Artist Bios
Aparna Sindhoor is the Artistic Director of SINDHOOR & NATYAVEDA – Navarasa Dance Theater (www.navarasa.org). She creates a unique style of dance-theater inspired by stories of people’s movement for social justice. She is a recipient of California Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship for 2022. She was an artist in residency at the Bates Dance Festival, East West Players, Asian Art Museum, Teesri Duniya, Wellesley College, Brandies University and UCSB. She has worked with Oscar winner Anthony Dod Mantle and Cirque du soleil famed Franco Dragone’. Sindhoor started training in music with her father Prof. Balasubramanyam and in dance with her mother Dr. Srivalli and continued with legendary, Dr. Venkatalakshamma and Dr. Lalitha Srinivasan. She is a Gold medalist in Dance from the Mysore University and has a PhD in Dance and Cultural Studies (Boston University.) She is also trained in yoga, Kalarippayattu martial arts, music and acting. She has received National Performers Network creation award, “ShaktiDhama-woman-the-year-award” and nominated for LA Stage Alliance Ovation and Kerala State Film choreography. “Dance-for-Everyone,” a program she co-created offers free training India and USA.
“Sindhoor’s choreography … grounds her work in the form's [Bharatanatyam] basic vocabulary and style – But she also embraces Indian martial arts, yoga moves, theatrical gesture, and a modern dancer's eye for space to create dances that seem both old and new.” - Boston Globe
“I have never seen anything quite like Aparna Sindhoor's company, Navarasa Dance Theatre, in action. There is not only a fusing of dance and theatre, here, but even within the different arts an explosive fusion of cultures. The dance is definitely rooted in the traditional, but they have incorporated into the movement elements from occidental modern dance (there is a stunning pas de deux that would be at home with Alvin Ailey's company) and even more eclectic suggestions than that.” Gaëtan L. Charlebois’s review
Anil Natyaveda (AKA Anilkumar Sukumara Pillai), Co-Director of SINDHOOR & NATYAVEDA – Navarasa Dance Theater (www.navarasa.org) is a choreographer, dancer, teacher, and a martial artist (kalari ppayattu) from Triuvanathapuram, India. He is one of leading exponents of Kalari ppayattu in the world. He is a recipient of Alliance for California Traditional Arts grant (2021). He has performed all over the world including at the Bates Dance Festival, Lincoln Center, Asian American Theater Festival, USA and Edinburgh Dance Festival, Germany International Summer Theatre Festival, Hong Kong Art Festival and Khajuraho Festival. He has also performed and taught dance classes in USA, Canada, and Germany. He choreographed for Euripides’ play at the Theater Arts Program at the Brandeis University. Natyaveda has also choreographed for Indian films and for Franco Dragone’s circus show in Germany. Natyaveda is trained in classical dance forms and in contemporary and aerial dance forms. He has a degree in dance from Sree Swathithirunal Music College, India. Anil has trained in classical dance forms and has also trained in contemporary and aerial dance forms with renowned teachers. He was nominated for Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography. He is the winner of Kerala State Guru Gopinath Trust, India, Natyaratnam award, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute award for his contribution to Indian arts, and the India Darshan National Integration Award (Malanadu News) for his contribution to movement arts and arts in society. (www.mykalari.org)
“Fanciful folk tales and tantalizing aerial feats. dynamic and athletic male dancer, Anil Natyaveda. – Boston Globe
S.M.Raju is a producer, writer, actor and director of film, dance theater, producer of TV shows and children’s content for the home video and education market. He was one of the Executive Producers of Anandabhadram, a feature film in Malayalam (anandabhadram.in) directed by famous cinematographer and director Santosh Sivan. His critically acclaimed film directorial debut, Varnam (varnamthemovie.com) released in India in and was officially selected for the Montreal World Film Festival, London Asian Film Festival, New York Indian Film Festival, Chennai International Film Festival, Roxbury International Film Festival and Norway Tamil Film Festival where it got the Best film on Social Issues award. He has acted in the mega hit Tamil film “Naduvula Konjam Pakkaththa Kannom”, “Oru Nalla Naal Paththu Solren” and “Varnam”. Raju has also been a creative producer for 120 children’s educational videos for the government of Tamil Nadu, India. The videos are being used in over 5000 schools in Tamil Nadu and is being translated into Gujarati by the Gujarat government. Raju co-founded Navarasa Dance theater (navarasa.org) with Aparna Sindhoor and has produced, written and directed many dance theater works that have been presented all over the world. He has a technical background where worked as a senior researcher in Verizon Labs and then went on to start Knumi, a venture funded startup and then MindZen. He has two US patents to his credit. He currently designs User Experience for Pragya systems, an Educational Technology company. He is also a multiple winner of the James Baldwin playwright award. He is currently working on his second film Aanavam.
