Founded in 1974 by critically renowned dancer, choreographer and dance educator Hema Rajagopalan, Natya Dance Theatre performs and teaches Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form of India. Natya's contemporary style uses dynamic body movement, rhythmic footwork, hand gestures and facial expressions to convey meaning and emotion to create rasa, the aesthetic experience that transforms the audience. Natya has performed with acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble and was the first American-based company to appear at the World Music Institute in New York City.
