Dancers from Sukanya Burman Dance perform recently. Submitted photo

A community showcase and a fundraiser to help promote cultural diversity through dance will be held Saturday.

The showcase, organized by Sukanya Burman Dance, will be held at 6 p.m. at Darrah Hall at Christ First UMC, 663 Lakeview Ave., and will feature choreographics works by Grace Larson, Averil DuBois, and Burman to be performed by company members and students.

Daryl Simons Jr., executive director said the showcase also will highlight the vibrant dance community in Jamestown.

“Grace Larson will be presenting a Contemporary solo choreography titled NighJar inspired by their training in Limon technique,” said Burman, who is also the founder and artistic director for the dance company.

Contemporary Dance students Tina Brockway and Sarah Tonon will be presenting a piece called The Whale Song, choreographed by Larson, alongside Larson and Burman.

“This choreography is a culmination of six months of training in Contemporary technique,” Burman said.

Dubois will be presenting a solo choreography titled Withered, exploring the complexity of the human mind in navigating space, time and emotion, Burman said.

“SBD’s first batch of Indian Classical students will be performing a Bharatanatyam traditional repertoire of ‘Aangikam,’ an introductory invocation piece set to traditional Carnatic music,” Burman said.

Following that performance will be a 15-minute section called “Reflection of Riyaz,” a real time glimpse of a structured class session that includes fast technique work, and short rhythmic compositions. The section will end with a tribute piece called “Guru Vandana” which pays homage to their teachers and mentors who have shaped their lives so far, Burman added.

Burman will also showcase her original choreography entitled “Tarana.”

The showcase will be concluded by a short teach back where the company dancers of SBD will invite audiences to join in the dance circle. Few simple yet engaging steps will be taught to the group with music. The audience will have the opportunity to be a part of the dance celebration by learning and dancing together as a community.

The showcase also includes a “Ghungroo” ceremony.

“This is a ritual where our first batch of Indian Classical dance students will receive their first Ghungroos/Bells, an essential instrument for their creative practice in Indian Dance,” Burman said. “This ceremony is unlike any other celebration. This marks the initiation or start of their journey as Kathak and Bharatanatyam dancers.”

SBD is a US-based 501(c)(3) contemporary dance company in Jamestown, NY, that mobilizes the expressive techniques of Indian diasporic dances and modern dance to explore compelling ideas and create shared visual experiences.

For more information on the showcase, please visit sukanyaburman.com.