Isaac Thomas Kottukapally, a graduate of the Film and Television Institute (FTII), Pune, India, was an award-winning Producer, Director and Music Director of ad films, documentaries, and feature films. He was also one of the founders of the Malayalam TV channel Asianet. He has composed music for numerous ad films, short features, documentaries and more than 30 State, National, and International Award-winning feature films in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Assamese, Hindi and English for directors like the Late G Aravindan, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Shaji Karun, T.V. Chandran, Girish Kasarvalli, Kavitha Lankesh, Janaki Viswanathan, S.M. Raju, and Madhu Ambat. He was the winner of the National and State award for Best Music in Indian film in 2011. Sadly, Isaac passed away in 2021 but he has left a great legacy of outstanding music both for Sindhoor-Natya Navarasa and the larger community.
Leah Vincent, is the Assistant Director of Sindhoor Natya - Navarasa Dance Theater and has danced with the company since 2012. She learns Bharatanatyam, Kalarippayattu, contemporary dance and theater under her gurus Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda. She is a 2021 recipient of Alliance for California Traditional Arts' Apprentice Program grant.
Shreya Kiran, is a dedicated dancer who began training in Bharatanatyam at five years and is currently learning Mohiniyattam, participating in competitions and performances throughout the Bay Area. In 2024, she began actively partaking in shows with Sindhoor Natya-Navarasa Dance Theatre. She is also learning Kalari under the guidance of Guru Anil Natyaveda. Born and brought up in Fremont, California, Shreya is extremely fond of her Indian values and culture. Shreya is deeply connected to the experience of art for allowing her to represent her individuality, to communicate complex emotions and insights, and to understand herself.
I am Divya Vijayasekar, a Bharatanatyam dancer and Technology Lead at Infosys. I began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of five under Mrs. Muthulakshmi Stephen and have also trained in various Tamil folk dance forms. In 2012, I moved to Chennai to begin my career as a Network Engineer at Ericsson. Alongside my professional journey, I continued pursuing dance and completed my Diploma in Bharatanatyam and Arangetram under the guidance of Dr. A. Sumathi Sundar. Since moving to the United States in 2022, I have continued my dance journey by actively participating in cultural events across the Bay Area.
Niveditha Muthukrishnan is a Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, and health scientist based in San Jose. She began her Bharatanatyam training at a young age and pursued a BFA from SASTRA University. She is currently continuing her training in Bharatanrityam. Niveditha has also been learning Carnatic vocal music since the age of five. She has performed at several cultural festivals and events and has been involved in choreography and collaborative productions. Her artistic interests lie in exploring movement, music, and societal storytelling, while continuing to learn, create, and share the richness of Indian dance with diverse audiences.
Kiran Ashokan plays the formidable Sena Nayak in Navarasa Dance Theater's Encounter. Channeling his day job as a network and Wi-Fi engineer, Kiran approaches his character's military strategies less like a traditional warlord and more like an enterprise network deployment, ensuring all group movements are perfectly synced, troop frequencies are optimized, and no plot lines are dropped in transit. He sends a massive shout-out to director Aparna Sindhoor, the stellar cast, and his amazing family for their endless love and support.
An IT professional in the Bay Area, Jayasankar Nair balances the fast-paced world of technology with a deep dedication to India’s classical martial and traditional rhythm arts. A disciplined Kalari student and an avid percussionist, he is a passionate Chenda performer skilled in both the classical grandeur of Panchari Melam and the explosive, high-energy beats of Shinkari Melam. Off the stage, he is an ardent cricket enthusiast and believes in giving back to the community through various volunteering activities. Jay is thrilled to bring this powerful synergy of martial arts, rhythm, and theatrical energy to the production.
Miralo Moon from San Jose, CA, draws inspiration from the sun while embracing the mystique of the moon. He is a proud Mexican passionate about contributing to the world and eager to spread joy, laughter, and love through his musical talents. He aspires to be seen on television, the big screen and in advertisements. He hopes to inspire and make a connection with Latino and Mexican people. He believes it is crucial to address the underrepresentation of Mexican individuals and the LGBTQ community and demonstrate to the world that regardless of one's identity, appearance, or background, anything is achievable.
