NACHLEDEEWANE
Santa Barbara's largest celebration of South Asian dance and culture. Join us for an unforgettable evening of artistry, passion, and community.
Tickets & Pricing
- Show: $23
- Post-Show Concert: $21
- Bus Pass to Post-Show: $11
- Post-Show Concert + Bus Pass: $29
Distinguished Judges
Industry professionals and acclaimed artists who will evaluate the performances.
Amita Batra
Movement Artist & Choreographer
Amita Batra is a story-driven movement artist currently based in Los Angeles, CA. Formally rooted in Kathak, the Indian Classical art of storytelling as well as modern/contemporary dance and theater, Amita's style celebrates telling the power of storytelling without saying a word. Her experience as a movement artist includes working with Yash Raj Films, The Academy of Motion Pictures, NBC-Universal, Grammy-nominated Radhika Vekaria, and various union & independent film and theater projects. Additionally, she runs her storytelling dance company Boundless by Amita, which focuses on experimental movement for stage, camera, and unconventional spaces.
Saffat Al Munsur
Dancer, Choreographer & Educator
Saffat is a Bay Area–based professional dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work is rooted in hip hop culture and its intersection with his Desi identity. He began his dance journey in Qatar in 2006, inspired by local b-boys in his neighborhood, and has since dedicated himself to understanding hip hop as both an art form and a cultural movement. Mentored by legends such as Mr. Wiggles and B-boy Wicket, Saffat emphasizes history, musicality, and cultural context in his teaching. His classes focus on understanding the music first—connecting rhythm, people, and intention—before diving into movement and choreography. He is currently a principal dancer with Ishami Dance Company which is an Indian-Contemporary dance company based in the Bay Area. He has taught across North America and worked with artists including Adnan Sami, Arjun, Fateh, Anirudh Ravichander, and Bohemia. Saffat also co-founded the Desi Dance Community in 2022 to grow a community of diverse dancers rooted in learning in the Bay Area.
Jai Loonker
Professional Dancer
Jai Loonker is a professional dancer known for his fusion of Bollywood and hip-hop styles. He has performed with Karan Aujla, appeared in a Tesher music video, and even been reposted by Hrithik Roshan on social media. Now based in Los Angeles, Jai continues to train, collaborate with fellow creators, and share his passion for the art.
Dance Teams
The best collegiate dance teams from across California, ready to take the stage.
UA Om Shanti
Bollywood Fusion
CPP Tamanna
Bollywood Fusion
Cal Poly Andaaz
Bollywood Fusion
UCB Deewani
Bollywood Fusion
SMU Rang
Bollywood Fusion
SLU Shakti
Bollywood Fusion
UCSB Taara
Bollywood Fusion
UCSB Agni
Indian Classical
UCSB Raices
Exhibition Act
Our Team
The dedicated student organizers of UCSB Dhadkan who make Nachle Deewane possible.
Presidents
Tanish
President
Bhavya
President
Shashin
President
Finance
Members
Mitul
Sneha
Skanda
Sonika
Aarnav
Outreach
Members
Urvi
Sanjana
Ashmit
Anit
External Affairs
Members
Kael
Ayaan
Saahas
Event Management
Members
Aria
Ajit
Arnav
Yash
Venue & Tech
Members
Harman
Anika
Karanveer (Nav)
Viraj
Shiven
Liaison
Members
Adhya
Prithvi
Rahul
Nikita
Veer
Yaati
Amol
Akshita
Achal
Aathmika
Interested in joining UCSB Dhadkan?
Get In Touch