Top image: With participants at the YM and YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood (Image credit: Padma Narayan) ​​

Testimonials 
I am so glad that the individuals that have participated in my sessions find value in my work. Below are a few quotes from participants.

Participant: Chigurupati S Rani
Assistant Professor, Computer Information Systems at BMCC

• "Great fun & joy for all ages! All my life I have been only watching and enjoying the Bharatanatyam dances but never really learned to dance.  I am very happy to say that we, the seniors now have the opportunity to learn the Indian classical dance at the YM&YWHA, Nagle Avenue!  Thanks to Dr. Sloka Iyengar, our dance instructor!  Amazing!  I joined the class in September 2022.  After a little over two months, I feel very comfortable with the steps (mudras)!
   In the beginning I thought it’s going to be hard because Bharatanatyam is not easy to learn.  But, after two months I feel very comfortable.  I can say I learned a lot of ‘Mudras’ (hand gestures, rhythm with feet, and eye movements) in such a short time!  This is only possible in such a short time because of the wonderful teacher Dr. Sloka Iyengar we have!  Sloka is very enthusiastic, energetic, warm, kind and an amazing person!
  Dance itself is a great exercise. It teaches you how to balance and coordinate. It’s not very easy to coordinate the movements of hands, feet and the eyes!  We can tell a story with all the gestures/movements!  I definitely recommend it to all ages who come to the Y! Dr. Sloka Iyengar is a scientist and a professional dancer!  She adapted the lessons to suit our abilities.  She is cool, calm, fun and has a lot of patience!  She is very inspirational to all of us!" 

Cindy Perlis, Former Director, UCSF Art for Recovery (If Not Us, Then Who? The Arts, Healthcare & Wellbeing with the HIdden Truths Project)  

• "I kept thinking how beautiful it was to see how your simple hand movements yesterday could so movingly express feelings, birds, the clouds etc  it felt like a visual painting!" 

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Program manager: Charles Markham

• “My name is Charles Markham and I serve as one of the program managers for the Onsite & Special Programs Department at DOROT. We had the good fortune of working with Sloka to lead a workshop series on Classical Indian Dance for our group of older adults. Through Sloka’s clear and concise instruction our participants were able to learn and experience the rich culture and history connected to the classical dance form. Our department’s mission is to offer our constituents global perspectives through engaging programs that cultivate community and a deep respect for people, arts & culture; Sloka’s classes did not fall short of elevating this mission. She is warm and inviting, she brought a wealth of knowledge, and held space for participants to learn, grow, and have fun. The innate connection between storytelling and movement within the Classical Indian Dance form resonated with our community as it allowed them to move but also find their own voice within the practice. We welcome Sloka back to DOROT with open arms anytime because she is not only an experienced, educated, and engaging facilitator but also a wonderful human to work with.”
  
  

Participant: Dr. Elisa de la Roche

• "Sloka brings a new perspective to teaching which includes healing though dance. She uses Bharatanatyam, an Indian dance style, which includes mudras (hand gestures), rhythms with the feet, and storytelling with the hands, eyes and face. Her lessons are inclusive, and most people, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or health condition, can easily access her message, which is the joy of movement, the expressiveness of the hands and face to tell a story, and the music and rhythm of the whole body. Her teaching style is kind, open-minded and non-judgmental, allowing each person to feel valued. Her students come away feeling renewed, joyful, as well as being part of world culture."

Participant: Ms. Carol Schachter 

• "One mother and daughter dressed in ceremonial saris during one of the series,  and there were tears of joy and sorrow at her last episode. I am not embarrassed to say some of those tears were of my own; however, they were tears of joy because I knew I'd be seeing my dear friend again and again. And this is only one tiny aspect of the global outreach Dr. Iyengar employs to give Bharatanatyam immortality and in the process to honor relatives, living and deceased, of her own. This passion is both personal and international."