Sitra (Sitrawatie) Bonoo

🪔 About

Sitra (Sitrawatie) Bonoo is an Indian classical dancer, teacher, and musician based in the Netherlands. Born in Suriname, South America, in 1958, she migrated to the Netherlands at the age of 12. Her grandparents originated from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in India. Sitra Bonoo began her dance journey in 1972, initially studying Kathak with Mrs. Steenhuis. She later transitioned to the South Indian classical dance style of Bharatanatyam, training under Mrs. Chandrika Sundarraman. To further her artistic development, she has undertaken multiple study trips to India, where she expanded her repertoire and delved into related subjects such as Nattuvangam and music. For over three decades, Sitra Bonoo has been actively involved in dance productions, guiding students through their debut performances (arangetrams), and organizing study trips to India. She imparts knowledge of Indian dance and music through her lessons and also performs herself. In the past, she has released several CDs. Sitra Bonoo is also an author, with a forthcoming book about teaching Indian Dance in the Netherlands, which will explore traditional methods of translating Indian dance into daily practice within a Western context. She is currently working on establishing a conservatory for Indian dance in collaboration with initiators in India. Her work is primarily associated with Sri Vinayaka, an organization through which she conducts her activities.