Uttara Coorawala

Uttara Coorlawala is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer, educator, and curator whose career has spanned decades of artistic innovation, scholarship, and cultural leadership. A pioneer of modern dance in India, she played a significant role in introducing and advancing contemporary dance practices at a time when the form was largely unfamiliar in the country. Her contributions to the arts have earned international recognition, including invitations to engage with cultural leaders and institutions at the highest levels. Today, she continues to influence the global dance community through her work as Curator of the Erasing Borders Dance Festival and as an educator dedicated to fostering the next generation of artists.

As an Adjunct Professor at Barnard College and Columbia University, as well as a faculty member in the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University Professional Dance Program, Uttara combines rigorous academic inquiry with extensive practical experience. Her teaching explores dance history, performance studies, choreography, cultural identity, and movement as a form of knowledge. With a Ph.D. in Performance and Choreography from New York University, along with studies in theatre, dance, and ancient Indian culture, she has built a distinguished reputation as a scholar whose work bridges artistic practice, anthropology, and cross-cultural understanding.

Throughout her career, Uttara has remained deeply committed to mentoring emerging choreographers, supporting collaborative performance projects, and researching the global exchange of dance traditions and ideas. Her expertise includes cross-cultural choreographic systems, movement alignment, and the study of dance as an expression of culture and identity. Although semi-retired, she continues to teach, advise, and curate, finding inspiration in working with inquisitive minds and maintaining meaningful connections with younger generations of artists and scholars.