Indian Classical Bharatanatyam Dance Workshop

"Padmashri" Leela Samson is the Artistic Director for Spanda Dance Company, founded in 1995. She has taught and mentored Bharatanatyam dance disciples at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi, and Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Delhi, and has traveled world-wide for performances. Samson was the Director of Kalakshetra, Chennai (2005-2012) and subsequently served as the chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (National Academy for Dance, Music and Theatre), Delhi (2010-2014).

For her life-long dedicated service to the field of classical dance, Leela Samson was honored with the Sanskriti Award in 1982, the Presidential Honor Award Padmashri in 1990, the Nritya Choodamani Award in 1997, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contributions to Bharatanatyam dance in 1999-2000, and the Natya Kala Acharya Award in 2015. Samson has published two books Rhythm in Joy: Classical Indian Dance Traditions 1987, and Rukmini Devi: A Life, 2010.

She made her film acting debut in 2015 through the Tamil film, "O Kadhal Kanmani" directed by Mani Ratnam and also appeared in "Adithya Varma" (2019), Putham Pudhu Kaalai" (2020) and several other films since then.