Opening Party
The night it all begins
A community dance class, live music and a DJ until late. Recent editions have brought a live band and a night of performances to open the weekend.
What is GIDF
Indian dance is not one thing.
It is Kalbeliya from the desert of Rajasthan. Chhau. Lavani from Maharashtra. Kuthu from Tamil Nadu. Giddha from Punjab — each with its own history, its own community, its own way of moving through the world.
Every May, GIDF brings these traditions to Ghent — not as performance alone, but as experience. You learn from teachers who carry these forms in their bodies. You dance, you watch, you celebrate — and recent editions have ended with a live band.
"Not rushed. Not overproduced. Not reduced to trends."
— Swapnil, December 2025
Curated by Swapnil Dagliya
Organised by ABC a bollywood company · with Shoonya Dance Centre · Ghent
What to expect
Three days, one building, many ways in.
Every edition is built from the same parts: workshops by day, a gala by night, and a party to open it all.
Workshops
One tradition, one teacher
Master teachers from across India, each teaching their own form hands-on across the weekend — from classical technique to regional folk styles.
Gala Showcase
An evening on stage
A seated theatrical evening at the Shoonya Theatre — faculty, guest artists and the ABC company together, with live music joining the stage in recent editions.
The next edition
Edition Five
Three days at Shoonya Dance Centre, Ghent. Artists and the full programme are announced on Instagram first — until we dance again.
Follow @gentindiadansfestivalPractical
Good to know.
This is how GIDF always runs. Dates, faculty and prices are confirmed each year.
The venue
Shoonya Dance Centre, Stapelplein 41, 9000 Gent. The whole festival unfolds under one roof — studios, stage and party space.
Who it's for
All levels and backgrounds, ages 12 and up. No prior Indian-dance experience needed — just come ready to move.
Getting there
A 10-minute walk from Gent-Dampoort station. Street parking out front, additional parking nearby, and the city centre ten minutes on foot.
Tickets & refunds
Registration opens ahead of each edition and closes once full. All registrations and tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Questions
Write to us via the contact page, or follow @gentindiadansfestival for news.
The story so far
Four editions, and counting.
Ghent's annual festival of Indian dance, since 2023 — each edition its own mix of workshops, showcases and an opening party.
2026
Edition Four
The year music arrived
Live music joined the festival for the first time — tabla on the workshop floor and a live band at the opening party. Seven master teachers taught across three days, and the gala sold out.
7 master teachers — Colleena Shakti · Vaishali Sagar · Shampa Gopikrishna · Hameed Khan Kawa · Manasi Khanna · Desihop · Swapnil Dagliya
2025
Edition Three
The year of joy
The first community class opened the festival up to new people, and it stayed on. Shampa, kept away by a visa the year before, finally taught.
6 teachers — Vaishali Sagar · Shampa Gopikrishna · Lavesh Pritmani · Lenka Badriyah · Aakansha Maheshwari · Swapnil Dagliya
2024
Edition Two
Kathakali enters the room
A precision form rarely taught in Belgium joined the line-up, brought by Julien Touati — the year the festival aimed deeper, not just wider. Shampa Gopikrishna was billed for Lavani and Mujra but her visa came in too late; the festival learned its first lesson in international logistics.
7 teachers — Vaishali Sagar · Shreyashee Nag · Aakansha Maheshwari · Navjot Minhas · Jana Jayanti · Julien Touati · Swapnil Dagliya
2023
Edition One
Eight teachers, eight traditions
From Bharatanatyam to BollyHop to Bhangra to Kathak — the festival's proposition, made on day one: Indian dance in its full breadth, not narrowed to a single school.
8 teachers — Vaishali Sagar · Lavesh Pritmani · Shreyashee Nag · Girish Kumar · RMoves · Jana Jayanti · Dounia Devsena · Swapnil Dagliya
© Michael Backaert
FAQ
Frequently asked.
What is GIDF?
The Gent India Dans Festival — an annual Indian dance festival in Ghent since 2023, with workshops, a gala showcase and an opening party.
When is the next edition?
Edition Five runs 7–9 May 2027 at Shoonya Dance Centre. The lineup is announced on Instagram first.
Do I need dance experience?
Workshops welcome different levels; each teacher states the level for their session.
Where does the festival take place?
At Shoonya Dance Centre, Stapelplein 41, 9000 Ghent.
Are tickets refundable?
No — tickets are non-refundable.