To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Arts Council, the state agency decided to profile 50 artists with North Carolina roots. The project is called “50 for 50,” and it includes artists from bestselling-author David Sedaris to poet and musician Shirlette Ammons.
Host Frank Stasio talks to North Carolina Arts Council Executive Director Wayne Martin about the project. Asha Bala also joins the conversation. She is the director and an instructor at the Leela School of Dance in Cary. She was profiled in the 50 for 50 project. Bala talks about the South Indian dance form Bharatanatyam and how it transmits religious stories and culture to her students and the greater Indian diaspora.
Bala is also a recipient of a 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award. Bala will be performing at the 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award ceremony on Wednesday, May 23, at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.
