Sukanya Burman is pictured in her studio. Photo by Daryl J. Simon

Sukanya Burman, founder and Artistic Director of Sukanya Burman Dance Company, 203 Cherry St., has received a grant from the TimeSlips Tele-Stories Project.

Burman is one of four Western New York artists chosen to work with under-connected elders living with dementia. Over the course of several weeks of 30-minute phone calls, the artist poses a “Beautiful Question”, a question with no right or wrong answer, as a way to invoke and bring forth things remembered by the elder partner. The responses are captured and then shaped into a creative work by the artist for their partner as a legacy piece that is presented to them. This co-creation works to ease the loneliness, isolation, and anxiety that is nearly universal amongst the elderly.

After the success of their Tele-Stories projects in Milwaukee and Detroit, TimeSlips has announced the beginning of its latest Tele-Stories project in Western New York, funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. As a part of the first Western New York Tele-Stories project, TimeSlips has partnered with Hearts & Hands, an organization that connects frail or vulnerable older adults in Erie and Niagara counties with needed services.

Burman is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Kolkata, India, with formal dance training in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, contemporary dance, and ballet, and holds a diploma in contemporary dance and movements arts, as well as attended independent training program at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. She has toured nationally and internationally as a repertoire member of Rhythmosaic Dance Company and has continued performing independently, as well with the Indorican Multicultural Dance Project out of New York City. She is a guest faculty at the Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet. Additionally, Burman is a resident artist in the Curriculum in Motion Institute at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for 2021-22.

Burman has an interest in exploring socio-cultural discourse with an emphasis on bridging the gap between Western modern and Indian classical dance. She also hopes to raise awareness, accessibility and provide opportunities in dance through arts education.

For further information about TimeSlips, visit www.timeslips.org, or about Sukanya Burman Dance Company, visit www.sukanyaburman.com.