Devadasi Dance Mandira
Where every word is a song; and every step a dance.
Little Devadasi’s
Fine Arts Education Program
At Devadasi Mandira, our students learn Odissi dance as a complete program in movement, music, storytelling, expression, yoga and sacred artistic tradition. The Little Devadasi’s program provides supplemental fine arts instruction and performing arts electives for home-school students.
Devadasi classes support children to connect to themselves on deeper levels, learning confidence, discipline, grace, emotional expression, deep wisdom, and spiritual values in joyful, artistic and creative ways. Odissi Dance is a profound foundation for each child to connect with their bodies, inner self, understand meaningful stories, and express beauty from the heart.
Little Devadasi Dance
A fine arts program for children to learn dance, yoga, storytelling, and artistic expression, inspired by the sacred traditions of Odissi dance and Vedic culture.
Our Approach: Learn Through Movement, Story, and Creative Play
Young children learn best through experience, movement, and imagination, not just sitting and passively listening.
In our Little Devadasi program, we approach learning in an experiential, arts-integrated approach where storytelling, dance, music and creative play become meaningful tools for learning and self-expression in a micro-school sized group.
What Students Can Expect in Class
Each class begins with a morning circle group time focused on connecting with their inner selves. Then we transition into story time, where they learn how to act out legendary stories using the unique language of Odissi, followed by creative play and artistic projects. Class focus then shifts into learning the basic Odissi dance exercises, steppings, foot positions, mudras and dance choreography. We then break for vegetarian lunch and outdoor play.
Learning Outcomes
Through learning the intricate movements of Classical Indian Dance and acting out the legendary stories, children strengthen coordination, focus, balance, body awareness and confidence.
Creative projects nurture student’s imagination, artistic reading/writing skills, emotional and communication skills.
In studying the classical music that accompanies the dance, students develop an understanding of rhythm (tala), strengthen memory and listening skills while experiencing joy through self-expression.
Offical Step Up For Students Provider
“Dance is not just learned with the body; it is learned in the heart.”
-Lila-Svarupini
Enrollment
The Little Devadasi’s program is centered on creative arts as a primary mode of learning. We offer a nurturing environment where children grow through movement, storytelling, play, and hands-on experiences.
We are currently accepting a limited number of students for the 2026-2027 school year. To maintain a small, personalized learning environment space is limited.
This is a supplemental creative arts enrichment program primarily for home-school students.
Contact Lila-Svarupini to apply.
Director
Lila-Svarupini (Alexis Fitch)
A lifelong dancer and mother of four young children, Lila-Svarupini is an experienced creative arts and dance teacher with a passion for nurturing children through movement, storytelling, and expressive learning.
Her dance journey started at age 3 learning ballet and practiced rigorously until age sixteen. She discovered early on the power of movement as a form of expression. By age eleven, she was appointed junior assistant instructor, marking the beginning of her journey in guiding others in dance.
When Lila began studying the classical Indian Dance form of Odissi in 2017, she developed a deeper relationship with dance as a vessel to bring healing, restore health and create inner joy.
Lila-Svarupini founded Devadasi Dance Mandira to teach students of her local community in 2022. She developed the Little Devadasi program exclusively for her own children in 2023 yet it organically expanded to serve several children in her local community with growing demand.
Currently Lila teaches children ages 6-12 in Little Devadasi’s as well as ages 13+. By encouraging each student with a genuine love for teaching she creates a peaceful, nurturing space where everyone can learn the fine art of Odissi Dance in supportive creative space designed for healing and connecting with the body, without unreasonable expectations.
Little Devadasi Schedule
Little Devadasi’s Schedule
(ages 6-12)
2026-2027 School Year
1st Semester August 7th 2026 – December 11th 2026
2nd Semester January 6th – May 28th 2027
10:30am-1:30pm
Tuition/Cost
Friday classes- $185 per month
Wednesday’s & Friday’s – $370 per month
Monday’s, Wednesday’s & Friday’s -$550 per month
Vegetarian lunch is provided.
Educational Benefits
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Physical Education: Students develop posture, flexibility, stamina, balance, coordination and body awareness through structured dance practice and yoga.
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Performing Arts: Students learn creative expression, storytelling, stage presence in the foundation of classical Indian dance.
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Cultural Studies: Students are introduced to the Vedic arts, Sanskrit vocabulary, devotional themes and respectful cultural practices.
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Emotional Wellbeing: The goal of our classes are for each student to build self-confidence through healthy connection with their bodies through creative movement with guided expression in a safe, supportive home-school environment.
Our Studio Space
Little Devadasi Dance Classes are held in a beautiful loft home dance studio located in the comfort of Lila’s home in Alachua, Florida. Set on 1.5 acres, our space offers children a peaceful, nurturing environment where they can learn, move, create, and grow.
Beyond the dance studio, the property provides room for outdoor creative play, nature-based activities, and imaginative exploration. With four children of her own, Lila’s home-studio has space for students to feel safe to play, be inspired, and feel personally cared for while experiencing the depth, beauty, and joy of classical dance and creative education.
Small Groups, Meaningful Growth
We intentionally keep our Little Devadasi class schedule to support homeschooling families with a consistent, enriching rhythm that does not overwhelm the week. Families can choose 1–3 days a week.
Please visit Devadasi Mandira for information on classes for ages 13 and up.
Devadasi Dance Mandira
Where every word is a song; and every step a dance.
Devadasi Dance Mandira is dedicated to preserving and sharing the sacred tradition of Odissi, a classical Indian dance form with deep cultural roots in the temples of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha in India. Carried through the lineage of the Maharis also known as Devadasi’s, the Gotipuas, and the great revival masters such as Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Odissi is a living bridge between art, culture, devotion, embodied expression, and spiritual connection.
Founder – Lila-Svarupini is a student of Srimati Sujata Mohapatra in the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra lineage. Lila’s personal journey – from healing through Odissi dance to becoming a performer and teacher, reflects the heart of her teaching: using movement, music, and creative expression to support each student to reconnect with oneself, and move deeper.
Please visit Devadasi Mandira for information on classes for ages 13 and up.
