Sumana Mougal

🪔 About

Sumana Mougal is a distinguished figure in Indian classical dance, particularly known for her expertise in Bharatanatyam and Bharata-Nrityam. Her foundational training began under Smt. Manjula Mudambi and Kalashri Smt. Asha Gopal, culminating in her arangetram (debut) in 1989 in Arizona, where she trained in the Pandanallur school of Bharata-Natyam. She further honed her abhinaya technique during a summer intensive with Smt. Thankamani Kutty in Kolkata, India. While at the University of Virginia, Dr. Aruna Viswadoss guided her in the study of Tamil language and literature for dance. Mougal's artistic journey also took her to Sapporo, Japan, for two years, where she explored and performed Kagura (Shinto ritual dance) with the Hokkaido Shrine Troupe and engaged in discussions with buyō master and scholar Gunji-sensei, examining cross-cultural connections in dance. She also conducted comparative dance workshops and performed Bharata Natyam in Japan. In 1996, she sought advanced guidance under Padma Vibhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam at Nrithyodaya in Chennai, India, immersing herself for three years in a guru-shishya setting. During this period, she mastered Bharata-Nrityam and the Natyashastra-based pedagogy of Indian classical dance, also learning the Vazhuvoor style of Bharata-Natyam. She served as a research assistant to Dr. Padma and an instructor for primary and intermediate classes at Nrithyodaya. Her performance career includes extensive appearances across India with Dr. Padma's troupe, notably at the Chidambaram Natyanjali Festivals and Doordarshan, with a significant debut performance under Dr. Padma at Nungambakkam Cultural Academy in January 1999. Sumana Mougal continued her academic pursuits, earning a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Dance from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2020 and becoming an ASU Gammage Teaching Artist. She has published her research in peer-reviewed journals and presented at various conferences focusing on dance, education, and equity. Her current projects involve exploring expressive dance in Bharata-Nrityam to foster dialogue on sensitive topics such as intimate partner violence and menstruation. She is the Founding Director of DANSENSE-NRTYABODHA, INC., a charitable organization dedicated to fostering community, learning, and spiritual growth through dance. Awards & Honours: Katherine Lindholm-Lane Award for Arizona Dance Educator of the Year (2024).