Selected to portray Indian culture and dance at India House in Paris on the sidelines of the Olympic Games, the Hormuzd Khambata Dance Company drew "standing ovations from a global audience who thronged (the venue)” to witness the performances, troupe founder Homuzd Khambata told Parsiana on their return.
Clockwise from top: Hormuzd Khambata;
his troupe performing at Paris; members of his Dance Company
The Company performed every day from July 16 to August 11, 2024. "Different timings… Mostly it was at 7:30 p.m.,” noted Khambata. Other performers included singers Shaan, Neeti Mohan and singer-composer Raghu Dixit. There was a demonstration of mallakhambh (a traditional Indian sport in which a group of gymnasts perform aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips in concert with a stationary vertical pole) by Samarth Vyayam Mandir.
Khambata was recently felicitated with the Dadasaheb Phalke Cine Artist and Technician Award in recognition of his two-decade contribution to choreography (see "Choreographer’s award,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, July 7-20, 2024).
India House, a cultural and hospitality hub at the Paris Olympics, was inaugurated by the Reliance Foundation and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). "The initiative aims to promote Indian culture, heritage and achievements, providing a ‘home away from home’ for Indian athletes, their families, and fans” noted The Economic Times of July 28, adding that this marked a "step in India’s journey towards potentially hosting the Olympic Games in the future.”