Sukanya Burman Dance is a US based 501(c)(3) contemporary dance company located in Jamestown NY, that mobilizes the expressive techniques of Indian diasporic dances and modern dance to explore compelling ideas and create shared visual experiences.
With deep roots in Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Modern dance vocabularies, the company aims to explore different ways of movement in the human body to tell stories relevant to our world today.
"Movement with music has always been an outlet for me and I find it therapeutic not only as a performer but also from the perspective of the audience. My passion lies in understanding human behavior and psyche through the language of movement."
Sukanya Burman
Artistic Director
Sukanya Burman is the first South Asian member of NYS DanceForce (a NYSCA partner) and has extensive experience in Indian Classical and Modern Dance, with over 30 years in Bharatanatyam, 13+ years in Kathak, and 10+ years in modern dance. She has performed nationally and internationally, including at prestigious venues such as Det Kongelige Teater in Denmark.
In 2022, she was honored as a Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion Artist and received the New York State Choreographer's Initiative grant. In 2023, Sukanya was an award recipient of NYSCA's Support for Artists in Folk and Traditional Arts for her project "The Bayadere: The Past, Present, and the Future." She created and premiered "The Bayadere" in September 2023 at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown to substantial acclaim, identifying and developing regional dance artists to feature within this production. Due to her contributions to the community, she was recognized as a YWCA Jamestown 2023 Women of Achievement for the Power the Future Award.
In 2024, she was invited to perform and teach at the American College Dance Association conference in Rochester, presenting and teaching Bharatanatyam. Additionally, she was selected as a member of the first HueArts NYS Leadership Cohort.
Under Sukanya's leadership, Sukanya Burman Dance is organizing the Jamestown Dance Festival later this year, a first-of-its-kind event in the Western NY region. This festival will feature dance artists and companies from under-represented forms, broadening the regional dance landscape by showcasing award-winning performers. As a first-generation American and South Asian immigrant artist, Sukanya brings a unique and valuable perspective to the arts.
Credits to Gurus, Teachers, and Mentors
I'm taking this space to pay my respect and honor all my gurus, teachers and mentors who have unconditionally taught me to refine my dance practice.
Kathak:
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Dr. Mitul Sengupta
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Smt. Sumana Nag
Modern:
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Mr. Ronnie Shambik Ghose
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Faculty at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary dance
Bharatnatyam:
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Smt. Molly Roy
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Guru Smt. Thankamani Kutty
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Dr. Sanjukta Banerjee
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