Dear friends,

My name is Archana Raja, and I am a Kuchipudi dancer and Artistic Director of Laya Dance Company, based in San Jose, California. I’ve spent the last two decades immersed in the world of Indian classical dance, and in 2018, I founded Laya Dance in India to create a space where I could share an art form that I have been pursuing for the longest time, dance.

When I moved to the U.S. in 2020, the world shut down. The pandemic brought everything to a halt but my sadhana did not. I returned to rigorous training, deepened my work, and began rebuilding Laya Dance from the ground up here in the Bay Area. What started in India now pulses in California.

Today, I come to you not just as a dancer, but as a woman artist making space for an underrepresented form in an unfamiliar land.

Laya has always run independently, without external funding or government support. We also train and mentor students across the U.S., including a small dedicated group in the Bay Area.

As Artistic Director, this is my first step toward raising awareness for our work. In June 2025, we presented our second Arangetram, and now we’re debuting Laya’s first full-length original production in the Bay Area.

On August 30th, Laya will be premiering “The Accidental Goddess”, a self-funded work that draws from the life of Renuka, a powerful story of resilience, rupture, and reimagination. This work is our most personal yet. And it’s the first major step toward establishing Laya Dance as a recognized platform for original work rooted in tradition and bold enough to challenge it.

Bringing “ The Accidental Goddess” to life has been nothing short of a challenge. The process has tested me in more ways than I imagined, through unexpected disruptions, multiple re-recordings, and moments where external hurdles drained my energy and affected my mental well-being.

Yet, what keeps me going is the vision behind this work and the incredible support of the Bay Area community. Your belief in art, story, and tradition gives me strength.

Thank you for standing by me.

I need your support.

Your contribution will directly help:

Every dollar helps build a space where Indian classical dance is not just performed, but lived. A space where young dancers find mentorship, where stories are told with nuance, and where art continues to be a vehicle for community and change.

If you’ve ever been moved by dance, please consider supporting this journey. Help me carry Laya forward.

With gratitude,

Archana Raja

Artistic Director, Laya Dance Company