Upcoming Events
Unrehearsed Artist Residency Program Applications Are Open!
Unrehearsed (Virtual) Artist Residency Program (URP) is an artist fund that supports the creation of new dance work by artists who have faced significant challenges in the South Asian dance industry. URP provides funds to center the strengths, experiences, and artistry from
Historic contributors to Indian art who are often not credited for their work or
South Asian identifying folks practicing and creating in art forms that lack structural and organizational support in the South Asian performing arts industry or
Those who have a history of using art to elevate awareness of urgent social justice issues.
$1500 and an additional production stipend* will be awarded to up to 6 artists to create a new dance work.
*Amount TBD; based on cost of production in country of residence
For additional guidelines about criteria for a strong application, please read through this document.
Preview the entire application here.
The application deadline is November 30, 2025 at 11:59PM PST (December 1, 2025 10:29 AM IST)
Rhythm & Gestures All-Levels Bharatanatyam Class
Weekly Rhythm & Gestures: All Levels Bharatanatyam class
Use bharatanatyam inspired technique, music, and narrative building to inform your creative process and find new ways to move! Class will include working with live music, how to bring subtext and story into movement, and looking at both rhythm and gesture from a creative lens. We teach a short phrase to popular music to help us dig deeper into all of these perspectives.
Mondays from 7:30pm-9:00pm at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley
Running through December 15th. Prior experience not required. All classes are drop-in!
As You Are – Houston Premiere
As You Are is a dance-theater work centering the stories of women, particularly from South Asian diaspora communities. Blending movement, text, and sound, the piece offers an intimate look at survival, agency, healing, and sisterhood without demanding resolution or resilience. Rooted in real narratives, it invites audiences to witness with compassion and hold space for complexity.
Produced by Shruti Abhishek Dance
Collaborators/Dancers: Nadhi Thekkek, Preethi Ramaprasad, Rasika Kumar, Shruti Abhishek, Sindhu Natarajan, Sri Thina Subramaniam, and Surabhi Bharadwaj.
Directed by Vaibhav Arekar
Rhythm & Gestures Workshop
Use bharatanatyam inspired technique, music, and narrative building to inform your creative process and find new ways to move! Class will include working with live music, how to bring subtext and story into movement, and looking at both rhythm and gesture from a creative lens. We teach a short phrase to popular music to help us dig deeper into all of these perspectives.
Rhythm & Gesture classes and workshops are generously subsidized by our venues, inviting organizations, and grant support.
Fees: Sliding scale with a starting fee of $5, and a suggested fee of $25
Sign up using the form below. Please pay the fee through zelle or paypal. Note the transaction number on the sign-up form OR email ankita@navadance.org a screenshot of the transaction before completing registration.
Zelle - info@navadance.org
Paypal - navadancetheatre@gmail.com
Email ankita@navadance.org for any questions!
Nava Dance Theatre is committed to making dance accessible for all. If the fees are a barrier to participate, please contact us.
Donation-Based Class
In light of the ongoing genocide in Palestine, please consider donating to the Sameer Project. The Sameer Project is a Palestinian-run organization that works to supply aid to displaced families Gaza. Please join me in supporting families who are displaced as a direct result of US actions.
Those who donate any amount will receive a free class in person or via Zoom on Saturday, October 25th from 11am-12:30am PST. The in-person class is at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center.
Suggested donation is $25.
We begin with a warm up, fundamental adavus or foundational steps, learn a routine to popular music, and also do some abhinaya work rooted in gesture and improvisational storytelling. While some Indian dance experience would help, you do NOT need to be familiar with Indian forms to attend!
To receive a free class –
1. Click on this link to donate
2. Fill out this google form. Where noted, link your full donation receipt that includes the amount donated. The donation receipt will be emailed to you by Chuffed, the donation service. You do not need to tip Chuffed.
A class link will be sent out to all registrants by October 23rd.
While you're at it, check out Workshops 4 Gaza for more educational workshops run by writers, artists, and educators that raise money for Palestinians in Gaza.This may be just one small gesture – but I hope we all continue to cultivate space for hope, renewal, and awareness – with gestures big and small – during these troubling times.
Email ankita@navadance.org with any questions!
Nava Dance Theatre Auditions
We are seeking 3-4 bharatanatyam dancers to join the Nava Dance Theatre team as understudies for touring gigs and dancers for local performances.
To learn more and sign up for auditions, fill out the application form HERE. Applications are due September 23, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST.
Unrehearsed Residency Art Share - Day 2
Join us as the Unrehearsed Artist Residency cohort members share a snippet of the projects that they have been working on! Day 2
As You Are
As You Are is a dance-theater work centering the stories of women, particularly from South Asian diaspora communities. Blending movement, text, and sound, the piece offers an intimate look at survival, agency, healing, and sisterhood without demanding resolution or resilience.
Rooted in real narratives, it invites audiences to witness with compassion.
