Community Spotlight
Guru Smt. Preethi RameshArtistic Director: Sarasa Natya Academy, Westford, MA
An outstanding artist with more than 3 decades of performance and teaching experience, Preethi Ramesh is a torch-bearer of the famed Vazhuvoor Bani of Bharatanatyam. She had the privilege of being under the tutelage of legendary artist Kalaimamani K.J. Sarasa from the tender age of 3 and performed her arangetram when she was just 7 years old. Her dedication and focus along with her love for dance and her deep-rooted belief in spirituality creates elegance and divinity in her performance
She has performed at various prestigious venues and festivals in India such as December Dance Festival Seasons, Chennai including Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Karthik Fine Arts, Madras Music Academy, Mylapore Fine Arts, Chitrangam, “Indian Arts Fair” – German Consulate in India. Natyanjali festival season at the renowned Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Tourism Festival in Pondicherry and Mamallapuram.
She established Sarasa Natya Academy in Boston in 2012 and has ever since been dedicated to propagating this divine art form in various roles as a performing artist, guru and choreographer. Her students have performed in various cultural programs in IAGB, IAB, EKAL, Hindu Heritage, ACTON DIWALI FEST, IANH,Indian Association of Rhode Island, New England Tamil Sangam , Tamil Makkal Mandram, New england Malayalee Association , Kerala association of new england, Telugu association of Greater Boston, Lakshimi Temple, Sai Temple New England and have been podium finishers at various competitions bringing laurels to the Academy.
Guru Smt. Urmi SamadarArtistic Director, Aakriti Performing Ensemble
Urmi Samadar is an accomplished performer, choreographer and instructor of Indian classical and creative dance forms.. She received her Kathak training under Guru Sumitra Mitra Mukherjee of Jaipur Gharana. She has also trained in Bharatanatyam and Odissi for a decade each.
She leads Aakriti, her performing ensemble of vibrant and versatile classical dancers who rigorously train in Kathak and other Indian classical dance disciplines. While Aakriti continues to endorse the rich traditions of Indian classical dances, it thrives on adding eclectic and contemporary flavors to its productions. The committed team comprising students, and professionals share a unique bond of passion for the arts. Urmi and her troupe have performed in prestigious conferences, educational and social causes in the Northeast regions of US and Canada.
A National Talent Scholar in Kathak dance awarded by the Government of India with a Sangeet Prabhakar title in Kathak, Urmi has performed at the TriNethra Festival, Musical Bridges Around The World, Hopkins Center at Dartmouth, Saratoga National Museum of Dance, among others. She has performed with renowned world musicians including Grammy award winners. Urmi has dedicated nearly two decades to teaching Kathak in the New England and New York Tristate areas. She has recently been honored twice with the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, with her advanced students AnishkaYerabothu and Nandini Lal. Four of Urmi’s senior students have become Indian Raga Fellows, one serves on the board of Origins, and many continue their dance careers well into college and post graduate lives.
Alongside her artistic pursuits, Urmi is the Assistant Dean of the Master of Finance program at the MIT Sloan School of Management and holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Through her art, Urmi aims to build lasting friendships, inspire a sense of purpose and roots, and stimulate innovation for herself and her students. Her pursuit is to build and deepen genuine connections through the work she does at MIT, her journey as a dancer and the roles she is privileged to have, as a mother, wife, daughter, friend and others.
IAGB would like to express its deepest gratitude to two incredible cultural torchbearers, Guru Urmi Samaddar and Guru Preethi Ramesh.
We are truly indebted to them for being integral to IAGB’s cultural awareness journey over the years, and now, for joining hands in our pursuit of cultural exchange with the mainstream.
Through their artistry and dedication, they have always brought to life the spirit and depth of India’s classical dance heritage, transforming our stages into sacred spaces of beauty, storytelling, and connection. Their work is a living reminder that dance is not just performance, it is a timeless tradition that bridges generations, transcends borders, and speaks to the soul.
IAGB extends gratitude to Urmi and Preethi for being such vital voices in our mission and for continuing to inspire us all.