I met Manya Yellepeddy at the Intersections Conference 2025, where she was introducing Dalea, her own tech innovation for dancers. Manya, a high school senior from Northern Virginia, has spent nearly her entire childhood immersed in the world of Kuchipuḍi. She began training at Kalanidhi at the age of five, first under Anuradha Nehru and more recently under Pragnya Thamire. Her engagement with classical dance sparked an unexpected leap into technology. Reflecting on how younger dancers often lose momentum between classes, Manya wondered: Could there be a way to bring the teacher’s precision home?

That question led to Dalea, an AI-powered app that uses teachers’ own videos to guide students at home. In conversation with Global Indian Artist, Manya shares the story behind Dalea and the vision shaping her work.