
Passion: celebrating women's history month
Tax deductible
Join forces with Navarasa Dance Theater, in collaboration with Faraway is Close, to help produce a unique performance series in Los Angeles for Women's History Month! I would greatly appreciate your support in making this dream a reality. Your donation goes towards paying artists for the time and expertise they are putting into the production and to supporting creative arts programming in Los Angeles and beyond.
PASSION: Women in Movement
is a celebration of women and their work. The show encompasses dance-theater works, music, spoken word and other creative expressions that bring women's stories to the forefront. We tell these stories, loud and clear. We whisper these stories to touch your heart. We move, we make rhythm, create energy, compassion, strength and love. We raise our voices for justice and peace. We welcome you to join us to create movement, raise awareness, engage, and empathize with our collective PASSION.
This production features the work of outstanding independent artists from around the U.S., including Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda, Tanisha Hall, Tamica Washington-Miller, Shebana Coelho, Sanjib Bhattacharya, Shishir Kurup, and the Navarasa Student Ensemble.
March 21 - Kalaikoil Studio, Dublin, CA
March 28 - Navarasa Dance Theater Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Here's some info about amazing artists participating in this exciting celebration:

Dr. Aparna Sindhoor, founder and Artistic Director of Navarasa Dance Theater is a choreographer, director, performer and teacher. She was awarded the NPN creation award and was nominated for Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography in 2013. Critics have hailed Sindhoor as a powerful voice for creating contemporary works of extraordinary artistry and works that challenge the boundaries of traditional Indian dance yet contribute to strengthening that tradition. She has created more than fifteen contemporary dance theater works that have been touring at numerous venues and festivals, including the Revolutions Festival, ARATANI World Series, Lincoln Center, Asian Art Museum, Jacob's Pillow, East West Players, Asian American Theater Festival, World Social Forum, New World Theatre, USA, The CULTCH, Teesri Duniya Theatre (Canada), Ragayana and Amol Palekhar’s Theater Festival, India. She has choreographed for films including Santhosh Sivan’s, Anandabadhram and S M Raju’s Varnam and recently worked with Oscar winner Antony Dod Mantel. She has collaborated with various theater companies including Cirque du soleil famed Franco Dragone’. Sindhoor trained in the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam for more than fifteen years with legendary teacher, Dr. K. Venkatalakshamma (Mysore palace dancer). She is trained in yoga, martial arts (Kalari ppayattu), contemporary, aerial dance, music and theater for more than a decade. Her current work has synthesized these distinct art forms into a unified whole. She is a Gold Medalist in Dance from Mysore University and she has a PhD in Dance, Cultural and Women’s Studies from the Boston University. She was the artist in residency at the prestigious Bates Dance Festival, University California at Santa Barbara, Wellesley college, Boston Center for the Arts, Keshet Center and at Brandeis University. She founded Navarasa Dance Theater in India with Prof. S. Balasubranyam and Dr. Srivalli and with S M Raju in the US. She has been teaching Bharatanatyam and Yoga for more than twenty years in studio and online. She has created “Dance for Everyone” program that offers scholarships and free dance training for over hundred children and adults. Critics around the world have called Aparna: “Breathtaking!” – Times of India “A magical mix of tradition, styles” – Boston Globe.

Anil Natyaveda, Co-Director of Navarasa Dance Theater 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 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 also 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. In 2008 the Kerala State Guru Gopinath Trust, India, honored him with the Natyaratnam award and in 2012 Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute award for his contribution to Indian arts. Critics have hailed him as an important contemporary choreographer creating original works. He was nominated for Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography in 2013.

