Chitra Subramanian is an Indian American dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Washington, DC. A Pittsburgh native and originally from South India, she teaches, choreographs, and performs with her collective, chitra.MOVES. Her aesthetic draws from Hip Hop and Indian classical and folk foundations to tell stories, elevate artists, and meaningfully engage unseen and new audiences.
Chitra fell in love with Hip Hop in the club scenes of Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. Spaces like the Shadow Lounge and Reunion Thursdays weren’t just places to dance—they were spaces where she learned about her city, forged lifelong friendships, and discovered her purpose creative voice. These experiences deeply shaped her path, leading her to youth work and anchoring her commitment to community.
Chitra’s work is deeply influenced by her 20+ years in youth education and community work, particularly with young people and their families in DC. Her performance projects explore themes of relationships, community, and the transformative power of institutions. Drawing on her immigrant roots and love for Hip Hop, Chitra’s creative process is shaped by strong community ties and a commitment to exposing untapped talent.
Recent works include TEMPLE, an evening-length performance that sold out at Dance Place, and LINKED, which premiered during her Atlas ArtsLAB residency. Chitra also curates and teaches the Rooting the Dance Hip Hop Dance Class Series, which spotlights the stories and talents of women and femmes in DC’s street dance scene while providing consistent, high-quality training for the community.
Her work has been presented at venues including The Kennedy Center, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Joe’s Movement Emporium, and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. Chitra is the recipient of the Gallim Parent Moving Artist Residency, the DC Commission Fellowship Grant, the Atlas ArtsLAB Fellowship, the Kennedy Center’s Local Dance Commissioning Project, and the National Dance Project Production grant.
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