Welcome to Upasana

Upasana “The Spirit of Dance” was founded by Saveeta Sharma in 1995 and is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and education of Indian culture through the ongoing development of Kathak, Odissi and Saveeta's own proprietary new, creative and innovative style of contemporary dance.

Saveeta Sharma with her guru, the Late Pandit Birju Maharaj

Based in Ottawa, Canada

Upasana maintains the Upasana School of Dance and the Saveeta Sharma Dance Company. Upasana's mission is to produce exemplary traditional, innovative, and collaborative works of classical Kathak and Odissi in order to increase public awareness by bringing together Indian dancers, choreographers and dance gurus. The intent is to maintain the highest level of excellence of dance, to train future generations of dancers, and build local, national and international community support for classical and contemporary Indian dance.

Professional dance series

Upasana also presents the Professional Dance Series featuring local, national, and international artists. For its School of Dance in Ottawa and Toronto, Upasana also presents its annual student production, LAYA ANGIKA, and, as part of its community outreach program, its annual STARS OF TOMORROW program. 

Synergy

Upasana has provided a leadership role as a presenter of new works to create a new synergy and networking capability for performers. This synergy is developed further by ongoing master classes out of which a cross-fertilization process aids in the development of new choreographic works.

journey

Upasana's journey of development, public education and ongoing choreographic discoveries has been marked by an analysis of past traditions in Indian classical dance and their applications to new and innovative choreographies.

mandate

Upasana's mandate, as stated in its Letters Patent of Incorporation, is to increase the public's awareness of the arts by:

> Creation, production, presentation of Indian classical and contemporary dance.

> Research and development of new works.

> Audience development and community outreach programs.

> Seminars, master classes and workshops for Indian classical and contemporary dance.

> Networking and collaboration.

> Presentation of a Professional Dance Series.

> Annual dance series of new and original works.

  • Department of Canadian Heritage

  • Canada Council for the Arts

  • Ontario Arts Council

  • Ontario Trillium Foundation

  • The City of Ottawa

  • Ottawa Community Foundation

  • Ottawa Arts Council

  • nCode Recording Quebec

  • Booster Rocket Media