Significant Performances and Collaborations - Arunima has been commissioned by leading government and non government organisations globally to lead , choreograph and present several historic performances
Jyotir - The first Kuchipudi dance performance at 10 Downing Street, London for UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer in October 2024. Featured across global media and press
Pratibha - The first Kuchipudi dance performance takeover at the historic Victoria & Albert Museum, London for Boost festival. The festival attracted a record 3600 in audience with 3 full house performances
Rang - International Kuchipudi festival organised by Guru Arunima Kumar with over 100 performers , all trained by Guru Arunima Kumar, at Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, London . Padmabhushan and Member of Parliament , Smt Sudha Murty was the chief guest , along with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, The festival is now a landmark event in the UK and is the only major dance festival dedicated to the dance form in the UK. She has organises this festival each year , over the last decade , including a digital version during the pandemic and it has grown from 15 performers to 100 , with extraordinary feedback each year.
Aatman - The first Kuchipudi dance performance at the historic French Institute , London in June 2024 , for Exhibition Road festival. The festival attracted a record 15000 in audience with 3 sold out performances
Katha festival performance at Chelsea theatre - a unique dance theatre project with children and grandparents , in June 2024, using folk stories from India in native languages including Bhojpuri, Telugu, Kannada , Rajasthani - conceived, curated and choreographed by Guru Arunima Kumar. The festival was featured by BBC News and by RBKC Council
The Place-, Contemporary Dance Festival Young Dancers showcase finals
Ekam - Choreographed and performed the first ever Indian classical dance production at the Buckingham Palace in February 2017 for the launch of India UK year of Culture , declared by the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and her Late Majesty the Queen , organised by Ministry of External Affairs India , Nehru Centre , produced by Akademi“. She was the only dancer appointed for this highest honor
Rajya - She was invited to choreograph , perform and present Rajya - timeless era for the Late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace and the launch of the King’s coronation celebrations at Westminster Abbey in 2023.
She was on artistic panel of 12 dance leaders and teachers for the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022 and is the only artist invited form London to lead the teams for one of the largest mass dance participation projects in the world with several disabled persons in the cast
Invitation - She was invited as a cultural leader by 10 Downing Street on Internationals Women’s Day in 2023, by the honourable former Prime Minister , Rt honourable Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty.
She was commissioned by Indian government and Foreign Commonwealth Office to lead , choreograph and perform “Jyotirmay Bharat - Illuminating India” , a multi South Asian dance production for HRH King Charles and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit at Science museum in 2018 .
This was followed by several unique performances such as “Asatoma Sadgamaya - Darkness to Light “ ,for Prime Minister Shri Modi’s visit at Wembley stadium, attended by 65000 people ;
“ Resilience “ for Indian Republic Day celebrations at Guildhall organised by Indian High Commission UK in 2019 ,2018, 2017 ,2016
Jay Rang for Consulate Birmingham on 26 January 2022, for cultural diplomacy during Commonwealth Games 2022 ;
Bloomsbury festival in October 2021 to deliver a large scale inclusive intergenerational dance performance at Bloomsbury fir audience development of the festival, St Pancras Church with over 60 performers age 4-65 years .
REBEL based on Bangladeshi freedom poet Kazi Nazrul Isalm’s famous works for Bangladesh Independence day celebrations at British Library in October 2021attended by a large community and dignitaries .
The RBKC Council invited her to curate, choreograph and deliver first ever , large scale site specific South Asian dance performance at Notting hill Carnival with over 60 performers age 4-65 years .
Westminster Abbey and Royal Commonwealth Society commissioned her to curate choreograph and deliver first ever , large scale inclusive intergenerational South Asian site specific dance performance at Westminster Abbey for Royal commonwealth family celebrations with over 60 performers age 4-65 years .Based on its success , she has been invited last six years to choreograph and perform at their various events for the Royal family and the Abbey
She has also commissioned to choreograph, lead and perform ‘Safar commissioned by DCMS - UK Ministry of Culture Media and Sport for WW1 centenary celebrations at Imperial War museum recognising the contribution of Indian soldiers in WW1 attended by honourable former Chancellor, Sajid Javid, where several Indian soldiers were recognised with the Victoria Cross.
She was commissioned by Hindu Council leadership to choreogaph and present her powerful multi style South Asian dance work at the European Parliament in Brussels to influence the parliament to consider Hinduism as a recognised religion in Brussels, attended by several High Profile diplomats and foreign secretaries .
