Join us for an exploration of the rich cultural diversity of India. Each week we will engage in interactive sessions with guest presenters including musicians, dancers, artists and scholars from the Indian sub-continent. Come listen to musicians trained in the classical and folk music traditions of India and see classical Indian dance. Specially invited artists will provide demonstrations to add to your appreciation of these art forms. Other speakers will introduce the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, as well as bring an understanding of the origins of Indian languages, which vary from state to state and even village to village. Class members will also be offered tastes of India, with food samples. Each session will add a new layer of culture and tradition.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019: Introduction to Kuchipudi Dance:

Mrs. Anuradha Nehru is the founder and artistic director of the Kalanidhi Dance School and Company. An award-winning Kuchipudi dancer, teacher and choreographer, Anuradha has taught dance for over 25 years in the US, and many of her students have become outstanding young classical dancers in their own right and are now dancing professionally. Anuradha has been recognized by the Governor of Maryland for her dedicated service to the arts and has been supported by the Maryland State Arts Council. In 2016, Anuradha received the Montgomery County Executive Outstanding Artist Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities.  She is one of the founding members of the Indian Dance Educators’ Association.  www.kalanidhi.org