Singapore-based Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and scholar Mohanapriyan Thavarajah recently returned from a transformative four-month artistic voyage across the United Kingdom and Europe.
A highlight of the journey was his landmark performance at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, where he represented the classical Indian dance form during the UK’s Tamil Heritage Month celebrations.
“This was not just a performance – it was a moment of profound pride, representing the Tamil spirit and classical Indian heritage on a stage where global history is shaped,” said Mohanapriyan, who serves as associate creative director of Singapore’s Apsaras Arts Dance Company.
A Stage Steeped in Significance
Mohanapriyan’s invitation to perform at the UK Parliament came after nearly a decade of artistic collaborations across the UK and Europe.
Since 2016, he has nurtured strong relationships with the UK’s classical dance community, leading to his connection with the British Tamil Forum, the event’s organisers who have hosted Tamil Heritage Month celebrations at Westminster for the past 16 years.
Held in January 2026, the Parliament event commemorated Thai Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, and honoured the contributions of the Tamil community in the UK.
“It was a warm and dignified gathering of about 60 people,” Mohanapriyan told tabla!. “Members of Parliament, Tamil leaders, artistes and invited guests came together to celebrate language, culture and identity.”
As part of the commemorative programme titled Thamizh Naatyanjali, Mohanapriyan presented two pieces. The first, “Tamil Vaazhthu”, was choreographed to a poem by celebrated Tamil poet, freedom fighter and social reformer Subramania Bharathi and performed alongside UK-based dance teachers.
His solo piece, “Anantam & Aanandam,” was a joyful, spiritually resonant work set to music by Dr Rajkumar Bharathi, the poet’s great-grandson. Together, the performances brought poetic legacy and classical dance to life within the hallowed halls of Westminster.
Connecting Audiences Across Borders
This high point was just one among many deeply meaningful engagements during Mohanapriyan’s European tour. In October 2025, he was invited to perform at the Deepavali celebrations hosted by the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, an event that brought together the broader South Asian diaspora in the UK.
He also led Bharatanatyam masterclasses, Arangetram mentoring, and workshops in London, Chester, Manchester and Cambridge, interacting with both established teachers and diaspora youth. “I had the chance to speak to young dancers about their journey, conduct Adavu sessions (the fundamental, technical building blocks of pure dance), and support their pursuit of classical arts within a global context,” he said.
France: A Deeply Felt Artistic Exchange
In November 2025, Mohanapriyan made his fourth performance tour of France, a country he describes as one of his favourite places to perform.
His first performance on Nov 2 was in Strasbourg, at an annual Deepavali festival hosted by the prominent multidisciplinary cultural centre and theatre Le Point d’Eau and the cultural organisation Vidhyalaya.
The programme explored Tamil literary traditions through Bharatanatyam, opening with verses from the Thirukkural, including Agara Mudhala.
The evening also featured Bharathiyar’s poetry and a delightful retelling of the folktale “The Old Lady, the Crow, and the Fox”, choreographed by his guru Priyadarsini Govind.
“To my joy, the French children recognised their own version of the story,” he said. “It was a beautiful moment of shared heritage across cultures.”
On Nov 30, Mohanapriyan performed in Nancy, where an intimate gathering of art lovers — academics, doctors, and spiritual seekers – responded with heartfelt emotion.
“A French audience member who had studied Indian philosophy said he could finally feel on stage what he had only read in books,” said Mohanapriyan. “Moments like that are why I dance.”
Beyond Performance: Art as Transformation
For Mohanapriyan, the tour was not only about showcasing Bharatanatyam – it was about deepening dialogue and connecting cultures.
“I met one French gentleman who has attended my shows across cities for years. He told me, ‘Wherever you dance, I’ll be there.’ Another, a devout Catholic doctor, said: ‘I don’t know Hindu gods, but your art made me feel spirituality.’ These encounters remind me that art transcends language and belief.”
Such emotional resonance affirms the vision of Apsaras Arts, which has performed in the UK since 2011 with works like Nirmanika, Agathi and Anjasa. Alongside company tours, Mohanapriyan’s solo works like Parama Padam, Thandav and Skanda Rasam continue to push classical boundaries while staying rooted in tradition.
A Journey of Representation and Growth
Reflecting on the tour, Mohanapriyan called it a period of artistic growth, community engagement and cultural representation. “I felt I was contributing, in a small but significant way, to keeping our traditions visible and relevant on global stages – and flying the Singapore flag high,” he said.
Currently pursuing his PhD in India, the gold medallist scholar also continues mentoring young dancers through the Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC) in Singapore. Through his design label, MOHA by Priyan, he brings classical elegance to costume craftsmanship.
Quoting his mentor Aravinth Kumarasamy, Mohanapriyan said: “You give yourself to art, and art gives back more than you could ever give.”
