After you leave this, I hope you are better – Ashayla Byrd reflects on Chitra Subramanian at Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival

“After you leave this, I hope you are better.”

By Ashayla Byrd (she/they)

“I brought you this from home. I hope that’s okay,” she offers. 

The ever-prepared mother that she is, her coffee-filled thermos, two cups, cream, and sugar offer me warm, liquid respite from the biting cold of a DC morning in early February. I am in a coffee era at present, and this homemade cup of energy and comfort hit the spot.

“Of course, it is. You are too kind,” I say, taken with–yet unsurprised by–her thoughtfulness. In the common area of a chic apartment complex, our bodies and minds thaw to begin a new day, one that affords me the opportunity to converse with and briefly shadow Indian-American dancer, choreographer, educator, and human embodiment of serenity–I added that last bit–Chitra Subramanian.

Since moving to DC in 2021, I have only passed Subramanian like a ship in the night, flitting from one peer’s show to the next. I often heard my mentors wax poetic about her distinctive style—a movement aesthetic that pulls influence from hip-hop and Bharatanatyam Indian Classical dance—and the intentional ways she connects with the larger DC community through dance. After supporting her production of TEMPLE at Dance Place in March of 2023, I certainly understood both the urgency and necessity of amplifying her work.

“So, tell me everything. I want to hear your story from the very beginning. How did we get here?” Sipping our coffee before her upcoming rehearsal, I nudge Chitra to dive in. Born in South India and raised in Pittsburgh, she found solace in the training and community she found while studying dance at the Sri Venkateswara Hindu Temple. She graduated through the program with soaring colors before finding her way to Washington, DC to attend American University, finishing with a Masters in Arts Management. Alongside her secure Bharatanatyam base, Chitra’s admiration of and connection to hip-hop was fostered in Pittsburgh and DC clubs. I appreciate how explicitly Chitra speaks about the Black community’s support of her growth as she learned the many movement vocabularies housed within the language of hip-hop. She prides herself on being a lifelong student of the craft, an ever-evolving genre of dance rooted in fellowship, love, positive energy, and self-expression. When watching Chitra in action at her rehearsal on such a dreary, frigid February morning, it is clear to me that fellowship is integral to her ethos and praxis as a dance artist, a creator, and the leader of her dance collective, chitra.MOVES,

Each of the dancers—Yaseen, Malik, Tenesha, Janae, and Sarah—greet me with a warmth that directly mirrors Chitra’s. (Julika, another member of the crew, could not join that day.) Some prepare to warm up their bodies with shoes off, others with shoes on, but all are equipped to groove. They each come from distinctive movement backgrounds and practices, but they are united in their support of Chitra and the community they all built dancing together. Chitra’s eclectic playlist features songs like “Shook” by Raja Kumari, “Slowly Surely” by my personal goddess, Jill Scott, “Where My Girls At” by 702, and “Adalam Va” by Priya Ragu. Signaled by Chitra’s exuberant, “Let’s groove it out,” the dancers begin their warmup in a circle. They reflect their energy outward toward one another, collectively motivating everyone in the space. Their laughter is contagious as they perfectly execute some steps and sheepishly muddle through others. They gulp for air between Chitra’s fusion of classical Indian footwork drills, spinal undulations, body isolations, house progressions, yoga-based strengthening exercises, and medium- to high-impact cardio sets. When it comes to both hip-hop and Bharatanatyam, Chitra taught me that made-up words are as highly effective a unit of measurement and time-keeping as literal numbers. “Tah-keh-thah-keh” and “1-2-3-4” are synonymous to one another. The energy of the room rises to an even higher frequency when the review of choreography began:

Rub-rub-rub-rub, phoom-phoom-phoom-phoom-PHOOM, 2-3-4-5-6-7-and-go-AND, 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and…

I’ll just do your part one more time: 6, 7, and go…1-and-2-kick, 3-and-4-kick, 5-and-6, 7-and-8…

Daga-daga-daga-DUGA, daga-daga-daga-DUGA, daga-daga-DAH, daga-daga-TURN…

And GROOVE-2-3-4-5-6-7-8, and GROOVE-2-3-4, daga-daga-DAH-DAH-DAH

THIT-they, THIT-they, in-out BOOM

Certainly a mother and The Dancer’s Choreographer, Chitra is both attentive to those digesting missed material and effective in advancing the learning for the other dancers in the ensemble. “Let’s do this together.” “Oh, we’re not going to do that. That’s way too much!” “Alright, you guys, tell me if this is crazy, but can we try it this way?” Chitra’s rehearsal environment is malleable, responsive, and collaborative at every step in the process. chitra.MOVES rehearses for their performance of LINKED, Subramanian’s latest work, at the 2025 Atlas Intersections Festival, produced by the Atlas Performing Arts Center. She continuously checks in with the dancers to ensure that the ideas she expresses translate clearly to their bodies and minds. An engaged and involved choreographer who will perform in the work herself, Chitra never asks the dancers to execute a step or exemplify an idea that she would not execute or exemplify herself.

