We’re open daily! Reserve your entry tickets online today. ›
Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Immerse yourself in India’s vibrant culture with bharata-nātyam dance and tala music-making workshops, live performances, henna body art, and a musical craft.
Sponsored by APS Supported by the India Association of Phoenix
Ghungroo Ankle Rattle Craft 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Make your own ghungroo and step in to your day at MIM with a jingle! Worn in classical Indian dance, ghungroo are small metallic bells strung together and tied around dancers’ ankles.
Instrument Spotlight: Sounds of India 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Stop by MIM’s Instrument Spotlight table to sample traditional musical instruments of India. Try your hand at plucked, drummed, and strummed instruments representing a variety of styles in Indian folk and classical music.
Photo Booth 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Have your picture taken with fun musical props at MIM’s custom photo booth, and instantly get your own copy to take home.
Carnatic Music Performance 10:30–11:15 a.m. Sonoran Masala performs the classical music of southern India in an ensemble featuring the vina, piano, mridangam, drum pad, and konnakol vocals. This popular Valley group, led by Dr. Sheila Sudhakar, specializes in blending traditional Carnatic compositions with classical, jazz, and rock music.
Henna Body Art 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Get a beautiful henna body-art design from the talented local artists of Neelam Sandesara’s Henna Shoppe. Don’t worry, this natural, brown-tinted dye is only temporary!
Bharata-nātyam Dance Workshop 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Join graduate dancers of Sampradaya Dance of India for a workshop in classical bharata-nātyam. Learn the basic steps as well as the origins and importance of this beautiful dance form.
Tala Music-Making Workshop 12:30–1:00 p.m. Join Sonoran Masala members Sushil Sudhakar, Subra Sudhakar, and Mahesh Subramanian for a fun and rhythmic workshop in the art of tala—clapping, tapping, and waving one’s hands to track divisions of time in Indian classical music.
Bharata-nātyam Dance Performance 1:15–2:00 p.m. Witness the elegance of south Indian bharata-nātyam dance performed by the students of Sampradaya Dance of India. Led by artistic director Nita Mallya, their program titled Nrityakatha shares the ancient mythology of southern India accompanied by live musicians and storytelling.
Culture Talk | Musical Instruments of Popular Hindi Films: On and Off the Screen 2:15–3:00 p.m. Whether through an unforgettable on-screen performance or one that we can hear but not necessarily see, musical instruments drive the storylines of many popular Hindi films. Join Dr. Nilanjana Bhattacharjya, Honors Faculty Fellow and Senior Lecturer at Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College, for an engaging exploration of these musical instruments.
Hindustani Music Performance 3:15–4:00 p.m. Discover the sounds of Shastriya Sangeet, the classical music of northern India. This impressive performance by student vocalists and tabla players of Phoenix Gharana School of Indian Arts is led by founder Pt. Manu Srivastava and acclaimed tabla player Prafulla Athalye.
Weekend Extras Available for Purchase During Café Allegro lunch hours, enjoy a special menu featuring Indian-inspired favorites such as lamb kofta curry, mattar paneer, naan bread, and spiced rice pudding.
All weekend, shop the Museum Store for a hand-picked selection of colorful handbags, jewelry, textiles, CDs, books, and instruments.