On April 15th, I was invited to present at the New York Public Library as part of the 2026 World Literature and Arts Festival. The title of the evening was "The Living Library: An Evening of Indian Classical Music & Dance." While it was great to be invited, there were several technical issues that arose during my performance (despite a thorough tech rehearsal). While it was disappointing to work with a mediocre technical team, several things were clear:

• My ability to transition from performance to instruction mode - in the video below and linked here, you will see that from 24.36 to 33.53 min, as the tech team is trying to troubleshoot, I successfully engaged the audience.
  • I talked to participants about the word "Digambar" and the expansiveness of its meanings - from "one who wears the sky or the four directions" to "formless. I asked folks why being formless.  would be significant. They said it could make one invisible; it may show he is not tied to any physicality.  
  • I showed a few gestures, and individuals followed along. 
  • I talked about the symbolic meaning of three eyes and what it may symbolize. Participants mentioned it could be a way to look into the future or the past, or even one's spirit. 
  • Someone asked the essential question of "Why does Shiva dance?" and others talked about tandava and its significance. 
• The testimonials reveal the love and affection the audience has for me and for the art form. I was truly humbled to see familiar faces (many individuals were turned away because of a full house) and new audiences that were totally on my side, rooting for me and my success. 
• It is also clear that people, even without a lot of exposure to Indian dance, can perceive some very important things. For example, the observation that feet are an important part of Bharatanatyam, and the livestream did not capture them. 

Images below (PC: Aravind Mallipudi, Marina Thomas, Maria Elgert, Rosemary Lightbourne, Jayne Parris)

Testimonials:

• "Hey, I watched the program (online) last night! It was lovely. Amazing how you have so much to share and not a stutter. They need to work on the audio a bit. Lucky for them, it happened on your watch. I feel you were the only one who could keep the people entertained! Very enlightening!❤️❤️❤️"
• "I have seen so many shows over the years, but this is the first time someone has taken the time to explain to us what the gestures mean. All this time, I was admiring them bc they are beautiful, but I now know they have meaning. All dancers should do this before they perform."
• I stayed with the entire program, everyone was great, even though they followed their toughest act, yes?
• "I think you are a natural teacher, so you started, and I thought this is perfect. I will learn something, and then that was all the teaching we had."
• "Thank you for the performance. I was so absorbed I forgot to take photographs. We both think you made a gracious and agile recovery when the music got messed up. Brava!" 
• ​"You were no less than aaah-maizing!!!! Especially during the technical difficulties😄- I'm bummed b/c the sound went out for Internet land during your pivot when you were talking about the different hastas, etc. Thank you so much - you are a consummate professional - you were so calm, cool, and collected during technical difficulties (plural😀). Dance on!!!"
• "You are Sloka, you have the sound engraved in your  DNA 🙏" 

• "Also, your initial explanation was wonderful. By the way, you even mentioned Vasistha. My friend and I were just reading some of his writings this week." 
• "I bow to you. And bow to Michael, who supports you.  And Jessie 🙏"
• ​  The more you dance, the more beautiful you become."
• "I could see the change in your face as the music began, and it was clear that your gurus and their gurus had done the same before you. That this is a form that is in you." 
• I enjoyed your performance and the way you handled the music glitch, entertaining the audience, who got educated on Shiva. The storytelling through dance with music was quite interesting and entertaining." 
• "Definitely to watch you, Sloka, was exquisitely thrilling! Grateful for what you share! Beautifully orchestrated, wonderful world with your kind, beautiful mind, magical movement, and loved how music flows out of you!"
• "Lovely to see you as well! Such a joy to see your beloved dancing in person. So wonderful!"
• "You were awesome. I loved how you went into professor mode after the second time the music failed. You kept your cool and gave the audience a masterclass on dance. Then you danced a truly beautiful and physical piece with such grace. You really shone!"
  

A supporter had this to say about the event:
Better than reading old Hazrat Inayat Khan books about how dance is important for our physical, mental, and spiritual wellness, is going to a Sloka Iyengar event and learning how to actually do it. I know Dr. Iyengar personally and can attest that Dr. Iyengar is the real deal, and it's such a rare opportunity to learn from someone who is both a gifted neuroscientist and a master of an ancient tradition of expression and instruction through dance. Check it out!

About 24 people joined the session; below are some testimonials:

• "The specificity of the hand gestures helped with my arthritis pain."
• "Thank you so much, Sloka, for such an engaging and enriching session!"
• "How marvelous you are, and it was so beautiful, and my hands felt tight too but loved it!"
• "I loved learning the bird gesture - 🙏 Sloka, your hands are exquisite."
• "I enjoyed joining in on the dance and learning the different gestures.  You did a really wonderful job of making the session interactive and stimulating.  And you inspired me to engage in more science outreach with older adult communities."

We had a great session at the Epiphany Library, where we explored Bharatanatyam and created a group poem inspired by Tagore's The Same Stream of Life. 

My stream of life (Group poem).. 

flows
forward 
with contentment 
as a creative adventure 
enjoyment
enveloped in peace 
surprises 
make like water 
path of least resistance. 

Image credit: Shannon Alessandroni 

Description of the virtual talk to be held on February 26, 2026 (link to register here)
Join us for a unique and enriching session with Sloka Iyengar as she unpacks the many layers of Bharatanatyam — not just as a classical dance form, but as a complete sensory and cognitive experience.

