From 1952 onwards, the Kendra forayed into the world of Dance Dramas by creating outstanding ballets in Kathak Style, such as ‘Barkha Bahar’, Bhavabhuti’s ‘Malti Madhav’, choreographed by Pt. Lachhu Maharaj and Pt. Birju Maharaj, Kalidas’s ‘Kumar Sambhav’, choreographed by Pt. Birju Maharaj and continued to create many more very popular dance dramas in this style. Productions were also created in Odissi and Bharatnatyam dance forms. The Kendra unrelentingly showcased dance dramas almost every year, with a focus on various Indian classical dance styles.

In 1957, the Kendra embarked on a special commission from then Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. The creation of a ballet based on the timeless epic ‘Ramayan’ was a task grantedto the Kendra. Taking inspiration from the revered saint-poet Tulsidas’s ‘Ramcharitmanas’, Kendra crafted a production that beautifully portrayed the life of Lord Ram, from his birth to his grand coronation, all within a runtime of approximately 2.15 hours. The production ran to packed houses at the Feroz Shah Kotla Grounds, next to Delhi Gate, and later moved to Kendra’s premises with continued fanfare.

With the valuable contributions of distinguished figures such as the national poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’, the production emerged as a spectacular homage to India’s rich cultural heritage. The artistic intellect of Narendra Sharma, coupled with collaborations alongside choreographers Bhagwandas Verma and Guru Gopinath, added depth and grandeur to the production.

In the late 1970s, Guru Krishna Chandra Naik, an expert in the Mayurbhanj Chhau dance style, added a new dimension to Kendra’s repertoire. This unique Chhau style added depth and power to the performances, resulting in riveting ballets such as Konark, Kalinga Vijay, Khajuraho, etc.

Over the past Seven decades, Kendra has curated and presented over 70 original productions, delving into traditional and contemporary themes with equal fervour.Many of these Productions have been performed in Indian and overseas.Music renditions by artists such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Sr. Dagar Brothers, Jyotindra Moitra, Sushil Das Gupta, Atul Desai, Pt. Shiv Prasad, Jwala Prasad, Barun Gupta, Shubha Mudgal, and Biswajeet Roy Choudhary, Light Design by Tapas Sen, Gautam Bhattacharya, Milind Srivastav, Costumes and Jewellery by Smt.Shobha Deepak Singh. has enriched these productionssubstantially. This commitment to artistic exploration and evolution has solidified Kendra’s reputation as a pioneering force in the world of dance.

SBKK’s mission is to train and nurture emerging artists in a safe, contained set-up in Central Delhi for its repertory work. Through ongoing enhancements to the productions, SBKK ensures that the richness of India’s artistic heritage is preserved and carried forward to future generations. Currently Kendra Dance Repertory employs about 18-20 full time dancers to train them in its unique Dance style.

• Shri Ram
• Shri Krishna
• Karna
• Meera
• Durga
• Chakravyuha
• KaalChakra

• Khajuraho
• Kathak Group Work
• Bharatanatyam Group Work
• Mayurbhanj Chhau Group Work