Rajesh Konanganparambath is a technology professional, community organizer and leader , and passionate volunteer with a strong interest in community service, arts and cultural activities. He has previous experience performing in both Tamil and Malayalam dramas and enjoys connecting with audiences through theater. He is excited to be part of this new musical drama, seeing it as a wonderful opportunity to explore a new form of storytelling that combines music, acting, and performance.
Shalini Nagarajan, originally from Chennai, India, has lived in the Bay Area for 26 years. She was regularly involved with the theatre in India, with various acting and directorial roles under her belt. Although she lost touch with it after immigrating, she regularly enjoyed attending plays and musicals.She is excited to be participating in her first Sindhoor Natya production and is grateful to her friends Anil and Aparna for the opportunity to return to acting after decades. When she isn’t at the theater, she is traveling, cooking, or spending time with her dog. She hopes you enjoy the show!
A Quality Engineer by profession based in San Jose, Rana has been a lifelong student of movement. His journey in martial arts began in childhood through Karate and Kobudo that he started at the age of 8. Driven by a deep interest in traditional martial arts, Rana has been training in Kalaripayattu under Guru Anil Natyaveda for the last two years.While this marks his very first time stepping onto a stage, Rana is thrilled to make his performance debut in Sindhoor-Natya Navarasa’s upcoming production Encounter.
Saurabh Bhandiwad is a Google professional of nine years who moved to the U.S. 18 years ago as a student. His passion for athleticism and acrobatics began at age six with Mallakhamb, a traditional Indian sport, that he practiced into his teens, winning the Mumbai District Level Championship.Building on this foundation, Saurabh began practicing Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art, six months ago. Spurred by his daughter’s involvement, he has also developed a keen interest in theatre. Saurabh blends a career in technology with a lifelong dedication to traditional movement arts and creative pursuits.
Raul Puthran has over 16+ years of media experience, having worked in feature films, commercials, documentaries, television and other content forms for Indian and International production houses. He has served in various capacities such as CG & VFX Supervisor, Creative Director, Executive Producer, over the years in Hollywood and Bollywood. Raul has worked in several acclaimed films such as John Wick 4, Wakanda forever, Black Widow, Stranger Things 4, Rouge, Sanju, Kesari, PK, Dil Dhadakne Do, Baby, ABCD 2, Rock On 2, Baar Baar Dekho, Gold, Airlift, Fukrey Returns and others in different post production roles.
Jabari Tawiah (sound) is a Grammy Award-winning audio engineer whose credits include Fantastic Negrito’s The Last Days of Oakland and Please Don’t Be Dead, ZZ Ward’s The Storm, among many others. An SAE / Ex’pression College for Digital Arts alumnus with a B.S. in Sound Arts, Jabari has built a multifaceted career spanning studio recording, live sound, music education, and stage production. He currently brings his expertise in audio and artistry to his ongoing role as Sound Technician at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco.
Harry Rubeck (lights) has been honored to have worked with many artists and choreographers in the Bay Area over the last 25 years. He has been resident Lighting Designer and Technical Director at Dance Mission Theater since 2005. His work has been seen at The Cowell, Brava, Marin Shakespeare, ATJT, and YBCA. In Europe his work has been seen in Paris, Milan, Berlin, Munich, Edinburgh, Budapest, and Warsaw. Harry has designed and toured with Stella Adler Conservatory Theater Performance Program in NYC and Scotland; for ‘Off Off Broadway Solo Tours’ in Germany; with Joan Evans Physical Theater in Germany, Brazil, USA; Sarah Felder’s ‘June Bride’ USA; and with Dance Brigade in NYC, Cairo, and Beirut. Other design and company credits also include; Designer and Writer with Margo Lee Sherman ‘Terezka’ and ‘Happiness’ in NYC and Europe, and Olivier Giraud’s ‘How to Become Parisian in One Hour’ in Paris. Mr. Rubeck has received an Edinburgh Fringe First Award for the presentation of ‘Ravens’, along with Joan Evans (Summer 1999). He also received a Sustained Achievement Award from the Izzies in 2018. He holds a degree in Theater from Hampshire College.
Prithvi Mattur (@Pritvi Mattur) is a seasoned Indian classical vocalist from Karnataka with over 15 years of performance experience. A B-High graded artist with All India Radio, she has performed on prestigious stages across India and the United States and secured second rank in the Senior Music Examination conducted by the Government of Karnataka. Beyond the stage, she is a dedicated educator who trains students of all ages, with a special focus on empowering children with special needs.
