Kamala Cesar Buckner

🪔 About

Kamala Cesar Buckner is a renowned American Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and institution head, recognized as a master of the South Indian classical dance form. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she is of Native American (Mohawk Tribe) and Filipino heritage. Cesar Buckner received her extensive training in Bharatanatyam both in the United States and in India under the tutelage of the legendary T. Balasaraswati, becoming one of the few American disciples to carry on Balasaraswati's distinctive style. She began her studies in the early seventies and commenced her teaching career in 1978. Throughout her career, Kamala Cesar Buckner has performed extensively across the United States, Europe, and India. She is the visionary founder and Artistic Director of Lotus Music & Dance, a not-for-profit organization established in New York City in 1989. The institution, originally known as the Balasaraswati School of Music and Dance, is dedicated to supporting multicultural programs that foster the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of traditional and indigenous performing arts forms from various world cultures. Through Lotus Music & Dance, Cesar Buckner has produced numerous cross-cultural productions, including "The New York Ramayana" and "Eagle Spirit: A Tribute to the Mohawk High Steelworkers." She has also been instrumental in presenting the annual "Drums Along the Hudson: A Native American Festival and Multicultural Celebration" since 2002. Despite facing a significant ankle injury that has limited her ability to dance, she continues to lead and inspire through her institution and teaching legacy. Awards & Honours: National Endowment for the Arts Folk Art Apprenticeship (1986), Thunderbird American Indian of the Year (2002).