Sutradhar Institute of Dance and Related Arts

The Sutradhar Institute of Dance and Related Arts (SIDRA) was established in 1988–one of the first Kuchipudi Academy in the U.S. Its founder and director, Nilimma Devi, achieved her vision of Kuchipudi classical dance not as an isolated art, but as a rich tapestry of interwoven art forms. Emblematic of Devi’s synergistic perspective is the Sanskrit word sutradhar, which means “thread-bearer”–the character in dance-drama who links the performer, performance and audience together.