their humanity-shifting the spotlight from disability to ability. Reflecting on their performances, several artists shared moving thoughts, "Parkinson's may try to control my hands, but today, my spirit choreographed its own rhythm," said Shail Pandey, a dancer managing Parkinson's disease. "On this stage, for the first time, my movements told my story-not my condition."
"Today, it didn't feel like my wheelchair is a limitation-more like a partner in my performance," said Surbhi Bansal, a dancer with cerebral palsy. "People often ask me how I dance without limbs. But dance begins long before the body moves. It begins with the will to express-and tonight, that was more than enough," said Sumeet Jadhav, another performer at today's event. In a particularly moving gesture, every individual-from performers to choreographers to the emcee and support staff-contributed their time and talent free of charge, standing together in solidarity with the cause.The post-performance press interaction emphasised action over applause, with IME and Soparrkar urging greater accessibility in arts education, more inclusive public venues, and continuous platforms for artists with disabilities.
About Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise
Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise (IME) is an umbrella platform for founder Indrani Mukerjea's passion projects in dance, drama, and acting. More atelier than corporation, IME is dedicated to fostering creative ventures that champion resilience, inclusion, and transformative storytelling-earning the trust and goodwill of public audiences through every initiative. Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise (IME) is an umbrella platform for founder Indrani Mukerjea's passion projects in dance, drama, and acting. More atelier than corporation, IME is dedicated to fostering creative ventures that champion resilience, inclusion, and transformative storytelling-earning the trust and goodwill of public audiences through every initiative.
