Visit this hub of Indian dance, storytelling, and visual arts in Silver Spring comprised of studios, open-air spaces, a yoga garden, and a sacred North Indian-inspired stage made with recycled materials. Learn kuchipudi hand gestures and basic foot stamped rhythms and observe an advanced dance lesson. Explore the yoga garden, landscaped with earthenware from India and a large mural of Princess Sita by a Silver Spring artist.  Enjoy chai, samosas, and other light snacks while chatting with SIDRA’s founder, Nilimma Devi, and the passionate, inter-generational, bi-cultural Devi Dance performers. 

The Sutradhar Institute of Dance and Related Arts (SIDRA) was established in 1988 by Nilimma Devi, one of the first women to be allowed to learn the art form of kuchipudi. Devi views kuchipudi classical dance, not as an isolated art, but as a rich tapestry of interwoven art forms. SIDRA introduces dance through a blend of yoga, creative writing, storytelling and music – all links in the chain of kuchipudi aesthetics. 

Registration required: bit.ly/aacc-oct22-sidra