Conceptual Pieces
Duration - 60 min | Created in 2025
Ma Kamakhya
This work actually began when Dr. Usha RK, approached me to create a 20-minute piece on Ma Kāmākhyā. She was the one who conceptualised and curated Śṛṅgāra Bhakti for the Pravaha Festival at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai.
At that point, I honestly knew very little about the Devi.
Dr. Usha explained śṛṅgāra not as an ornamentation or mere romance, but as a profound force of creation, A union that is sacred. This concept stayed deeply with me. She also spoke about the yoni not merely as a symbol, but as the very source of generative power, fertility, and creation. That was my first real introduction to Ma Kāmākhyā considered to be the most sacred and powerful of 51 Shakti Peetas. And after that, I felt a very strong urge to visit the temple.
As i walked into the Garbha Griha, There was warmth. There was love. There was something deeply familiar, almost like a homecoming; and that’s where it all began.
This work explores the sacred feminine through the pulsating yoni, the source of creation and renewal
In the darkness of the womb. A yoni pulsates.
Guarded.
Sacred.
Hidden like the most intimate secret
of the cosmos.-
A place of love,
of affection,
of warmth -
like a home beckoning .
a reservoir of energy pulsing with creation
Coming Soon...
Duration - 20 min | Created in 2025
Bhisma
Bhishma’s life becomes a profound mirror for our own inner conflicts and choices especially when duty, morality, personal choice, and consequence collide. His story invites us to reflect on choice, sacrifice, and the responsibility each path carries.
The genesis of this piece came from a quiet question I found myself returning to what passes through us when we close our eyes for the final time?What memories rise, what choices return?
Press Reviews
“It was, however, in her portrayal of Bhishma that Navia’s command over sattvika abhinaya came fully into view. Beginning in an extended alidha mandala sthana, bow and arrow in hand, she assumed the stance of the legendary warrior renowned for courage, wisdom, and unwavering resolve. Every episode unfolded through precise abhinaya, never overstated, allowing the sattvika response to surface organically hands quivering, cheeks trembling, the entire body registering the anguish and clarity of a brave heart nearing release.”
Anita Vallabh Ph.D, For Global Indian Artist , January 11th , 2026
Duration - 25 min | Created in the year 2024
Draupadi
It was created as a part of Vanita, a 2 day Samvaada delving into the characteristics of exemplary women in Indic Wisdom - Conceptualised by Dr Usha RK.
I tried to stay away from the story of Draupadi as it's been told so many times . However , as I faced my own battles , I began to see her everywhere in my life . Her fire, her silence , her questions - they became mine . Through my own journey, I realised how quickly people judge,how easily a woman’s truth is misunderstood,and how only a few truly stand by you when the world turns away.
Born from sacrificial fire and not from the womb, Draupadi embodies the quest for justice and the fierce spirit of womanhood, the violation of which at any level compels one to stand up for oneself. And that is no easy feat. Itʼs her confidence and competence that drive her to take a vow for the deep dishonour she faced and her demand for retribution.
Leela Venkataraman, Narthaki, January 4, 2025
The dancer wincing, holding on to her head with a pained expression was sufficient to convey what was happening - for after all abhinaya is the craft of suggestion more than an actual portrayal. And then came the final curse in menacing calm, of not putting up her loose hair, till it was anointed with the blood of Dushasana.”
Press Reviews
By Srividya, The Hindu, November 28, 2025
Duration - 90 min | Created in the year 2023
Nāmayāchi Jani - The Songs of the Stonemill
Namyachi Jani began with vocalist Jhanavi Phansalkar’s exploration of Marathi Bhakti poetry as an extension of her earlier work in Dhrupad. Drawn to the life and verses of Sant Janabai—her fearless spirit, unwavering devotion to Vitthala, and profound yet accessible philosophy we envisioned a work that could move beyond the format of a traditional concert. For me, the project arrived at a time when my own faith and convictions were being tested, making Janabai’s teachings on surrender, resilience, and trust deeply personal. The result is both an artistic collaboration and a heartfelt journey into the timeless wisdom of Janabai.
Press Reviews
‘Nāmayāchi Jani - The Songs of the Stonemill’, A unique collaboration between a Dhrupad ensemble and a Bharathantayma Dancer Much like how the Sagun and Nirgun shades of Bhakti merged into one , the different arts blended into one common expression.
