Established in 2005, and incorporated in 2011, Pratibha Arts promotes and presents Indian classical arts in Canada. The vision of Artistic Director Bageshree Vaze, an Indo-Canadian classical dancer/choreographer/musician, Pratibha Arts’ mandate is to produce high-quality work and programming of music and dance influenced by India, and reflective of the Indo-Canadian experience. This mandate includes both traditional and contemporary work, and the collaboration between different cultural and artistic styles. While the organization features work mainly in the North Indian classical tradition by Vaze and her husband/tabla virtuoso Vineet Vyas, the organization has also presented other Toronto and visiting artists, and has worked in collaboration with other music organizations such as Small World Music. ‘Pratibha’ means ‘talent’ or ‘creativity,’ and is also the name of Vaze’s mother.

Pratibha Arts is an umbrella organization for three elements of dance, music and educational activities: Raagini Dance is the dance production unit, Raagini Records/Bibhas Music Publishing is the music label under which recordings are released, and the Pratibha Arts’ teaching/production unit has on-going workshops and classes throughout the GTA. The music and dance entities have been kept separate given the breadth and diversity of activities. Pratibha Arts has an annual season of both music and dance productions in Toronto, the latest of which was Vaze’s solo contemporary Kathak work, ‘Avatar (9),’ which premiered at the Enwave Theatre on May 27 and 28, 2011, as part of Harbourfront Centre’s Next Steps Dance Season. Past productions have included 2009’s ‘A Passage to India’ series at Lula Lounge which featured work by guitarist Joy Anandasivam and sitarist Gaurav Mazumdar along with Vaze, Vyas, and Toronto musicians Chris Gartner and Vishal Luthra. In 2008, Pratibha Arts presented two events at Harbourfront Centre. ‘In the Darbar’ and ‘In Akbar’s Palace,’ in collaboration with Small World Music. In 2007, the organization presented Vaze’s CD release concert of ‘Tarana’ at the Enwave Theatre, and in 2006, collaborated with Small World Music to present ‘Moonlight Rain’ at the Al Green Theatre. The first year of the organization saw the CD release concert of Vineet Vyas’ ‘Taalworks.’

Apart from its season of dance and music productions, Pratibha Arts runs educational workshops on Indian dance and music in schools in the GTA, and is also a community partner with the PKM Jayanti festival, an annual festival commemorating the contribution of Vineet Vyas’ guru and tabla legend Pt. Kishan Maharaj.