Sattriya Dance Company
Our birth story: Sprung from a desire to tell the story of Sattriya and raise awareness about the satras (monasteries) through performance, lecture demonstrations, classes, research, documentation, and collaborations, Sattriya Dance Company was launched in 2009. This Philadelphia-based labor of love is led by co-artistic directors and sisters-in-law, Madhusmita Bora and Prerona Bhuyan. Like all small organizations, the company had humble beginnings. Bora and Bhuyan took their art to school assemblies, college cafeterias and youth festivals. Gradually, they built their audiences and the company soon found itself occupying spaces in major festivals across the U.S.A and India. Their movements, stories, music and philosophy is based on the teaching style of the Uttar Kamalbari Satra. Both Bora and Bhuyan have trained with award winning master artists and are committed to being lifelong students of the tradition and its philosophy. Bora and Bhuyan have presented lecture performances at leading universities such as Temple, Upenn, NYU and Ursinus College. Bora is also a resident artist and speaker at the International Classroom at Penn Museum.
Our offerings: Besides full-length performances and screening of our documentary, Dancing the Divine, we lead virtual and physical single and multi day workshops and master classes on Sattriya, mindfulness meditation, Borgeets, Sankari paintings, mask making, storytelling and devotional singing and chanting. Our workshops are customized toward a diverse audience including school children and senior citizens. For more details on our fees, process and pedagogy connect with us through our contact page.
Our Mission: Sattriya Dance Company's mission is to preserve, present, and promote Sattriya - a 500 year old dance originating from the Vaishnav monasteries of Assam, India. SDC’s work is rooted in social and racial justice and equity. The company is committed to use Sattriya as an agent of change to spread messages of peace, equality, love and universal brotherhood. We believe in the magical power of humanity and community and are committed to creating all inclusive spaces that allow for conversations, deep investigations, learning, connecting and healing. We offer our art to a diverse group ranging from toddlers to senior citizens. We celebrate Sattriya in all its glory and forms.
