Like a nomad going from one town to the next, classical Indian dancer Shantha Ratii has finally decided to call Singapore home again.

And she is celebrating it by holding a charity dance performance titled Sourabhham at the Raffles Hotel's Jubilee Hall on April 21.

Pointing out that a major portion of the money from the production will be donated to the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), Ms Ratii (left) told tabla!:

"It is a small gesture on my part. I have always used my art to serve. I have done it a lot before when I lived in India and now that I am back in Singapore, there are people who need help."

Ms Ratii, who has homes in Mumbai and Singapore, added that she also wants to create more awareness of Kuchipudi - an enthusiastic and sprightly style of dance that originated in Andhra Pradesh - which is rarely seen here.

"It is a beautiful form which I feel has not received its due. It could be due to the lack of practitioners here in Singapore. I feel it is important to showcase it," she said.

In order to do this, she plans on conducting workshops and masterclasses for local dancers who are keen to learn the dance form later this year.

Ms Ratii, who trained under local dance doyens Shantha Bhaskar and Neila Sathyalingam in bharathanatyam before leaving Singapore 25 years ago, has also trained with dance gurus in India, adding kathakali and kuchipudi to her repertoire.

For this performance, she will interpret a poem written by local poet Kirpal Singh on chess.

And, to make the performance even more special, she will be collaborating with flamenco maestro Antonio Vargas and even including elements of taekwondo.