Natya Dance Theatre (NDT), under the artistic leadership of Hema Rajagopalan, is amongst the most critically acclaimed and culturally treasured Indian dance companies in the United States. The professional dance company was founded in 1994 and is based 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 ras, aesthetic experiences that spiritually transform audiences worldwide. 

On February 16, Natya Dance Theatre presents its signature work, Shakti Chakra. Stories from Indian mythology are interpreted through movement and expression in order to explore humanity's place in the universal cycle of creation. Sections portray the relationships between humanity and divine forces. Choreographed by Natya Dance Theatre Artistic Director Hema Rajagopalan and Associate Artistic Director Krithika Rajagopalan.

"Triumphant...an enticing mixture of restraint and abundance" – The New York Times  

Funded by: