About Chitra

Chitra Subramanian is an Indian American dancer, choreographer, and educator residing in Washington, DC. A Pittsburgh native and originally from South India, Chitra currently teaches, choreographs, and performs with a collective of artists called chitra.MOVES. Her aesthetic draws from Hip Hop and Indian Classical foundations to tell stories, elevate artists, and meaningfully engage unseen and new audiences.

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Anchored by her years of education work with young people and their families in DC, Chitra explores themes centered on relationships, community, and institution to expose untapped potential and talents. Her work shares rich, cultural movement traditions that come together in unique and raw ways. Chitra’s process draws from deep community ties with institutions that have transformed her as a person. Heavily influenced by her immigrant roots and her love for Hip Hop, Chitra has cultivated over 20 years of experience in youth work, teaching, choreography, performance, and learning.

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Most recently, Chitra created/performed an evening-length work, TEMPLE, presented by Dance Place, which sold-out three shows, including a special matinee performance for DC Public School students. Chitra currently curates and teaches for the Rooting the Dance Hip Hop Dance Class Series. It spotlights the diverse stories and talents of women and femmes in the DC street dance scene and offers a consistent, high-quality outlet and training ground for the community.

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Chitra’s dance work has also been presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Ladies of Hip-Hop Festival, Joe’s Movement Emporium, Dance Place, PearlPRESENTS at The Kelly Strayhorn Theater (Pittsburgh), and Three Rivers Arts Festival (Pittsburgh). Additionally, Chitra has created works for and taught at several education spaces including, The American University, Slippery Rock University, CityDance Center, The Sitar Arts Center, Arts for Learning Maryland, University of Maryland College Park, and The Madeira School.

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Chitra is the recipient of the DC Commission on the Art and Humanities Fellowship Grant, and is 2024 Atlas Lab fellow and Words Beats & Life Toward 2040 Fellow.