Natya Vriksha Dance Collective (NVDC)

The Natya Vriksha Dance Collective (NVDC) was established in 1999 by Geeta Chandran and consists of Geeta and dancers who have been trained in Bharatanatyam by her from the very start of their dancing journeys. The Collective has created and performed unique choreographies including both traditional works and thematic ones raising social issues in India and across multiple countries including the United Kingdom, USA, Thailand and Chile. The Dance Collective has forged a reputation for its thoughtful and aesthetic group dance presentations and has performed widely to rave reviews, setting high standards for group performances.

NVDC dancers are unique as they have all grown up together under Geeta’s mentorship, and most of them are also solo dancers in their own right. The friendships and the level of trust and togetherness shared by the dancers is evident in the Collective’s choreographies that ensures a completely different emotional appeal to all NVDC productions and performances. The Collective’s works are just that – “Collective”. From ideation to implementation, the entire process is democratic, with inputs from all dancers being encouraged.

A few notable choreographies of NVDC include: ANEKANTA – embracing and celebrating diversity; Samagati – coming together; Sarvam Krishnamayam – celebrating Krishna; Natyavrinda and Rasananda – collections of cherished choreographies; Samyukta – union; Shivam – celebrating Shiva, to name a few. The Collective has also presented multiple experimental choreographies including Mythologies Retold, Her Voice and Aval – all of which explore the theme of overcoming gender bias; Seasons – which is Bharatanatyam danced to the music of Tchaikovsky; Imagining Peace – a plea for no more wars , Awakening, among several others.

The NVDC has performed at India@60 festival in the United Kingdom, at the famed Lincoln Centre in New York as part of the India-60 celebrations and for the Festival in Thailand in Bangkok, at the Music Academy Dance Festival in Chennai, at the Khajuraho Nritya Samaroh, at Konark Dance Festival, Ananya Dance Festival at the Purana Qila; twice at the National Festival of Choreography in Delhi, for the Uday Shankar Choreography Festival in Kolkata, among others.