This was a 10th anniversary celebration of Oxford’s Indian dance company Kala Arpan, founded a decade ago by distinguished dancer Sapna Shankar.

Kala Arpan is a school for the well known Bharatanatyam dance tradition of southern India, and it is also a professional company of adult performers.

It has its own musicians, and it is clear from watching some of the young students, or the adult dancers, that this is a highly disciplined ensemble.

As with all student performances, last Saturday’s show was a fascinating opportunity to compare one with another, and to look for budding stars, of which there certainly are a few.

Throughout this celebratory season, the fun-loving god Krishna is the inspiration for the dances.

In the matinée show, student groups of different ages performed with great charm, in wonderfully colourful and elaborate costumes.

These had been brought over from India by Meena Anand, a dancer well known to Oxford audiences, who still continues to study with leading teachers in India every year.

She is also now studying the Kathak dance style of Northern India with another familiar figure here, Anuradha Chaturvedi. It was Chaturvedi who brought this performance to a close with two stunning solos in the Kathak style.

These are swirling, stamping dances, accompanied by ankle-bells, which are fast but flow beautifully, with expressive arm gestures.

Chaturvedi’s delicacy, precision and musicality proves what a talented performer she is.

In the evening, the company performed Mayan, a work more than merely inspired by Krishna – it is an actual telling of his life.

The piece covers the development of his mischievous personality, his love of practical jokes, his strange addiction to butter, his prowess as a young lover when all women are entranced by him, and his passion for the village maiden Radha.

This is a worldly god with human emotions but also a hero in battle.

Kala Arpan has received tremendous support from Pegasus, and their performances do their sponsor great credit.

3/5 DAVID BELLAN