Fall Classes in Indian Dance

Bollywood/semi-classical, Bharatanatyam, and

Garba/Dandiya classes

Saturday morning, Sunday evening, and weekdays

at Eileen's Academy of Dance in Fairless Hills, PA.

NEW Bollyrobics Classes!!

Fun 30 minute Zumba-style classes.

Join us to workout, learn Bollywood steps and have fun!

Fall Session Starts September 9th

As always, your first lesson is FREE!

Please Call 215-295-2306 or email

for more information about class schedules and pricing

Philadelphia Area Indian Dance Classes

I teach both classical Bharatanatyam and semi-classical/Bollywood Indian dance in southeastern Pennsylvania between Philadelphia, PA and Princeton, NJ. I offer Saturday morning classes at Eileen's Academy of Dance in Fairless Hills, private classes in my home on weekday evenings and group classes at student homes in the area.

Group and private dance classes are 30 to 60 min, once a week depending on the type of lesson. For details of lesson times and prices please call.

Prospective students are invited to participate in their first class for free so they can see how they like it. I look for students and parents who appreciate and value dance and my extensive Bharatanatyam training and expertise.

All the dances I teach are choreographed to suit the experience, strengths and style of the particular student or group of students.

Virtual classes are available for students far away.

Bharatanatyam Dance Classes

The style of Bharatanatyam I teach is Vazhuvoor Style. My dance lineage is Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai (founder and creator of Vazhuvoor style) to Padmini Ramachandran to me.

In class, I teach mudras (hand positions and their meaning), aduvas (steps) with sollu kattu (rhythmic syllable), Bharatanatyam dance theory and history.

For more information on Bharatanatyam please see my Bharatanatyam page.

Semi-classical and Bollywood Dance Classes

My semi-classical  and Bollywood classes are a unique blend of steps from classical, Bollywood, folk and modern dance set to film music.  I put much effort and take pride in custom choreography for each student or group so that every performance is unique and showcases the individual strengths and style of each student.

In my Semi-classical and Bollywood classes I teach a basic set of hand positions and steps from various classical dance forms. These are then added to contemporary step in sequences that are fluid and fun.

This allows for new combinations of steps, variations in speed, and the creative presentation of the basics from classical dance in a modern setting.

Garba and Dandiya Classes

Student Dance Performances

My dance students perform at functions of local Indian associations (for example, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam associations), the annual Hare Krishna festival in Philadelphia, and at talent shows in their schools. Videos of some performances and student photos can be seen here.

Semi-classical students in 2014 Philly Chariot Festival at Ben Franklin Parkway

Dance Film

For students who are interested, I'm excited to be able to offer the opportunity of capturing their dance on film. This allows students to work in unique off-stage environments and take part in a new kind of storytelling and drama. This medium is variously called dance film, videodance, dance for camera, screendance or cinedance. This is a flexible, powerful and increasingly popular way of creating a one-of-a-kind performance that can be viewed by a worldwide audience. Examples of already completed films are available here.

Sacred Dance of India

I also give a special 2.5 hr seminar on "Sacred Dance of India" that is geared towards people who are interested in an introduction to India's sacred dance with an emphasis on the spiritual aspects of this ancient art form.

Contact Information

For more information please contact me.

Phone: 215-295-2306

email: mekalai@yahoo.com

Fairless Hills Location

Eileen's Academy of Dance

980 Trenton Rd #1

Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania 19030