Apsaras Dance Company
Apsaras Dance Company is a Singapore-based non-profit founded in 1977 that produces and tours Indian classical dance (primarily Bharatanatyam) productions to 55 cities while running a dance academy, the annual IPAC convention, the AVAI.VIDEO streaming platform, and a publications arm, serving international festival audiences, Singapore students, and arts practitioners across Asia Pacific.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Apsaras Dance Company does
Apsaras Dance Company (legal entity: Apsaras Arts Ltd.) is a Singapore-based non-profit founded in 1977 that specializes in Indian classical dance, principally Bharatanatyam, alongside Kathak and Odissi. The organization operates as a multi-vertical arts company combining an original production repertoire of 15+ works (including Angkor, Anjaneyam, Arisi: Rice, Alapadma, and Amara), a dance academy (Apsaras Arts Academy) running training at three Singapore venues, the annual Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC) which has run since 2012 and expanded into Australia, a proprietary streaming platform (AVAI.VIDEO), and a publication arm producing books (Aham, Prayogam, Metamorphosis, Temple Dance of Apsaras) and a yearly magazine (Avartana). The company generates revenue through six streams: performance ticket sales, academy tuition (subscription/recurring), IPAC convention fees, book and publication sales, tiered donor subscriptions (Emerald $300 to Diamond $2,000 under the Devata Friends of Dance program), and digital streaming. Its go-to-market is hybrid — an event-driven touring circuit targeting festival directors and presenters across 55 cities worldwide, alongside direct-to-consumer channels for academy students and online audiences.
The company is led by Artistic Director Aravinth Kumarasamy with a small leadership team (1–10 employees total) and is supported by a funding mix that includes Singapore government grants (National Arts Council, National Heritage Board) and philanthropic foundations (Temasek Foundation, Lee Foundation, Hong Leong Foundation, TVS Motor, The Foundation). It pursues a cross-cultural and multidisciplinary strategy, with notable collaborations such as Arisi: Rice — a co-production with Balinese ensemble GEOK and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra — and maintains co-production partnerships with Esplanade–Theatres on the Bay and the Indian Heritage Centre. The organization brands itself as "small but well-travelled," with international recognition evidenced by reviews in The Straits Times, The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, and Focus Magazine London, plus a National Award.
Apsaras Dance Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Apsaras Dance Company
- Legal name
- Apsaras Arts Ltd.
- Website
- https://apsarasarts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Apsaras Dance Company is a Singapore-based non-profit founded in 1977 that produces and tours Indian classical dance (primarily Bharatanatyam) productions to 55 cities while running a dance academy, the annual IPAC convention, the AVAI.VIDEO streaming platform, and a publications arm, serving international festival audiences, Singapore students, and arts practitioners across Asia Pacific.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Apsaras Dance Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Services
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)
Keywords
Where Apsaras Dance Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Apsaras Dance Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue from presenting dance productions at venues and festivals, both in Singapore and internationally through touring
- Dance Academy Training: Fees from teaching Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi to children and adults at their Academy venues
- IPAC Convention: Annual Indian Performing Arts Convention featuring masterclasses, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, performances, residencies, and other events
- Book Sales and Publications: Sale of publications including 'Aham', 'Metamorphosis', 'Prayogam', and 'Temple Dance of Apsaras' books documenting productions and dance techniques
- Devata Friends of Dance Donations: Annual donation program with tiered packages providing complimentary tickets, priority booking, and exclusive event access
- Digital Streaming: AVAI.VIDEO platform for streaming performances and digital content
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Emerald Package - $300 yearly support with 6 complimentary tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Sapphire Package - $500 yearly support with 8 complimentary tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Ruby Package - $1,000 yearly support with 12 complimentary tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Diamond Package - $2,000 yearly support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Apsaras Dance Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Apsaras Dance Company (Apsaras Arts) is a Singapore-based dance company that produces and tours original Bharatanatyam dance productions, operates a dance training academy (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi), and presents the annual Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC). It also runs the AVAI.VIDEO streaming platform for digital performances and publishes books and the Avartana magazine on Indian performing arts.