Arunima was commissioned to perform Ramayana , victory of good over evil at Scotland Yard for their Inter faith events in 2011-2022 , and for British Navy and British Army in 2011, 2012 until 2022 ,
She was commissioned by Teamwork films and Indian high Commission to choreograph and present “Kolkata“ with sarod maestro Soumik Datta and Bernhard at the Royal Festival Hall Gala as a finale to India UK year of culture in 2017
She has choreographed and performed at International Yoga Day for the High Commission of India several times including her unique work “Nritya Yoga” a large scale live yoga and dance workshop event for 10,000 participants at Trafalgar Square for promoting yoga in 2018, 2017 to promote health and well-being.
Commissioned by indian embassy to choreograph, lead and perform Yoga day at Tower Bridge in 2016, 2015
Arunima performed as a lead dancer in Maaya for Olympics torch parade 2012 , produced by Akademi
Commissioned to choreograph, lead and perform for Roshni charity promoting harmony through arts 2011- 2022 at YMCA London and Royal Society of Medicine
Arunima was commissioned by Akademi for solo work for Daredevas at Southbank centre in 2009 and Utkarsh for her work TRISTRI - on 3 women at South Bank Centre 2010,later toured at Navadisha at Birmingham 2018 and Wolverhampton 2018.
Arunima was commissioned by Mukul Ghetto Tigers to choreograph and perform in Gauhar Jaan , a multi media dance theatre production at Rich Mix, 2016, 2017 and at Clapham theatre . In order to make dance relevant and socially impactful , Arunima focused on site specific productions and immersive experiences - her role as Umrao Jaan, in Akademi’s production on the courtesan received outstanding feedback. She is also working with International theatre directors on site specific and immersive dance theatre work.
Commissioned to choreograph, lead and perform Shakti project - training 50 young artists and performing to a wide scale audience at University of Reading 2021 , also commissioned for a similar Krishna in year 2018 , funded by Kalakunj and Arts Council England
Commissioned to choreograph, lead and perform ‘Safar commissioned by DCMS - UK Ministry of Culture Media and Sport for WW1 centenerary celebrations at Imperial War museum recognising the contribution of Indian soldiers in WW1 attended by honourable minister Sajid Javid where several Indian soldiers were recognised.
Commissioned by Hindu Council leadership to choreogaph and present her powerful multi style South Asian dance work at the European Parliament in Brussels to influence the parliament to consider Hinduism as a recognised religion in Brussels, attended by several High Profile diplomats and foreign secretaries .
Performed in Maaya for Olympics torch parade 2012 , a site specific work and at Houses of Parliament organised by Akademi in 2015,
She was the first to choreograph Shakespeare Sonnets in Kuchipudi with Shakespeare society 15 Nov 2019
Commissioned by Akademi for solo work for Daredevas at Southbank centre in 2009 and won the Utkarsh award by Akademi for her work TRISTRI - on 3 women at South Bank Centre 2010,later toured at Navadisha at Birmingham 2018 and Wolverhampton 2018.
Commissioned by Mukul Ghetto Tigers to choreograph and perform in Gauhar Jaan , a multi media dance theatre production at Rich Mix, 2016, 2017 and at Clapham theatre . In order to make dance relevant and socially impactful , Arunima is currently focusing on site specific productions and immersive experiences - her role as Umrao Jaan, in Akademi’s latest production on the courtesan has received outstanding feedback. She is also working with International theatre directors on site specific and immersive dance theatre work.
Performed for Honorable CM of Andhra Pradesh performance 2016
She was the only Indian dancer selected for French Choreographer, Jerome bel’s Gala - performed at the prestigious Sadlers wells, Tate Modern, Bernie Grant Centre October 2016
Arunima has led performances for Bhavan Founders Day last 7 years - Jan 2017-2024
International Kuchipudi dance festival, with 100 dancers at Bhavan, commissioned by ACE in 2018 & 2019, 2020 ; 2022, 2024 in partnership with Nehru Centre London
Aum at V&A Museum commissioned by Kala Chetna 2019
Shiva commissioned by Kalakunj for Heritage Lottery Fund 2018
Bronze girl, for SOAS 2016; Tridevi on poems by Bronte sisters, for Kala Sangam Bradford 2015
India Tourism Day at World travel Mart 2016-2019 , 2024
HMS Ship by Indian embassy 2018
Performance for Pandit Ravi Shankar 90th Birthday celebrations , July 2010, London