Prithvi Productions, led by vocalist @Prithvi Mattur, is honored to open for Sindhoor Natya's Encounter at Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco, September 25–27, 2026. The opening set of Indian classical vocal music grounds the evening in the melodic traditions that Encounter's choreography draws from and reimagines.
Vijai Mohan has been training to play the Veena for over 15 years. He has trained under the tutelage of Guru Sri Bonalla Shankar Prakash, Sri V.V.S Murari, Kalimamani Rajesh Vaidya and Kalaimamani late P. Vasanth Kumar. Today he will present the varnam Amma ananda dayini composed by Dr. Balamurali Krishna in Gambira Nattai set in adi talam. For the second piece he will present a fusion version of Nagumomu originally composed by the great saint thyagaraja in Aberi set to Adi talam. The background score was arranged by Vijai himself and performed for the first time today.
Rhodessa Jones storytelling mastery is central, fundamental and inspirational to the Medea Project: Theatre for Incarcerated Women / HIV Circle, now celebrating its 40th year. Generations of young women have been taught and experienced epiphanies under her tutelage, with some going on to become theater professionals in their own right. More importantly, many more have been saved, benefitting from their exposure to Ms. Jones’s sage counsel and worldly wisdom. Rhodessa was a 2023-24 Youth Speaks Legacy Artist through the California Arts Council, and recipient of the San Francisco Arts Commission's 2024 Legacy Artist grant. Rhodessa is nationally and internationally recognized as a pioneer and leader in utilizing art as a vehicle for social change.
Fe Bongolan has been with Medea Project since 1992 as an actor, singer, writer and dramaturg. Finding her artistic calling in helping women find their voice on the page and the stage, Fe utilizes her experience in mainstage performance, musical theater, voice acting, body and instrument percussion to find the rhythm, poetry and emotion in autobiographical work for stage.
Lisa A Frias is a multifaceted performer, choreographer, and writer. Her work with Rhodessa Jones began in 1995, and for over two decades she’s been making art in the crucible of Medea, honoring the strength of women who courageously transform wounds into healing, and experiencing her own powerful transformations too. Her solo works include Gratitude, which was part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival, and directed by Rhodessa Jones, and her current work in progress, Project Room 31, is about her career as a teacher; she’s taught dance to public middle school students for close to 25 years.
Deborah King has been with the Medea Project since 2008, as a writer, actress, teacher, activist, and core member. She’s the mother of Carlos Cornelious (deceased 2024), and Christopher Cornelious. Deborah volunteers at the UCSF Women’s HIV Program as a peer counselor and mentor, and is earning her certification as a Mental Health Advocate at City College, San Francisco. Clean and sober for 19 years, Deborah uses her story of being HIV Positive to give women hope for living a full life: “If I just help one or two people talk about their trauma, then I did my job.”
Kathy McWay is a mother, grandmother, and a woman of faith who has always found joy in helping and connecting with people. She is enthusiastic about personal growth, storytelling and using her voice to share experiences that can inspire and encourage others. Through the Medea project, she steps outside of her comfort zone, discovers new parts of herself and embraces her creativity. She believes “our stories matter, our voices deserve to be heard, and it is never too late to grow. Every chapter of life has something to teach us and that experience can become a source of strength, healing, and inspiration.”
Angela Wilson is a formerly incarcerated mother, Glama, writer, actress, teacher, stage manager, activist and core member of the MEDEA PROJECT: Theatre for Incarcerated Women since her final release in 1999 from the San Francisco County Jail. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from SF State with her BA in theater arts in 2025, and is continuing there now to complete her Master’s Degree program.
Mallika Sanyal is a Senior Cybersecurity Manager, currently training in Mysore style Bharatanatyam under Guru Dr. Aparna Sindhoor. She began her dance journey in 2014 and has developed a deep interest in abhinaya, storytelling, and exploring the emotional dimensions of dance. Her artistic work draws from personal experiences and reflects her love for culture, creativity, and meaningful storytelling. She brings together her professional experience and artistic practice with curiosity, dedication, and a deep interest in the human experience.
Anju Jayasankar teaches Middle School English and History. She loves stories and dance and believes important stories should be shared across generations. This connected her deeply with Aparna and Anil and their unique storytelling capabilities. She is currently learning Bharathanatyam with Aparna Sindhoor and is excited to assist Navarasa Dance Theatre behind the scenes to bring this production to the stage.