Product overview
Apsaras Dance Company (Apsaras Arts) is a Singapore-based dance company specializing in Indian classical dance, primarily Bharatanatyam. The company operates as a multi-faceted arts organization offering: (1) A repertoire of 15+ original dance productions including SITA'S MAGICAL FOREST, NIRMANIKA, ANGKOR, ANJANEYAM, ARISI: RICE, and AMARA; (2) Apsaras Arts Academy providing dance training in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi; (3) IPAC (Indian Performing Arts Convention) annual festival since 2012; (4) AVAI.video streaming platform for digital performances; (5) Avartana yearly publication; and (6) Multiple dance productions touring internationally to 55+ cities. The portfolio ranges from children's educational productions to cross-cultural collaborations featuring Balinese and Javanese dance, along with solo thematic works.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SITA'S MAGICAL FOREST
Quantifiable outcome
- Toured 55 cities across Asia-Pacific, Europe, UK, South Africa and Turkey
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Apsaras Dance Company
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Apsaras Dance Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Apsaras Dance Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Indian Heritage CentrecoreCollaboration for 'The Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma' dance performance, presenting painted heroines through Bharatanatyam at The Arts House at The Old Parliament in September 2024
- Esplanade - Theatres on the BaycoreCo-production partner for 'Anjaneyam - Hanuman's Ramayana' and ongoing venue partner for performances and IPAC events
- Era Dance TheatrecoreCollaboration with Osman Abdul Hamid for cross-cultural choreography in productions like Angkor, blending Malay silat with Indian dance forms
- GEOK Ensemble (Balinese Dancers)coreCollaboration for ARISI: Rice production, bringing Balinese dancers to share the stage with Apsaras Arts dancers
- Singapore Chinese OrchestracoreFirst-ever collaboration for ARISI: Rice production creating a unique score combining Tamil and Chinese musical traditions
- Bharata-Ilango Foundation for Asian CultureminorCo-hosted Balinese dance workshop and cultural collaboration initiatives
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the ArtsminorPartner for Asian cultural research and workshop initiatives
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Apsaras Dance Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nrityagram: Bengaluru-based dance company producing and touring original ensemble works rooted in Indian classical vocabulary. Highly comparable artistic positioning around boundary-crossing Indian dance productions and a residential academy model.
- Bhaskar's Arts Academy: Singapore-based Bharatanatyam academy and performance company directly comparable to Apsaras as a same-genre Indian classical dance school with an active performance roster. Already referenced in Apsaras' own IPAC awardees list, underscoring direct comparability within the same ecosystem.
- Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS): Long-established Singapore non-profit promoting Indian classical arts including dance, music, and visual arts. Comparable as a heritage Indian-arts presenting and training organization competing for the same audiences and donor pools in Singapore.
- Era Dance Theatre: Singapore contemporary dance theatre led by Osman Abdul Hamid, listed as an Apsaras strategic collaborator (e.g., Angkor cross-cultural choreography). Directly comparable as a Singapore-based company producing original contemporary-Asian dance productions.
- Maya Dance Theatre: Singapore contemporary Indian dance company creating original cross-cultural productions anchored in Indian classical vocabulary. Directly comparable scale and artform to Apsaras within the Singapore Indian dance ecosystem.
Others
- National Arts Council Singapore: Singapore government arts funding body listed as a core financial partner of Apsaras. Comparable as an industry-shaping funder within the same ecosystem rather than as a competitor; relevant for understanding funding policy risk.
Broad incumbents
- Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay: Singapore's premier performing arts centre and core co-production/venue partner for Apsaras (Anjaneyam, IPAC events). Comparable as a presenter and co-production ecosystem player in Singapore live dance, though functioning primarily as a venue operator rather than a producing company.
- Singapore Dance Theatre: Singapore's flagship classical and contemporary ballet company. Comparable as a Singapore-based dance producing and touring organization, though its core repertoire (ballet and contemporary) is broader than Indian classical dance.
- Kalakshetra Foundation: Premier Bharatanatyam institution in Chennai (Kalakshetra Bani - the same lineage taught at Apsaras Arts Academy). Comparable as a heritage teaching and producing organization for Indian classical dance, though operating at materially larger scale and located in India.
Emerging players
- GEOK Ensemble: Balinese dance ensemble collaborator on Apsaras' ARISI: Rice production. Comparable as an Asian traditional dance ensemble producing original work, though focused on Balinese rather than Indian classical material.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Apsaras Dance Company social profiles
Digital presenceApsaras Dance Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apsaras Dance Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Apsaras Dance Company subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Apsaras Dance Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apsaras Dance Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Apsaras Dance Company
What does Apsaras Dance Company do?
Apsaras Dance Company (Apsaras Arts) is a Singapore-based dance company that produces and tours original Bharatanatyam dance productions, operates a dance training academy (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi), and presents the annual Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC). It also runs the AVAI.VIDEO streaming platform for digital performances and publishes books and the Avartana magazine on Indian performing arts.
Is Apsaras Dance Company a public or private company?
Apsaras Dance Company is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Apsaras Dance Company founded?
Apsaras Dance Company was founded in 1977. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Apsaras Dance Company based?
Apsaras Dance Company is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Apsaras Dance Company make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Performance Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are dance Academy Training, IPAC Convention, book Sales and Publications, devata Friends of Dance Donations and digital Streaming.
Who are Apsaras Dance Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nrityagram, Bhaskar's Arts Academy, Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), Era Dance Theatre and Maya Dance Theatre. National Arts Council Singapore is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, Singapore Dance Theatre and Kalakshetra Foundation. GEOK Ensemble is listed as an emerging player.
Does Apsaras Dance Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apsaras Dance Company.
What industry is Apsaras Dance Company in?
Apsaras Dance Company's product category is Performing Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGADAB, Contemporary & Modern Dance. Its NAICS code is 711120.