Sureela Academy of Kathak

09/06/2026

Next week Fall Session at Sureela is officially beginning! 🍂
💭Not sure? Come to the first class for free before you decide!

🗓️September 13th
📍Denver Ballet Theatre Academy in Littleton
🕒3pm on Sundays
📩DM us for more details!

Send a message to learn more

08/11/2026

We are excited to welcome students back with weekly Kathak classes
⏰ 4-5pm on Sundays
📍Denver Ballet Theater Academy in Littleton.

06/30/2026

In 2015, Dr. Sarah Morelli founded Sureela Academy of Kathak with the vision of creating a community rooted in the practice of kathak, Hindustani music, and lifelong learning.

Today, we're excited to once again embrace the name with which our Colorado community began.

During the challenging COVID years, we came together under the Leela umbrella with our sister schools across the U.S. We will always be grateful for the opportunity to continue learning from and supporting one another during that time. As we look ahead, we're excited to continue nurturing our Colorado community while remaining connected to our broader artistic family.

Sureela, meaning “in tune” or “melodious,” reflects the values at the heart of our school: attunement—to rhythm and melody, to one another, to a living artistic lineage, and to the lifelong cultivation of the whole artist.

We look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and create together in the years ahead. ❤️
Sarah Morelli, Shilpi Nikhil, Shilpi Nikhil, Aish Bhavan

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

What a beautiful evening. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our celebration of Hindustani music and kathak, featuring esteemed senior vocalist Joginder Singh Virdi, accompanied by tabla artist Nabin Shrestha, and the DU North Indian Classical Ensemble.
We were honored to celebrate Virdiji's artistry, his many contributions to the Colorado Front Range South Asian arts community, and his lifelong dedication to music.
One of the greatest gifts of these traditions is their ability to bring generations together. Congratulations to all who performed, and thank you to Shilpi-di, Sarah-ji, and everyone who helped make the evening possible.
❤️

05/25/2026

Free and open to all! We warmly invite you to join the University of Denver’s North Indian Classical Ensemble for a vibrant evening of rhythm, melody, and movement. The concert features esteemed senior vocalist Joginder Singh Virdi, accompanied by tabla artist Nabin Shrestha, and kathak dancers from across the Front Range, led by NICE founder Dr. Sarah Morelli and Shilpi Nikhil.
📍 Hamilton Hall, Lamont School of Music
2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver
📅 Friday, June 5, 2026
🕢 7:30 PM
🎟 Free Admission
Please join us for this special celebration of music, dance, and community!

04/25/2026

📖 From New Jersey Lifestyle Magazine:
Indian Kathak dance interpreter Sarah Morelli is part of the five-member Temporal Taal Collective, fusing Indian classical music, jazz and global influences in its “Nightfall Rhapsody” for the May 2 and 3, 2026 concerts with Bay Atlantic Symphony. The Collective brings together the soulful sounds of bansuri, tabla, bass and guitar, paired with the intricate footwork, dynamic spins, and expressive storytelling of Kathak, one of India’s most revered dance forms.📖

💃🏻The Denver kathak community is proud to cheer on all these artists and sends warm wishes for two wonderful performances!

Concert information:
• Saturday, May 2, 3:00 PM — Guaracini Performing Arts Center
• Sunday, May 3, 2:00 PM — Stockton University Performing Arts Center

https://www.njlifestylemag.com/arts/east-meets-west-to-create-a-new-musical-vision/

04/23/2026

🌱We’re happy to be welcoming new students into our kids class! Open to all levels, ages 4 to 8. Reach out to us for more details!

04/17/2026

Ten years ago, Dr. Sarah Morelli founded Sureela Academy of Kathak with a small group of dedicated students at the University of Denver. The aim was to share kathak more broadly across the Colorado Front Range while continuing to support and grow a vibrant community around dance and North Indian classical music.

During COVID, we partnered with Leela Dance Collective artists as “Leela Denver,” allowing us to stay connected, collaborate across cities within our shared lineage, and continue dancing through a time of isolation.

Over the past decade, that community has grown through classes, performances, collaborations, and the dedication of so many students, families, and artists. We’re grateful for all that has been built together, and look forward to continuing to grow and evolve as a community.