The Team
Who We Are
Seema Sureshkumar
Founder & Teacher
Seema Sureshkumar is an award-winning Kathak dancer, educator, cultural ambassador, and founder of Anjani Dance Academy in Central New York. A gold medalist from Banasthali University, she trained under renowned gurus (including Dr. Purnima Pandey and Smt. Manju Shukla, both disciples of Sri Mohanrao Kalyanpurkar, who was a disciple of Pandit Shambhu Maharaj) in the Lucknow gharana tradition. Seema teaches Kathak to students of all ages, blending artistry with mindfulness. She is an adjunct dance professor at Le Moyne College, a former member of CID-UNESCO, and a recipient of CNY Arts Education Grant, CNY SCR Grant, NY State Seed Grant, and the 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship. Her work bridges classical Indian dance with contemporary community engagement. She works as a Database Administrator at Syracuse University, balancing her technical career with her artistic passion.
🌺 Philosophy and Impact
Seema views Kathak not just as a dance form but as a medium for personal growth and community building. Her teaching fosters values of love, devotion, and beauty, and she credits her father—after whom her academy is named—for inspiring her perseverance and time management during her years of training.
Dr. R. Sureshkumar
Creative Consultant
Dr. Sureshkumar is a Distinguished Professor at Syracuse University. His creative endeavors for ADA are focused on the synthesis of artistic, mathematical, and thermodynamic concepts to produce elastic frameworks that enhance the intellectual depth and visual appeal of dance performances. Further, he is engaged in writing allegories that relate to universal human conditions. Interpretation of such narratives through the lens of Kathak and contemporary dances inspires a diversity of audiences while promoting the art form and the artist.