Shebana Coelho is an award-winning writer, director and performer originally from India, now based in New Mexico. She received a Fiction Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts and a Fulbright grant to Mongolia. Her stories/poems and films have been been published in US and international journals and broadcast outlets such as BBC, Discovery and PBS. She is the founder of Faraway is Close, a new cross cultural experiential project that celebrates the stories under the skin, indigenous to each of us.
Her plays have been produced in New York and New Mexico. Her performance background includes flamenco study and performance in New Mexico and Spain; collaborative storytelling with master elder storyteller Larry Littlebird and Sanskrit drama workshops in India. She has studied flamenco with Manuela Carpio, Diego Maragara, Chiqui de Jerez. Coral de Los Reyes, Fernando Barros Lirola, and Alice Blumenfeld, among others; she studies bharatanatyam with Aparna Sindhoor. She is currently developing and touring The Good Manners of Colonized Subjects, a solo play that mixes dance and poetry to embody a story of colonization and liberation; it's been performed as part of the Pan Asian Repertory Theater's Nuworks 2019 festival (New York city), The Arts at Mark's Garage (Honolulu, HI), Maple Street Dance Space (Albuquerque), and American Samoa Community College.

Tanisha Hall
In September 2011, Tanisha Hall founded the White Hall Arts Academy - a contemporary performing arts academy located in South Los Angeles. Through the White Hall Arts Academy, Tanisha has reached thousands through individual music lessons, group classes and community programs. Some of Tanisha’s students have been featured on The Voice, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Tyler Perry’s Meet The Paynes’, Netflx series “On My Block”, “No Good Nick” and “Trinkets” as well as many other movies, series and commercials. Prior to launching WHAA, Tanisha enjoyed a career working in many aspects of the music industry. In 2013, Shanice released the single “Tomorrow” a song co-written by Shanice and Tanisha.
Tanisha has secured contracts to provide music education services at after school programs throughout Los Angeles and neighboring cities of Inglewood and Compton. In 2014, Tanisha was contracted by the City of Los Angeles to administer the Department of Cultural Affairs Music LA Program at two city facilities. After two years, the city contract ended, however, Ms. Hall continues to fund the rebranded program “Music 4LA” at the White Hall Arts Academy serving over 150 children annually.
Tanisha has also devoted a large portion of her time to impacting the lives of under-served Los Angeles youth since 2003 as a foster parent and is currently a devoted mother to 5 of her former foster children. She also served her local community as a music minister at local churches, teaching music at a charter school in Compton and is a member of NARAS, Ovation Stand For The Arts Coalition, South LA Arts Collective and many other arts based organizations.
Tanisha’s daily mantra says it best, “Give God your best, and he will do the rest!”

Tamica Washington-Miller is the Associate Director of Lula Washington Dance Theatre. She is the daughter of founders Lula and Erwin Washington. Tamica grew up in the dance company from childhood. She was a student, member of the Youth Dance Ensemble, an apprentice and then a Company Member. She has choreographed half a dozen works for the touring company and is well known as a soloist and leading dancer in such works as We Wore The Mask; Ode To The Sixties; Tasting Muddy Waters; Angelitos Negros and other works.
Tamica danced as a motion-capture artist in the James Cameron film, Avatar. She was the motion body for “Mo’aat” queen of the Na’vi tribe. Tamica has also choreographed for the Moesha television series and for The Parkers. She manages various programs for Lula Washington Dance Theatre including the Summer Intensive, the Dance All Day event for Taste of Soul, and the LWDT partnership with Dorsey High School. Tamica choreographs the annual Kappa Alpha Kappa fraternity’s Kappa League presentation; and, she helps mount the annual Youth Recital and Kwanzaa festival.

Shishir Kurup, Actor, Writer, Director, Composer born in Bombay, raised in Mombasa, Kenya, Emigrated to the U.S. and long time member of the renowned Cornerstone Theater Company Ensemble. His play, Merchant on Venice, opened in Chicago in 2007 to rave reviews from the four main newspapers and an extended run at Silk Road Rising. Merchant received, a California Arts Council award, a Roger. L. Stevens/Kennedy Center new play award, a TCG extended collaborations award and will be produced at the Queens Theatre in Flushing N.Y. later this year. Shishir directed the very first production of the pulitzer prize winning “Disgraced” at Chapel Hill’s Playmakers Rep following its Broadway debut and run. It became the highest selling non-musical production in the company’s history. He’s also had the privilege of directing Quiara Alegria Hudes’ Elliot Trilogy at OSF and the Kirk Douglas Theatre respectively which also won the Pulitzer prize for her “Water by the Spoonful.” Film and television credits include Coneheads, Trigger Effect, City of Angels, Alias, The Agency, Charmed, Monk, Murder in Small Town X, Judging Amy, Off Centre, ER, C-16, 90210, the Indies, The Zeroes, The Prime Gig and Turbans, recurring roles on Chicago Hope and West Wing, and several indie features.

