Cosmic Dance Annual Recital

Cosmic Dance bring their annual recital to Broughton St Marys Parish Church on Saturday 21 November. It's the one night of the year they put their whole school on one stage, with students and company dancers performing together rather than in separate groups.

The evening is built around Bharatanatyam, one of the world's oldest classical dance traditions, and it's performed to live music throughout. That's the thing that really sets it apart from a recorded performance: the dancers and the musicians are in the room together, working off each other in real time. The company describes it as a tradition that's as much about the music as it is the movement, and seeing them side by side is where the whole thing comes together.

It's a mixed bill, too. You'll see the company dancers — the more experienced performers — alongside students who've been training with them, so the night spans a fair bit of ground in terms of where people are in their practice. It's a good way to see the different stages of the dance in one sitting.

When the dancing finishes, the evening doesn't just end there: they serve chai to the audience, so there's a bit of time to stretch your legs and chat after the show. The recital is at Broughton St Marys Parish Church, 12 Bellevue Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 6NE, on Saturday 21 November, starting at 15:00. Tickets are £12.00 via Eventbrite.