When asked about the impetus for her creative process in a later conversation, Chitra shares, “I think for me, what comes first is relationship building, and that feeds into more of that shared purpose of what comes next.” 2023’s TEMPLE, the first work of hers that I experienced in full, centered around Chitra’s personal connection to dance, her upbringing, and treasured institutional spaces that were seminal to her development as a dance artist. Namely, she mentions her Pittsburgh‘s Shadow Lounge and Sri Venkateswara Hindu Temple as well as DC’s “Reunion Thursdays” at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room. 2025’s LINKED is a broader investigation of how we as humans forge meaningful connections with one another. Chitra asks, “What does that look like in our day-to-day life? What are the strategies we need to hold that in our lives when things get tough? If that breaks, what ends up happening?” These are timely questions, especially in the ever-looming shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, an ideologically divisive and illuminating social and political sphere, the disintegration of monoculture, the infiltration of artificial intelligence, and a myriad of other issues that threaten to strain the ties that bind humanity together.

In the studio, these themes emerge in the dancers’ conversations throughout the rehearsal process. The choreography is ultimately generated from the dancers’ cyphers and freestyle sessions. In rehearsal, Chitra asks the dancers, “What can we do with this type of footwork sequence, and what can we do with this exchange? If I were trying to give to you and you were trying to give back, what are all of the ways that we can do that?” For Chitra, LINKED feels like a shared experience, and that creates a sense of collective buy-in and vision for the ensemble. The steps are just as essential as the dancers’ commitment and connection to them. With that commitment and connection inevitably comes joy, play, laughter, and exploration. “When we’re talking about dance, I feel like a certain element of seriousness comes with it, but I also value the fact that [the dancers] are bringing [themselves] there. Do you know what I mean? After [they] leave this, I hope [they] are better.” See? She’s the Dancer’s Choreographer! That kind of care and diligence has continued to sustain Chitra’s work, even amidst the challenges that a creative process might present.

Chitra expresses a desire to take a step back during the rehearsal process, allowing herself to become a container for and facilitator of the work rather being so fully immersed within it. Both building a world and inhabiting it can be overwhelming. “I want to take a step away and let things be in process and flow, for me to actually do more meaningful observation.” She also mentions her journey towards acceptance of “the limitations of all things,” as she put it. So many factors come into play: creatives’ wild schedules, inclement weather, studio reservation debacles, holidays, and everything in between. Chitra shares that she came to terms with the fact that excellent, high-quality artistry can still be achieved in spite of environmental factors trying to impede that process. She gauges the capabilities of the bodies in the studio space and organizes her time accordingly. In our second conversation, I express my appreciation for the ways in which Chitra nurtures the dancers in her care and values their experience of creating work together just as much, if not more, than the work itself. Chitra asserts the importance of valuing the time and energy of any dancers that she engages with, particularly in educational, choreographic, and social settings. This is the work of cultivating and anchoring community, and Chitra’s over 20-year career is a testament to that.

Flash forward to March 7, 2025, the day of the fated performance of LINKED at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. A confluence of energetic music, spoken word, fully embodied movement, and vibrant, flowing costumes, this performance kept me wiggling in my seat, hooting and hollering at the dancers’ musicality, passion, virtuosity, and endless swag. Each dancer rocks their own distinct look and color. Malik dons tiger orange; Chitra, olive green; Sarah, kelly green; Janae, canary yellow, Julika, mauve; Yaseen, royal purple; and Tenesha, electric blue. At intermittent moments, this joyous display of interconnectedness is juxtaposed against against the dancers’ voices:

Lack of connection to me means lack of empathy.

Social media and technology have trapped us…

Lack of connection comes when I am underestimated. 

Disconnection starts with me and reflects onto other people in my life. 

The solemn reflections translate to a duet between Chitra and Sarah. As the pair traverses the stage, they seem to simultaneously search for and move past one another, barely missing the connection they both crave. Chitra remains committed to establishing a connection with Sarah, her presence onstage is fervent and impassioned. When Chitra and Sarah reconnect, I can see both the joy and release in their bodies. Sarah’s movement vocabulary in this duet, more elongated and lyrical than the choreography found in other portions of the work, connects to Janae’s movement in her duet with Tenesha. As emotionally charged music fills the air, Janae’s voice can be heard reflecting on a time when she had difficulty finding motivation to carry forward with her life. She asked God for a sign, and it came whilst teaching her young students and sharing her love of dance with them. Tenesha, a supportive presence in the space, partners with Janae as she embodies the turbulent feelings she worked through at the beginning of the duet.