Sanjib Bhattacharya, recipient of President’s Awards from Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in 2006 and Smt. Pratibha Patil in 2011 is an accomplished Manipuri Dance Exponent, Guru and well-known Choreographer of India and abroad. He has received his training under the tutelage of Guru Bipin Singh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Kalavati Devi, Manjushree Chaki Sircar and Mamata Shankar. He is currently an established performer of great repute having extensively performed across India and abroad. He is not only performing as a solo artist, but is also performing with eminent Gurus and Icons of Indian Classical dances like Padmavibhushan Sonal Mansingh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Padmashri Ranjana Gauhar, Sadanam Balakrishnan and other eminent gurus all over India and abroad. He runs several dance academies and institutions in India and abroad while conducting Lecture Demonstrations and workshops regularly across the Globe. Currently Sanjib is living in US and teaching, performing, conducting workshop lecture demonstration, collaboration with the local Indian and multicultural community in the US and Canada, regularly creating a unique global choreographic presentation based on his Manipuri and Indian contemporary dance techniques as an Extraordinary Artist sponsored by Rainey Institute, Cleveland.
PASSION brings these incredible artists together with our own Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda to create a unique and exciting performance. Please support the incredible work of these artists and keep their arts alive. Any donation helps!
More information about Navarasa Dance Theater: Navarasa Dance Theater is a South Asian contemporary and classical dance theater company. Navarasa has created more than 15 dance theater productions that have toured in North America, India and Europe. Our initiative "Dance for Everyone" provides scholarships and free arts training to underprivileged kids and youth and is currently serving more than 150 students in India and the U.S. Navarasa offers classes in Bharatanatyam Classical dance, Kalari ppayattu Martial Arts, contemporary and aerial dance.
PASSION: Women in Movement
is a celebration of women and their work. The show encompasses dance-theater works, music, spoken word and other creative expressions that bring women's stories to the forefront. We tell these stories, loud and clear. We whisper these stories to touch your heart. We move, we make rhythm, create energy, compassion, strength and love. We raise our voices for justice and peace. We welcome you to join us to create movement, raise awareness, engage, and empathize with our collective PASSION.
This production features the work of outstanding independent artists from around the U.S., including Aparna Sindhoor, Anil Natyaveda, Tanisha Hall, Tamica Washington-Miller, Shebana Coelho, Sanjib Bhattacharya, Shishir Kurup, and the Navarasa Student Ensemble.
March 21 - Kalaikoil Studio, Dublin, CA
March 28 - Navarasa Dance Theater Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Here's some info about amazing artists participating in this exciting celebration:

Dr. Aparna Sindhoor, founder and Artistic Director of Navarasa Dance Theater is a choreographer, director, performer and teacher. She was awarded the NPN creation award and was nominated for Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography in 2013. Critics have hailed Sindhoor as a powerful voice for creating contemporary works of extraordinary artistry and works that challenge the boundaries of traditional Indian dance yet contribute to strengthening that tradition. She has created more than fifteen contemporary dance theater works that have been touring at numerous venues and festivals, including the Revolutions Festival, ARATANI World Series, Lincoln Center, Asian Art Museum, Jacob's Pillow, East West Players, Asian American Theater Festival, World Social Forum, New World Theatre, USA, The CULTCH, Teesri Duniya Theatre (Canada), Ragayana and Amol Palekhar’s Theater Festival, India. She has choreographed for films including Santhosh Sivan’s, Anandabadhram and S M Raju’s Varnam and recently worked with Oscar winner Antony Dod Mantel. She has collaborated with various theater companies including Cirque du soleil famed Franco Dragone’. Sindhoor trained in the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam for more than fifteen years with legendary teacher, Dr. K. Venkatalakshamma (Mysore palace dancer). She is trained in yoga, martial arts (Kalari ppayattu), contemporary, aerial dance, music and theater for more than a decade. Her current work has synthesized these distinct art forms into a unified whole. She is a Gold Medalist in Dance from Mysore University and she has a PhD in Dance, Cultural and Women’s Studies from the Boston University. She was the artist in residency at the prestigious Bates Dance Festival, University California at Santa Barbara, Wellesley college, Boston Center for the Arts, Keshet Center and at Brandeis University. She founded Navarasa Dance Theater in India with Prof. S. Balasubranyam and Dr. Srivalli and with S M Raju in the US. She has been teaching Bharatanatyam and Yoga for more than twenty years in studio and online. She has created “Dance for Everyone” program that offers scholarships and free dance training for over hundred children and adults. Critics around the world have called Aparna: “Breathtaking!” – Times of India “A magical mix of tradition, styles” – Boston Globe.