Produced by Shruti Abhishek Dance
Unrehearsed Residency Art Share - Day 1
Join us as the Unrehearsed Artist Residency cohort members share a snippet of the projects that they have been working on! Day 1
Rhythm & Gestures: An All Levels Bharatanatyam Workshop
Use bharatanatyam inspired technique, music, and narrative building to inform your creative process and find new ways to move! Class will include working with live music, how to bring subtext and story into movement, and looking at both rhythm and gesture from a creative lens. We teach a short phrase to unconventional music to help us dig deeper into all of these perspectives. Rohan Krishnamurthy will be joining us on percussion, and Roopa Mahadevan will be bringing her vocal stylings! We will be working with them to better understand and explore musicality through movement.
Broken Seeds Still Grow - Presented by Mondavi Center
Mondavi Center presents, Broken Seeds Still Grow, a multi-disciplinary dance and visual art production created by Nava Dance Theater and Rupy C. Tut that explores the continuing impact of the 1947 British-India Partition, one of the most formative events in South Asia’s recent history.
Bharatanatyam Weekly Classes (Beginner)
Beginner Bharatanatyam Classes, every Saturday starting February 1st from 2:30 to 4 PM at Shawl Anderson.
Bharatanatyam Classes
Intermediate/Advanced Bharatanatyam classes every Monday from 7:30 to 9:30pm at Shawl Anderson Dance Center.
Nava Dance in NYC : A Bharatanatyam Workshop by Nadhi Thekkek
Nava Dance is coming to New York City, and we would love to meet you!
Join us for a 2 hour class with Nadhi Thekkek as she takes you through a typical Nava Dance company rehearsal. We will do a warm up, adavus, combos, and then learn some Nava repertoire from Rogue Gestures!
This is for anyone who has experience with any South Asian dance form, including any so called classical forms, Bollywood, or folk.
$30 Per Person
Space is limited, and will be first come first serve! Please fill out the following form, and pay through venmo: @nadhek
Virtual Screening of "Response to Tea Dance"
URP presents a special work in progress virtual screening of an excerpt of cohort member Sudesh Mantillake's film, Response to Tea Dance. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Sudesh and his collaborators. Register here to attend!
Unrehearsed Artist Residency 2025 Applications Now Open!
Applications for the Unrehearsed Artist Residency Program for 2025 are now open! Check out this link for more information.
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies presented by Kala Collective
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies is a bharatanatyam, experimental movement, and live music production that explores the labor and lived experiences of South Asian immigrant women in the United States.
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies - Presented by UMass Amherst
Nava Dance Theatre comes to UMass as part of the Fine Arts Center’s Reimagine Residencies program. The company will spend a week on campus in production and engaging with students. The residency culminates in a public performance and question-and-answer session.
URP Art Share
This year the showcase will feature workshops and live performances, with a reception at the end where we will screen performances from our artist based in India and Sri Lanka.
URP Art Share 2024 | Pritam Das, Dayita Nereyeth, Shwetha Gopalakrishnan
2024 URP Art Share featuring Pritam Das, Dayita Nereyeth, and Shwetha Gopalakrishnan
This is Work, Too - Presented by Matrusena
Presented by Matrusena as part of Interbeing, Nadhi Thekkek and Shruti Abishek will be performing “This is Work, Too,” an loose excerpt from the production “Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies.”
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies - Livermore
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies will be in Livermore in 2024! Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies is an ensemble work of 7 dancers with a live original score by Roopa Mahadevan, Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, and others. Rogue Gestures were created and produced by Nava Dance Theatre
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies - Annapolis
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies will be in Annapolis in 2024! Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies is an ensemble work of 7 dancers with a live original score by Roopa Mahadevan, Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, and others. Rogue Gestures were created and produced by Nava Dance Theatre
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies - Northglenn
Rogue Gestures is an ensemble work of 7 dancers with a live original score by Roopa Mahadevan, Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, and others. Rogue Gestures were created and produced by Nava Dance Theatre.
URP Art Share 2023 | Day 2 | SNJV, Aravind, Anand, Sruthi
Day 2 of the 2023 URP Art Share featuring SNJV, Aravind Divakaran, Anand Dhanakoti, Sruthi Natanakumar
URP Art Share 2023 | Day 1 | Carlito, Laksha, Arpita, Sangram
Day 1 of the 2023 URP Art Share featuring Carlito Catalano, Laksha Dantran, Aprita Gaidhane, and Sangram Mukhopadhyay
Nava Dance in NYC : A Bharatanatyam Workshop by Nadhi Thekkek
Nava Dance is coming to New York City, and we would love to meet you!
Join us for a 2 hour class with Nadhi Thekkek as she takes you through a typical Nava Dance company rehearsal. We will do a warm up, adavus, combos, and then learn some Nava repertoire from Rogue Gestures!
This is for anyone who has experience with any South Asian dance form, including any so called classical forms, Bollywood, or folk.
$35 Per Person
Space is limited, and will be first come first serve! Please fill out the following form, and pay through venmo: @nadhek
Find your Narrative: A workshop by Sreelakshmy Govardhanan
Nava Dance Theatre is excited to host Shreelakshmy Govardhanan in the Bay Area for “Find your Narrative.”
First Look: Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies
Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies is an ensemble work of 7 dancers with a live original score by Roopa Mahadevan, Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, and others. This work premieres Dec. 9 - 11 at ODC Theater. Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies were created and produced by Nava Dance Theatre.