The International Indian Dance Festival 2026 arrives at The Cresset

There are moments in a city's cultural life that you look back on and say: I was there for that. This Friday, 31 July 2026, Peterborough gets one of those moments.

The International Indian Dance Festival 2026 arrives at The Cresset, and it is the first of its kind. Organised by the Peterborough Cultural Alliance and supported by Arts Council England, it is a afternoon and evening of classical and contemporary Indian dance that pulls artists from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge, Preston, Royston, and beyond, and brings them right here, to The Cresset, for one extraordinary night.

This is not a small local showcase. This is the real thing.

The evening begins at 6:00pm when guests arrive to a traditional Maharashtrian Lezhim and Drum Performance filling The Cresset atrium, a welcome that sets the tone immediately. Then, from 6:30pm, the headline show takes the stage.

PLAY BALL, by Srishti - Nina Rajarani Dance Creations, is the kind of production that makes you understand why people travel across the country for live performance. This triple bill of classical Indian dance and music features an all-female cast telling stories of love, football, and the working world through contemporary South Asian dance. The Sunday Times stated: "Rajarani's take on classical Indian dance is invigorating."

It is playful. It is powerful. It is coming to Peterborough this Friday. Tickets start at £10.

The evening features nine distinct dance forms; Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniyattam, Bihu, Garba, Ghoomar, and Bollywood, performed by artists who have travelled from across the UK. The Festival's Chief Guest is Alpana Sengupta-Taylor MBE, Director of ASDC Wisbech and a renowned Kathak exponent. BSL interpretation runs throughout the evening, and The Cresset is a fully accessible venue.

This event also marks the culmination of South Asian Heritage Month, making it not just a spectacular night out, but a meaningful one.

If that wasn't exciting enough, before the evening begins, there are two free workshops, and they have limited spaces.

Two acclaimed artists open their practice to anyone aged 16 and over, no experience needed and most importantly, free of charge.

2:00pm – 3:15pm: Kathak Classical Dance Workshop led by Shreya Vatsa, a professional Kathak dancer. Kathak is one of India's eight classical dance forms, intricate, expressive, built on rhythmic footwork and storytelling gesture. You will not find a more direct line to learning it than this.

3:30pm – 4:45pm: Bollywood Dance Workshop led by Roshan Singh, an accomplished Bollywood choreographer and dancer. High energy, joyful, and genuinely inclusive, the kind of experience that makes you wonder why you ever hesitated.

Both workshops are free. Both require registration in advance. Spaces are filling fast!

Anamika Ghosh of the Peterborough Cultural Alliance summarises: "This festival celebrates the diversity, talent and cultural richness that exists within Peterborough's communities. Culture and creativity should belong to everyone, and we are committed to ensuring that as many people as possible can experience, enjoy and participate in the arts."

That spirit is what makes this event worth your Friday.

For those travelling from Cambridge, Leicester, or Northampton - Peterborough is worth the journey for this. An evening that begins with live drumming in the atrium and ends with a Sunday Times-praised dance company does not come along every week.

This Friday. The Cresset, Rightwell East, Bretton Centre, Peterborough, PE3 8DX.

Evening programme from 6:00pm. PLAY BALL headline show from 6:30pm.

Tickets from £10: book at  www.cresset.co.uk  or call 01733 265705.

Free workshops (2:00pm and 3:30pm) - contact [email protected]

The International Indian Dance Festival 2026 is organised by the Peterborough Cultural Alliance, supported by Arts Council England and The Cresset.