Anil Natyaveda, Co-Director of Navarasa Dance Theater 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 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 also 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. In 2008 the Kerala State Guru Gopinath Trust, India, honored him with the Natyaratnam award and in 2012 Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute award for his contribution to Indian arts. Critics have hailed him as an important contemporary choreographer creating original works. He was nominated for Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Choreography in 2013.

Shebana Coelho is an award-winning writer, director and performer originally from India, now based in New Mexico. She received a Fiction Fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts and a Fulbright grant to Mongolia. Her stories/poems and films have been been published in US and international journals and broadcast outlets such as BBC, Discovery and PBS. She is the founder of Faraway is Close, a new cross cultural experiential project that celebrates the stories under the skin, indigenous to each of us.
Her plays have been produced in New York and New Mexico. Her performance background includes flamenco study and performance in New Mexico and Spain; collaborative storytelling with master elder storyteller Larry Littlebird and Sanskrit drama workshops in India. She has studied flamenco with Manuela Carpio, Diego Maragara, Chiqui de Jerez. Coral de Los Reyes, Fernando Barros Lirola, and Alice Blumenfeld, among others; she studies bharatanatyam with Aparna Sindhoor. She is currently developing and touring The Good Manners of Colonized Subjects, a solo play that mixes dance and poetry to embody a story of colonization and liberation; it's been performed as part of the Pan Asian Repertory Theater's Nuworks 2019 festival (New York city), The Arts at Mark's Garage (Honolulu, HI), Maple Street Dance Space (Albuquerque), and American Samoa Community College.

Tanisha Hall
In September 2011, Tanisha Hall founded the White Hall Arts Academy - a contemporary performing arts academy located in South Los Angeles. Through the White Hall Arts Academy, Tanisha has reached thousands through individual music lessons, group classes and community programs. Some of Tanisha’s students have been featured on The Voice, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Tyler Perry’s Meet The Paynes’, Netflx series “On My Block”, “No Good Nick” and “Trinkets” as well as many other movies, series and commercials. Prior to launching WHAA, Tanisha enjoyed a career working in many aspects of the music industry. In 2013, Shanice released the single “Tomorrow” a song co-written by Shanice and Tanisha.
Tanisha has secured contracts to provide music education services at after school programs throughout Los Angeles and neighboring cities of Inglewood and Compton. In 2014, Tanisha was contracted by the City of Los Angeles to administer the Department of Cultural Affairs Music LA Program at two city facilities. After two years, the city contract ended, however, Ms. Hall continues to fund the rebranded program “Music 4LA” at the White Hall Arts Academy serving over 150 children annually.
Tanisha has also devoted a large portion of her time to impacting the lives of under-served Los Angeles youth since 2003 as a foster parent and is currently a devoted mother to 5 of her former foster children. She also served her local community as a music minister at local churches, teaching music at a charter school in Compton and is a member of NARAS, Ovation Stand For The Arts Coalition, South LA Arts Collective and many other arts based organizations.
Tanisha’s daily mantra says it best, “Give God your best, and he will do the rest!”

