Sushama Ranganathan has been trained in the firm Bharatanatyam discipline of the Legendary Smt. T. Balasaraswati, by Nattuvanar Sri. K. Ganesan (son of Sri. Kandappa Pillai, the mentor of Smt. T. Balasaraswati) and her mother Smt. Nandini Ramani, prime disciple of Smt. T. Balasaraswati.

Sushama has endeared herself to blossom into a well equipped Bharatanatyam artiste by honing her skills in the sphere of Carnatic Music which is an integral part of Bharatanatyam. She has learnt Carnatic Music from Prof. B. Krishnamurthi of the renowned lineage of Mudicondan Sri. Venkataramier. Sushama  musical training has helped her to understand the inter-relation of music and dance, a very special feature of the “Bala Tradition.