Aiswarya Kiran is an art enthusiast, who sees art as a space where the noise of the world fades away and can connect with something deeply meaningful. With a strong passion for performing arts, she enjoys organizing small dance performances for the community events, curating costumes and creatively contributing behind the scenes.The positive and creative environment created by Aparna mam and Anil sir has given her an opportunity to connect with something truly meaningful, where the focus remains on the beauty and essence of art.
Latha Gopinath, a high school Mathematics teacher and California Community College Adjunct Faculty member, has a lifelong passion for different styles of Indian dances and traditional art forms. Her interest in exploring diverse dance styles led her to Sindoor Natya, where stories come alive through dance, dialogue and theater. With her prior dance performance experience through Natyarasa, she is thrilled to support Sindoor-Natya Navara’s play, 'ENCOUNTER' by assisting the crew and working behind the scenes.
Sindhoor Natya – Navarasa, the company, led by Dr. Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda and S M Raju, creates and tours around the world their unique style of theater called Sindhoor Natya. The work is inspired by their deep training in Bharatanatyam, Kalari martial arts, theater forms, Yoga, music, and acrobatics. Sindhoor Natya has performed at the Bates Dance Festival, East West Players, Asian Art Museum, UCSB, AKKA Festival, Wellesley College, Teesri Duniya, Aratani, New World Theater, York Theatre, Connecticut College and more. They have choreographed for films including Santosh Sivan’s Anandabhadram and S M Raju’s Varnam and have worked with Oscar winner Anthony Dod Mantle and Cirque du soleil famed Franco Dragone’. Sindhhoor and Natyaveda were nominated for the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography. Sindhoor Natya has performed all over the world including the Aratani World Series, Lincoln Center, Asian Art Museum, Jacob's Pillow, East West Players, Asian American Theater Festival, New World Theatre, USA, The CULTCH, Teesri Duniya Theatre (Canada), Rangayana, Mysore, Amol Palekhar’s Theater Festival, India, and Battery Park Dance Festival, NY. Their “Dance for Everyone” program offers free training for 200 people in India and USA. They toured Jamaica sponsored by ICCR and the Indian Consulate at Jamaica to celebrate the 180th year of Indians arriving in Jamaica. They teach in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and online. Sindhoor Natya Center for the Arts is the primary institution for Kalari and Mysore Style Bharatanatyam in North America. www.navarasa.org / www.mykalari.org
“A performance deeply, almost in-your-face Indian, but impressively international in its appeal and quality.” - Times of India
“A dynamic response to a broken world.” - The Gazette, Montreal
“a duet between Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda, playing the young woman and prince, respectively. Depicting their love, the two engaged in slow, weight-sharing movement, expressing a gentle tenderness through control, and carefully chosen contact. In the most exquisitely intimate moment, the two entwined their wrists, circling their outstretched fingers around each other’s, communicating so much through the smallest point of contact.” – Independent, Santa Barbara
“The artful marriage of these theatrical forms often seems like something entirely new: ancient dances and performance combined with modern themes and contextual backdrops.” - Stage and Cinemas, Los Angeles
“I have never seen anything quite like Aparna Sindhoor’s company, Navarasa Dance Theatre, in action. There is not only a fusing of dance and theatre, here, but even within the different arts an explosive fusion of cultures. The dance is definitely rooted in the traditional, but they have incorporated into the movement elements from occidental modern dance (there is a stunning pas de deux that would be at home with Alvin Ailey’s company) and even more eclectic suggestions than that.” - Gaëtan L. Charlebois’s review of ENCOUNTER in Montreal
Vote of Thanks
Special thanks to our donors - Amita Vasudeva and Jayanta Day and anonymous donors
Mahasweta Devi, Stella Adelman and Dance Mission Theater, Dr. Kamala Visweswaran, Dr. Paola Bacchetta, Department of Gender
and Women’s Studies, UC Berkeley, Harish and Association for India’s Development, Rhodessa Jones’ The Medea Project: Theatre for
Incarcerated Women/HIV Circle, Prithvi Productions, Debjani Sharma, Vipin Saraf Narayanan, Financial Advisor, Ganesh Ramachandran
Navarasa Dance Theater Board members: Dr. Diana Wong, Melindah Sharma, Dr. Smitha Radhakrishnan, Nandita Subramanian, Vinayak
Anantharamu, Nanditha Yelamanchi and Natasha Slobodina