This program will be held in-person at the Newberry.
The Natya Dance Theatre will present an evening of talks, performances, and light refreshments. Hema Rajagopalan, the artistic director of Natya Dance Theatre, will share the history of the group, and present archival materials and footage. There will be a dance performance, followed by a presentation on the costumes and fabrics that are essential to the dance, presented by Sandhya Raman.
Speaker
Natya Dance Theatre (NDT), under the artistic leadership of Hema Rajagopalan, is one of the most critically acclaimed and culturally treasured Indian dance companies in the United States. Natya was founded in 1974, in Chicago, IL. The highly innovative work of NDT offers profound and subtle expressions of humanity’s deepest questions and values in the context of our present-day lives. Rooted in Bharata Natyam, one of the great classical dance forms of India, NDT preserves and perpetuates Bharata Natyam in all its classical rigor, and moves the art form in innovative directions to foster cultural exchange through dance. NDT’s contemporary interpretations incorporate dynamic body movement, rhythmic footwork, hand gestures and facial expressions to convey meaning and emotion that create rasa, aesthetic experiences that spiritually transform audiences worldwide.
Sandhya Raman, an alumnus of the National Institute of Design(NID),
Ahmedabad, with a Master’s in Apparel and Textile Design has had a versatile
career of over 30 years. She is the co-founder of Desmania, an award winning design company and is responsible for the Apparel & Costume vertical.
Sandhya co-founded Desmania Foundation in 2013. She is the Secretary
of Rasaja Foundation a cultural organization promoting art dance and
Music has also has also served a strategic consultant design for Arunachal
Pradesh Weavers Federation. Sandhya has also been a TedX speaker.
Sandhya’s passion for arts, crafts and handlooms has taken her through the length and breadth of the country. Actively involved in training, developing, designing and upgrading the skills of artisans, enabling them to hone their traditional skills to have a better reach into the urban markets. Over the years, her work with costuming for classical dancers, understanding the dance forms and resolving ergonomic issues related to dance costumes has created a new language in the field. Raman’s use of new technology and fine detailing has been path-breaking. Her aesthetic and refined eye allows her to treat the body as a canvas, using patterns and drapes to create distinct costumes. Sandhya believes in bringing all the aspects of performing arts together through the eye of a designer.
She has worked closely with several dance companies internationally such as Battery Dance Company (New York), Natya Dance Theatre (Chicago), Bharatkala Natya Academy (Atlanta) Sampradaya Dance Creations (Canada) amongst many others and these premiered in USA, Europe and across India. Her collaborative efforts with a variety of dance forms such as Bharatatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Kathakali, Chhau, Sattriya, Odissi and American Ballets have involved a spectrum of renowned artists.
Hema Rajagopalan is the Founder Artistic Director of Natya Dance Theatre founded in 1975, specializing in Bharatanatyam, the dance theater of India. She is a dancer, teacher and choreographer of international repute, committed to preserving and developing the art in new directions for diverse audiences. Her Gurus are amongst foremost figures in Bharatanatyam, Padma Sri awardee Sri. K.N. Dandayudapani Pillai and Padma Bhushan Awardee Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan. Hema has performed as a soloist at prestigious venues worldwide receiving critical acclaim. Noteworthy among them being the Edinburgh Festival UK, Avignon festival France, The Kennedy Center and in India in most major venues – The Music academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, Bharat Kalachar amongst others. Among the noteworthy awards Hema has received are – In the US – the prestigious EMMY and NEA choreography award seven times -the highest number received by an artist nationally, and in India the Vishwa Kala Bharathi for artistic excellence. In 2021 she was awarded the Dance Legacy award by See Chicago Dance for her contributions to the dance field at large. In 2022 along with luminaries like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, Hema was selected as one of the 141 women by the Women’s L project who honored these women of influence, creativity and courage by renaming the Chicago train stations after them. In 2024 ABHAI along with Karthik Fine Arts awarded the Pravasi Natya Kalanidhi award.
Krithika Rajagopalan is a performer, teacher, and choreographer whose work flows between lineage and innovation. As Co-Artistic Director and Principal Dancer of Natya Dance Theatre, she carries forward a legacy while shaping new visions for Bharatanatyam, blending discipline, devotion, and creativity. Trained under her gurus, Smt. Hema Rajagopalan and Padma Bhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan, and enriched by studies in Yoga, Kalari Payattu, Gyrotonic, and Pilates, Krithika’s artistry is grounded, expressive, and holistic. She has performed at world renowned venues, from the Kennedy Center to the NCPA Mumbai, and collaborated with luminaries including Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, bringing Bharatanatyam to innovative stages and audiences worldwide. Krithika’s choreographic vision spans solo, ensemble, and full-length productions that honor classical form while exploring contemporary and socially conscious themes. She mentors dancers through residencies, master classes, and programs that foster technical skill, mindfulness, and expressive depth. Recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Master Teacher Award, The Doris Duke Foundation Residency and the Jerome Foundation Award, Krithika continues to cultivate audiences, empower dancers, and illuminate the living tradition of Bharatanatyam, ensuring its beauty and relevance for generations to come. Krithika brings awareness and care to cultivating an understanding of the art while pushing the boundaries and challenging learners and audiences thru the creation of innovative productions.
Cost and Registration
This program is free and open to all. Advance registration required.
Registration opens September 1.
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