Sutradhar Institute of Dance 1525 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910

"Sutradhar has been an enriching experience for our daughter, supporting her in developing self-confidence, cultural awareness, determination and deep friendships. What started as a fun after-school activity at age four has become a life passion. Enchanted by the artful spaces, colorful surroundings, and skill of her dedicated teachers, she found herself looking forward to her weekly lessons. Here she would learn the ancient art of Kuchipudi dance, practice yoga and martial arts and become immersed in powerful mythology. Over the years, as her skills improved we watched her blossom into an accomplished dancer. Now at age 22, after completing her Rangapravesh (the demanding graduation ceremony where students perform a lengthy, on-stage solo performance) she continues to dance, and perform at college, and when home, return to her beloved Sutradhar community. We are so thankful to her teachers Nilimma Devi and Anila Kumara for their guidance, wisdom and kindness as they gently and courageously led her on this journey. Her fellow students have become lifelong friends, and the experience has transformed her forever."

"It is such a joy to step foot into this dance studio and be surrounded by the rich traditions of South Asian Classical dance. The gurus/teachers here create a warm and welcoming environment to teach students of all ages Kuchipudi dance. But this place doesn't just churn out robotic dancers -- it's a place to embrace traditional music based on forward thinking values, train every muscle in intentional movement, and advance your capacity to feel and express storytelling all while learning choreography that pushes the envelope. You only find a few places in the West with such a combination and this is one of them. I highly recommend Sutradhar to any aspiring dancer."

"Very caring and loving teachers. Great place for kids to not only learn the arts of Kuchipudi but also learn rich south Asian culture and philosophy (invaluable lessons)."

"Loved it super amazing"