I can personally relate to needing a sign to carry forward, especially as a Black, queer twenty-something trying to make something of myself in an overwhelmingly capitalist, increasingly fascist, and often discouraging world. Works like Chitra’s are clarifying, and stories like Janae’s are sobering. It compels me to reflect on the precious nature of living on this earth, and the significance of holding meaningful connections close. I was raised to believe that I am my brother’s, sister’s, and sibling’s keeper, that we were brought into this world to be in service to one another and lighten each other’s loads.

At a later moment in the work, Malik’s voice ponders on how his ancestors survived moments of deep isolation, turmoil, turbulence, and suffering. His smooth, undular movement vernacular is peppered with sharp, heavy hitting isolations. Growing in strength and power, he asserts that he was born with the tools to resist, into a lineage that made resistance a group practice. Malik is ultimately joined by Yaseen onstage, and Yaseen’s voice chimes in to share their fears about the uncertain, unwelcoming, often negative feelings that come with change. Yaseen advocates for the value of community, noting that connection with community starts with a deep, intentional connection with one’s self. Yaseen’s skillful control of house dance is on full display here. Their feet take full advantage of the breadth of the stage with complex footwork, sophisticated weight shifts, and nimble arms that serve as propellers for Yaseen’s movement. Yaseen and Malik together are truly mesmerizing.

Of course, LINKED does not remain in a continued state of heaviness. Both projected on screen and manifested onstage, the club scene takes over! I see the footwork and traveling patterns that the dancers muscled through in their February rehearsal, and a familiar track plays, exclaiming, “It’s a party! Share the news.” That track played so many times in rehearsal that I basically have it committed to memory come showtime. Am I a part of the cast now? Probably. After the series of heartful duets, the crew returns for a final moment together. Using gestural movement, they bend and carve the air together. I appreciate the intentional inclusion of improvisation and free expression interwoven between choreographic sequences. In classic chitra.MOVES fashion, the work concludes with a cypher.

Forming a semi-circle, each dancer has their own solo moment to shine, and the ensemble witnesses them, projecting out encouragement through their words and subtle movements at the perimeter. By this point in the show, the audience met me in my hooting and hollering, and the energy of the room was alive and infectious. Without missing a beat, Chitra invites the audience onstage for a dance party of our own. While the music is still pumping, just about everyone joins the company onstage to dance. I fall into a playful groove with both longtime friends of mine and new faces in the space, and we all boogie! Are we at the club? Probably. Though I am not sure how they are still standing, I hug some of the cast members, including Chitra herself. Ever-gracious, she thanks me for taking the time to attend. The chitra.MOVES collective gently suggests that we return to our seats for the final bow and conclusion of the evening’s festivities. One can never anticipate breaking a sweat at a performance they bought a ticket for, but audience engagement is one of Chitra’s specialties!

When asked about what she hopes audiences took away from LINKED, Chitra said, “I want audiences to come away with an understanding that sometimes just a simple act of constant connection and belonging to something—whether it’s a practice, whether it’s being with community, whether it’s perhaps creating something for yourself that you’re doing constantly—that itself can help us get through challenges.” Chitra expressed a desire to make the audience feel like they were a part of the creative work, and that they made some connection, no matter the size, to someone else in the audience. Those tangible moments and shared touch points have lasting effects on our hearts, minds, and spirits. As an artist, Chitra is the embodiment of what it means to draw strength, love, care, and support from those around us. I feel endlessly grateful for the opportunity to glimpse into the world she has built, one that prioritizes togetherness, unity, and collective visioning.

Of course, the work never stops. Time will jump forward once more. Like clockwork, chitra.MOVES already has a new project underway. I have the pleasure of joining the collective for another rehearsal in mid-June. I even jump into the warm-up to practice my house basics; Chitra fully eggs me on, and I work up a major sweat. With energy just as lively and supportive as that cold February day, I get to see what Chitra and the team are cooking up now. Chitra says, “Now that we’re done with warm-up, can we take a look at this?” As she motions to a series of large post-it notes adhered to the wall, I race over to the opposite side of the studio to find a collection of words.

The following words leap from the page: Giving, Gathering, Planting, Releasing, Attacking, and Heart-Giving. Each word is joined by other, smaller words that signal the names of movement phrases, pathways, and smaller concepts that the crew will explore together per idea. “One theme from the story circles that we’ve been leading—for that kind of ideal sense of community, connection, and protection—is when people give and receive as if it’s not asked for. It’s just kind of embedded in the way we are,” Chitra says. In this work, chitra.MOVES will focus on the notion of reciprocity in relationships and what it means when people are able to give to and receive from one another without pretense or expectation. This is certainly a timely exploration given how transactional so many relationships can often feel. Come November 8, 2025, audiences can witness chitra.MOVES in action once more, this time at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. I can think of no better crew to bring love, healing, and joy onto the Kennedy Center’s stage. Perhaps you’ll catch my thoughts after that show, too.

—————————————————————————————–