Laasya is the nation’s oldest intercollegiate Indian classical dance competition. Founded by Boston University and MIT in 2010, Laasya has traveled far and wide, being hosted by various universities throughout the country. This year, Natya at Berkeley and Asha for Education, Berkeley are proud to host Laasya 2016 in the San Francisco Bay Area! Ten collegiate teams will visit UC Berkeley in March to perform pieces they have choreographed and worked on all year, and compete for the championship title. As the competing teams are predominantly composed of female dancers, Laasya has become a platform for these young women to express their unique creativity. Every year the collegiate teams at Laasya grapple with a wide range of subjects – whether it is retelling classic Indian tales from a different perspective, exploring world cultures, or highlighting societal issues, the dancers at Laasya continue to push the boundaries of Indian Classical Dance.