ABC Grant Funds Indian Ballet Theater in Memphis

State of Tennessee supports Arts of all forms. Arts Build Communities is one of the most popular grants that art organizations and educational institutions can get financial assistance from Tennessee Arts Commission on annual basis. Spiritual Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in Cordova, Tennessee protects, preserve and promote Indian cultural and heritage. Indian Ballet Theater a dance division of the Spiritual Foundation received ABC grant from Tennessee Arts Commission through Arts Memphis for 2018.

Dr. Ramana Vasili, founder and President of Indian Ballet Theater acknowledged that the Tennessee Arts Commissions continued support since the Foundation’s incorporation. Indian Ballet Theater received ABC grant for year 2017 also. Memphis area and Shelby County has a smaller Indian Community and running a minority organization whether for profit or nonprofit is always a challenge. Young children, young adults, matter fact dance interested individuals of any age can learn Indian Classical Dance Kuchipudi from one of their training centers that Indian Ballet Theater offer in Shelby County. Dance classes were offeredon Thursday and Friday at Holy Apostles Church in Collierville, TN, whereas Saturday and Sunday at India Cultural Center and Temple, Eads, TN.

Arts Build Communities, in addition makes communities safer and stronger says Dr. Vasili. During the last three years students trained at Indian Ballet Theater under this grant and several other projects gave astonishing performances not only in Memphis, even in big cities like Saint Louis, MO and Chicago, IL. This year, remarkably IBT students gave a live dance performance for the audience of Local Memphis TV24. In addition students live performed for The Arc. The Arc helps people with mental disabilities and physical limitations. Foundation students gave a live performance at Liberty Bowl Stadium for Bridge Builders in their YOUnified summer youth event. Spiritual Foundation gave two electrifying performances at India Cultural Center and Temple on two different events. ICCT celebrated a week long “Kumbabhishekam” ritual marking completion of another 12 years and it’s the 2^nd time since the temple built.

Foundation’s students gave a 3 hours live dance performance and also during temple’s “Vinayaka Nimajjan”.  Indian Ballet Theater in collaboration with Telugu Association of Memphis and India Association of Memphis gave several performances locally. Indian Ballet Theater’s lead dance teacher and co-founder Smt. Chandra Prabha Vasili along with Yogita Manasa Dintakurthi, Mounika Kandakatla, Sahasra Sasipalli, Rashmita Bayanna, Asmita Boddu, Ashwika Bandaru, Sahasra Thota, Saanvi Kuntamalla, Nidhi Chennam, Vaishnavi Pilli, Naidrua Menothuperambil, Shanthi Ballepu and Rithika Pagala also known as “Dancing Bells of India” proved the most talented Indian Classical Dancers in the Mid-South. Spiritual Foundation represented the Mid-South on national stage during the international celebrations of North America Telugu Association at Chicago, IL and Telugu Association of North America at Saint Louis, MO in 2017. Dr. Ramana Vasili in a statement thanked Art Memphis and Tennessee Arts Commission for their generous support and said looking forward to work with them in the coming years.        

For more details visit:  http://www.spiritualfoundation.us/

Dr. Ramana Vasili
Spiritual Foundation, Inc.
901-387-9646 ramanavvasili@hotmail.com

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