Sumana Sen Mandala
Bio
Sumana Sen Mandala is a Bharata-Nrityam artist and disciple of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. She teaches in studio settings as well as higher education. Sumana holds an MFA in Dance. She has been a faculty associate at ASU's School of Music, Dance & Theater, is an ASU Gammage Teaching Artist, trained racial justice facilitator, Co-Director of the Critical Response Process (CRP) Certification Program, and Director of Dansense-Nrtyabodha.
She is steeped in research to (1) re-examine the meaning of tradition in dances of India and its value for dance practitioners in contemporary US contexts and (2) to investigate the relationship between belonging and community justice.
Mandala focuses on the concept of rasa—deep engagement—to center collective knowledge, the value of every voice, and responsibility and response in any space she enters. In her current projects, Sumana explores the physicality of nritya (expressive dance) in Bharata-Nrityam to facilitate dialogue and collaborative works around hushed narratives, such as intimate partner violence and menstrual health. She has published articles on critical pedagogy and belonging and presented her work at several conferences.
Mandala received the 2024 Katherine Lindholm-Lane Award for Arizona Dance Educator of the Year. Her work is supported by various organizations, including the National Dance Education Organization and Arizona Commission on the Arts.