Performance of "Pratima: Singularity and Beyond"

The Arts Council of Princeton's Winter 2026 Artist-in-Residence Nisha Pradeep’s residency will culminate in a live performance, bridging ancient tradition and futuristic inquiry through the accessible and emotive language of dance. A guided discussion with the audience will follow.

This dance contrasts humanity’s organic, multi-millennial evolution with the rapid, exponential growth of synthetic intelligence. Through expressive storytelling (Abhinaya) and intricate rhythmic structures, the work investigates the philosophical threshold known as the Singularity — the point at which artificial intelligence surpasses human capability — and the emergence of superintelligence. At its core, the project asks a timely and essential question: what does it mean to be human in an era of sentient machines?

About the Artist
Trained in Indian classical artforms, Bharathanatyam and Mohiniyattom, Nisha Pradeep started her journey at Nataraj Kalamandir, India under the tutelage of Guru Rajalakshmi Surendran. Nisha has a Masters of Fine Arts in Bharathanatyam from Annamalai University. Currently she is taking advanced training in nattuvangam from the Sri Swaminathan Pillai of the Thanjavur Bani style of Bharathanatyam.

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Host or Publisher Arts Council of Princeton