Tamica Washington-Miller is the Associate Director of Lula Washington Dance Theatre. She is the daughter of founders Lula and Erwin Washington. Tamica grew up in the dance company from childhood. She was a student, member of the Youth Dance Ensemble, an apprentice and then a Company Member. She has choreographed half a dozen works for the touring company and is well known as a soloist and leading dancer in such works as We Wore The Mask; Ode To The Sixties; Tasting Muddy Waters; Angelitos Negros and other works.
Tamica danced as a motion-capture artist in the James Cameron film, Avatar. She was the motion body for “Mo’aat” queen of the Na’vi tribe. Tamica has also choreographed for the Moesha television series and for The Parkers. She manages various programs for Lula Washington Dance Theatre including the Summer Intensive, the Dance All Day event for Taste of Soul, and the LWDT partnership with Dorsey High School. Tamica choreographs the annual Kappa Alpha Kappa fraternity’s Kappa League presentation; and, she helps mount the annual Youth Recital and Kwanzaa festival.

Shishir Kurup, Actor, Writer, Director, Composer born in Bombay, raised in Mombasa, Kenya, Emigrated to the U.S. and long time member of the renowned Cornerstone Theater Company Ensemble. His play, Merchant on Venice, opened in Chicago in 2007 to rave reviews from the four main newspapers and an extended run at Silk Road Rising. Merchant received, a California Arts Council award, a Roger. L. Stevens/Kennedy Center new play award, a TCG extended collaborations award and will be produced at the Queens Theatre in Flushing N.Y. later this year. Shishir directed the very first production of the pulitzer prize winning “Disgraced” at Chapel Hill’s Playmakers Rep following its Broadway debut and run. It became the highest selling non-musical production in the company’s history. He’s also had the privilege of directing Quiara Alegria Hudes’ Elliot Trilogy at OSF and the Kirk Douglas Theatre respectively which also won the Pulitzer prize for her “Water by the Spoonful.” Film and television credits include Coneheads, Trigger Effect, City of Angels, Alias, The Agency, Charmed, Monk, Murder in Small Town X, Judging Amy, Off Centre, ER, C-16, 90210, the Indies, The Zeroes, The Prime Gig and Turbans, recurring roles on Chicago Hope and West Wing, and several indie features.

Sanjib Bhattacharya, recipient of President’s Awards from Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in 2006 and Smt. Pratibha Patil in 2011 is an accomplished Manipuri Dance Exponent, Guru and well-known Choreographer of India and abroad. He has received his training under the tutelage of Guru Bipin Singh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Kalavati Devi, Manjushree Chaki Sircar and Mamata Shankar. He is currently an established performer of great repute having extensively performed across India and abroad. He is not only performing as a solo artist, but is also performing with eminent Gurus and Icons of Indian Classical dances like Padmavibhushan Sonal Mansingh, Padmashri Darshana Jhaveri, Padmashri Ranjana Gauhar, Sadanam Balakrishnan and other eminent gurus all over India and abroad. He runs several dance academies and institutions in India and abroad while conducting Lecture Demonstrations and workshops regularly across the Globe. Currently Sanjib is living in US and teaching, performing, conducting workshop lecture demonstration, collaboration with the local Indian and multicultural community in the US and Canada, regularly creating a unique global choreographic presentation based on his Manipuri and Indian contemporary dance techniques as an Extraordinary Artist sponsored by Rainey Institute, Cleveland.
PASSION brings these incredible artists together with our own Aparna Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda to create a unique and exciting performance. Please support the incredible work of these artists and keep their arts alive. Any donation helps!
More information about Navarasa Dance Theater: Navarasa Dance Theater is a South Asian contemporary and classical dance theater company. Navarasa has created more than 15 dance theater productions that have toured in North America, India and Europe. Our initiative "Dance for Everyone" provides scholarships and free arts training to underprivileged kids and youth and is currently serving more than 150 students in India and the U.S. Navarasa offers classes in Bharatanatyam Classical dance, Kalari ppayattu Martial Arts, contemporary and aerial dance.
Co-organizers (4)
Smitha Radhakrishnan
Organizer
Natick, MA
Navarasa Dance Theater
Beneficiary
Aparna Sindhoor
Co-organizer
Shebana Coelho
Co-organizer
Anil Natyaveda
Co-organizer