Sloka will introduce key elements of Bharatanatyam, including hand gestures (hastas), emotions and expressions (rasa), rhythm (tala), music, and storytelling, and explain how these come together to create meaning for both the performer and the viewer. She will then take us a step further, sharing fascinating insights into the complex processes in the brain that enable movement, expression, rhythm, and interpretation in this art form.In the final part of the session, we will move together. Using a poem by the celebrated Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, Sloka will guide participants in co-creating movement, making the experience accessible, expressive, and joyful.

Sloka will also speak about how she integrates visual and literary arts into her practice, and how Bharatanatyam has become a powerful medium for creative aging. This session is ideal for anyone interested in dance, culture, neuroscience, or simply exploring new ways of experiencing movement and meaning — no prior dance experience required. 
​
"The Silver Talkies Club is a group of warm, young-at-heart and spirited older adults. Silver Talkies Club makes it easy for members to stay active, unlock new experiences and make new friends -- all in a warm and welcoming group setting with like-minded silvers. We will be one of your biggest supporters throughout your journey with us." 

Testimonials: 

• "It was fabulous! You're such a beautiful dancer. And the presentation made me reflect on how I'd like to ground my clinical practice. Love the integration of art and science! 🩷 Also it was so cool that you got people to dance! 🩷" ​
• "This is so incredible. Bharatanaytam should be part of every single older adult center!"

It's been such a pleasure working with awesome librarians and patrons at the Francis Martin Branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx. I especially loved the intergenerational setting! 
Below are some images from a session on February 10, 2026 (PC: Jariel Jacobs)

The last session of this series had to be rescheduled due to snow. We finished the series on April 22, 2026, by celebrating Earth Day with Bharatanatyam.
Some images below (PC: Jariel Jacobs)

March 2026: For The Creative Center's training institute for teaching artists, I will lead a session on my work with Bharatanatyam and creative aging. Participants will learn the benefits of movement, specifically dance, for the brain and body. I will introduce Bharatnatyam – a dance form that consists of a codified vocabulary of hand gestures and expressions and a strong narrative focus. I will show how I have adapted this 2,000-year-old dance form for different settings and for those with varied mobility and share reflections on cultural humility while using traditional art forms like Bharatanatyam. We will also try a short piece together! Link to the Training Institute here. ​

With over 45 participants, the session was a great success. A few testimonials: 

• "Such an engaging presentation!" 
• "I love the focus on gaze, facial expression, and gesture and how intricate each movement is but also adaptable to contemporary context and stories."
• ""I love the rhythms done through hands and feet and then having participants listen in the world for different rhythms."

On traditional art forms, I asked what comes to mind when thinking of traditional and indigenous systems of knowledge:

• Storytelling
• Cooking
• I used to weave because I learned it from my native American friend
• Book binding
• I used to dance Ballet folklorico, which is definitely influenced by Spanish colonization
• I think of art forms that have been passed down over generations
• Gardening
• Embroidery
• Quilting
• Hip hop dance
• I wonder about what it means to use these traditions in non-traditional contexts
• Theatre
• Attached to a place and culture
• Generational
• Chant circles
• Felt making
• Athletics
• Paper weaving
• Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show
• "The teaching of traditional and indigenous arts cannot necessarily be done in a classroom setting."

On February 9th 2026, I look forward to being at Queensbridge-Riis Senior Center in Long Island City for a Bharatanatyam workshop with older adults. This event is in collaboration with Dances for a Variable Population. 

We will explore hand gestures, facial expressions, percussive movement, melody, and rhythm, and then bring them all together to co-create a piece together. All the movements we will explore can be done seated on a chair, standing up, or even just with your hands! Find the joy of expression, movement, music, and storytelling in Bharatanatyam. All activities are adaptable to all abilities!


Here's more information about Dances for a Variable Population:
"​Experience the joy of movement and community through our Movement Speaks® classes. Designed for older adults of all abilities, these classes promote creativity, health, and connection."

Some images and videos from the session below (PC: Sylvia Luna)  

We get together every Sunday to celebrate Bharatanatyam and our community at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood. Today, many learners showed up despite it being extremely cold, and I am thankful to them for their discipline and participation. 

Last May, as part of The Memory Tree, we received a grant from I'm Still Here Foundation. One part of the project was completed successfully late in 2025, and brought movement, art, and cultural expression to individuals living with early-stage Alzheimer’s through the support of the I’m Still Here Foundation’s 2025 Innovation Grant. 
Through eight weeks of dance and creative arts, participants experienced meaningful connection, joy, and memory activation — with 100% satisfaction reported. One participant shared: “The work you do knocks at the doors of participants’ memories.” Another reflected: “You are giving us the gift of rejuvenating moments of life… This is the power of sweetness and precious memories.”
A few images below (PC: Elizabeth Fine) 

Another part of the grant was completed through virtual programming in four virtual sessions. 
An image below (PC: Elizabeth Fine) 

At the session "Courage and Strength", participants recognized the following strengths and skills in themselves:

• Committemnt 
• Problem-solving
• Thinking outside the box
• Listening with empathy
• Focus 
• Resourcefulness
• Optimism 
• Tact 
• Prseverence 
• Kindness
• Patience
• Thinking of others 
• Love 
• Stamina
• Being non-judgmental 
• Good humor