Bhaskar's Arts Academy

Bhaskar’s Arts Academy is a Singapore-based Indian classical performing arts institution founded in 1952 by K. P. Bhaskar. The academy promotes Indian dance, music, theatre, and cross-cultural productions in Singapore.

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About Bhaskar's Arts Academy

Bhaskar’s Arts Academy is a Singapore-based Indian classical dance, music, and theatre company dedicated to promoting and sustaining Indian performing arts both locally and internationally. The organization presents three to four major performance seasons annually, bringing classical repertoire as well as new choreographic works to diverse audiences. While grounded in traditional Indian artistic philosophies and techniques, the academy is also known for its cross-cultural productions that reflect Singapore’s multicultural environment.

In addition to stage productions, the academy plays an important role in arts education and artist development. Its teaching wing, Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, provides structured training in Indian classical dance and music. Through this programme, young artists receive formal instruction and stage exposure, with promising students selected for advanced training and performance opportunities through the academy’s Core Dancers’ Programme and youth orchestra Swathi.

Bhaskar’s Arts Academy has also expanded into other traditional theatre forms, including maintaining a Kathakali troupe, one of the few outside India, dedicated to presenting both traditional Malayalam repertoire and experimental works incorporating multilingual elements. Guided by its mission of “Touching Lives by Championing Indian Performing Arts”, the academy continues to work with educational institutions, cultural organizations, and community partners to bring Indian performing arts to wider audiences while nurturing the next generation of artists.

History

Bhaskar’s Arts Academy was established in 1952 in Singapore by the late K. P. Bhaskar, a pioneering figure in the development of Indian performing arts in Southeast Asia. Over the decades, the academy has become one of the longest-standing Indian classical arts institutions in Singapore, contributing significantly to the country’s multicultural performing arts landscape.

From its early years, the academy has focused on presenting traditional Indian dance, music, and theatre while also exploring cross-cultural artistic collaborations that reflect Singapore’s diverse cultural identity. Through these efforts, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy has produced numerous stage productions that combine classical Indian techniques with narratives drawn from regional and international traditions.

Among its notable productions are adaptations such as Butterfly Lovers, based on a Chinese folk tale, and Manohra, inspired by Thai mythology. The academy has also staged thematic productions including Rasa & Dhwani, which set local multilingual poetry to Indian dance, and People Get Connected, a work exploring the evolution of human communication. Later productions such as CHAKRA, XPressions, and the Marabu trilogy further demonstrate the academy’s continuing exploration of artistic innovation within classical frameworks.