Leela Academy Children & Youth Programs
Leela Academy, 586 South Murphy Avenue, West Hills, CA 23650
About
Leela Academy Children & Youth Programs offers instruction in kathak dance and Hindustani classical music. The program includes a week-long camp where students study kathak dance and Hindustani classical music in an immersive environment with some of the world’s most renowned artists and educators. The camp proudly hosts students from across the country.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long camp sessions
The Leela Academy’s children and youth division provides students ages 5–17 with access to a range of programs that foster creativity, build foundational skills in kathak dance, and provide extensive cultural education. Its year-round program provides age-appropriate, standards-based education in kathak for children and youth ages 5 to 17. Students receive foundational training in kathak dance technique as well as supplemental training in Hindustani classical music, and the curriculum provides in-depth education in the historical, philosophical, and cultural context that surrounds the dance. As students advance, they have the opportunity to study and train at the pre-professional level with some of today’s leading Indian classical dance and music artists.
Every summer, the Leela Academy hosts a week-long camp for children ages 5–12 that focuses on kathak dance and Hindustani classical music. Leela boasts studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and New York, with affiliate centers serving Boston, Toronto, and India, and students in other cities and countries are invited to join the online studio.
Leela Youth Dance Company is an elite pre-professional, audition-based training and performing group that is part of these programs. It champions excellence in kathak dance, with students training rigorously 5 hours per week in addition to home practice. Leela Youth Dance Company serves as a platform for dance empowerment and youth leadership, where teens become advocates and rising young leaders and ambassadors for Indian artistic heritage. LYDC has performed nationally in numerous prestigious venues and festivals, including the WorldWideWomen’s Girl’s Festival, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphia Youth Festival, and San Francisco Symphony Hall alongside students of the San Francisco Ballet.
Leela Youth Dance Company is under the mentorship and artistic direction of Leela Dance Collective artist and co-founder Rukhmani Mehta. The Collective has garnered critical acclaim under the artistic direction of Rukhmani Mehta, Seibi Lee, and Rachna Nivas.
Parents describe long-term participation and detailed instruction at Leela Academy. One parent from Los Angeles notes that their children have attended for five years, have performed many times including on professional stages, and that the teachers spend a tremendous amount of time teaching and perfecting the art. Another parent from Greensboro, NC, reports being happy and fully satisfied with online workshops and strongly recommends Leela Academy to those interested in kathak. A parent from Seal Beach, CA, shares that virtual classes include not only kathak dance but also proper practice, terminology, and history, and that even beginners are treated with respect while teachers focus on details of movement, practice, and expression.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long camp sessions
The Leela Academy’s children and youth division provides students ages 5–17 with access to a range of programs that foster creativity, build foundational skills in kathak dance, and provide extensive cultural education. Its year-round program provides age-appropriate, standards-based education in kathak for children and youth ages 5 to 17. Students receive foundational training in kathak dance technique as well as supplemental training in Hindustani classical music, and the curriculum provides in-depth education in the historical, philosophical, and cultural context that surrounds the dance. As students advance, they have the opportunity to study and train at the pre-professional level with some of today’s leading Indian classical dance and music artists.
Every summer, the Leela Academy hosts a week-long camp for children ages 5–12 that focuses on kathak dance and Hindustani classical music. Leela boasts studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and New York, with affiliate centers serving Boston, Toronto, and India, and students in other cities and countries are invited to join the online studio.
Leela Youth Dance Company is an elite pre-professional, audition-based training and performing group that is part of these programs. It champions excellence in kathak dance, with students training rigorously 5 hours per week in addition to home practice. Leela Youth Dance Company serves as a platform for dance empowerment and youth leadership, where teens become advocates and rising young leaders and ambassadors for Indian artistic heritage. LYDC has performed nationally in numerous prestigious venues and festivals, including the WorldWideWomen’s Girl’s Festival, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphia Youth Festival, and San Francisco Symphony Hall alongside students of the San Francisco Ballet.
Leela Youth Dance Company is under the mentorship and artistic direction of Leela Dance Collective artist and co-founder Rukhmani Mehta. The Collective has garnered critical acclaim under the artistic direction of Rukhmani Mehta, Seibi Lee, and Rachna Nivas.
Parents describe long-term participation and detailed instruction at Leela Academy. One parent from Los Angeles notes that their children have attended for five years, have performed many times including on professional stages, and that the teachers spend a tremendous amount of time teaching and perfecting the art. Another parent from Greensboro, NC, reports being happy and fully satisfied with online workshops and strongly recommends Leela Academy to those interested in kathak. A parent from Seal Beach, CA, shares that virtual classes include not only kathak dance but also proper practice, terminology, and history, and that even beginners are treated with respect while teachers focus on details of movement, practice, and expression.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
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