Sajan Sankaran, The Hindu, March , 23, 2023
Duration - 70 min | Created in the year 2022
Virodhābhāsa - The Paradox
The production is commissioned by Mandala Arts and Culture, Vancouver.
This virtual world premiere was presented by Mandala Arts and Culture in partnership with The Dance Centre/ Vancouver, Canada in November 2022.
“Form is Emptiness. Emptiness is Form," says the Buddhist Heart Sutra speaking of the paradox that lies at the core of all phenomena.Indeed, the world we inhabit is itself a paradox for it is both real and an appearance: Maya.And so, to better appreciate this world, one needs to look more deeply at what seems like opposites or contradictions.
A personal tragedy that held within it both sadness and peace led me to consider more deeply this idea of Paradox. As I lived through those difficult days, my thinking about paradox began to transform and find expression in my dance.
This work is my ongoing attempt to investigate the profound nature of Paradox.
Press Reviews
"Virodhabhasa is an exciting progression towards new and abstract themes in dance . It came through beautifully in Navia's intense performance.”
“Navia's Bharatanatyam, characterized by very expressive fingers, combines excellent lines with deep internalization.”
Virodhabhasa - The Paradox
Priya Das, December 9, 2022
Duration - 25 min | Created in the year 2019
Reflections of Mandodari - An Act on perspectives
Mandodari’s character and her experiences as depicted in various versions have intrigued me. She goes through situations that test her resolve and mental makeup. Mandodari in this act reflects and possibly imagines a situation where she asks what could she have done. Did she wither away, did she stand the test of love or was something else expected.
Presented for Transparent Critiquing at the 39th Natya Kala conference curated by Guru Smt Rama Vaidhyanathan,Krishna Gana Sabha,Chennai
Duration - 25 min | Created in the year 2015
Earthen Pot
At the heart of the work rests an earthen pot carrying the ashes of a loved one. It emerged from a deeply personal experience the loss of my grandmother. In the aftermath of her passing, while holding her ashes, I found myself contemplating what truly remains after a life is lived. Does the pot hold only mortal ashes, or does it contain a lifetime of memories, love, relationships, and experiences? In its silence lies an invitation to reflect on what truly endures when all else turns to ash.
The Earthen Pot " premiered at the 15th Natya Darshan Designing Space: The Creative Process, Dance Symposium, Chennai curated by Malavika Sarrukai.
Duration - 20 min | Created in the year 2014
The Quest Unsaid
Here , I tell the age-old story of Karna from the Mahabharata with a universality that not only makes the mythological character come alive, but makes him relatable and deeply interesting to present-day
audiences. It blends a mixture of original English poetry, soulful classical music and ancient Tamil poems. Here the narrative is as timeless as it is contemporary – the tale of our quest for identity. Through an anguished, dynamic and sensitive portrayal of Karna, I ask the searing questions that have haunted humanity through the ages – who am I and where do I belong?
Duration - 15 min | Created in the year 2013
Amarushataka
I have used an old, classical literature as a springboard for Amarushataka. In this exquisitely wrought piece, I weave a poignant and moving narrative about the changing seasons and faces of love around a love poem by the great
Sanskrit poet, Amaru. I have used the sixty ninth poem in the ‘Amaruśataka’*, a collection of lyrical love poetry composed by the poet in the 7th century as the anchor for my meditations on love, longing and passion. Through the narrative lens of Amaru’s poem, I have tried to explore the fleeting and chimerical nature of love and desire between a man and a woman, and the ebb and flow of their
relationship.(*’Amaruśataka’ ranks as one of the finest collections of lyrical poetry in Sanskrit literature. Its subject is mostly ‘Sringara’ or erotic
Press Reviews
“From there to a verse from the famous Amarushatakam, Navia portrayed the emotions of a khandita nayika with ease.... With
some reworking on her choreography, Navia could design this into an excellent piece for her repertoire.”
- Veejay Sai, The Hindu
Duration - 20 min | Created in the year 2011
Agni
Agni is a powerful conceptual piece that explores the sacred element of fire in all its forms and manifestations as an integral aspect of nature, as a divine force in the cycle of creation and destruction and as a metaphor for human emotions and wounds. In this three-part performance, I liken the ferocious flames of Agni with the raging emotional fire of anger, grief and hate that exist within us. Punctuated by classical nritta interludes and performed to recorded music, the three-part performance represents an inward journey that flirts with the boundaries between abstract and classical, personal and universal and physical and emotional. Drawing from metaphysics, mythology and personal experiences.
Press Reviews
“Punctuated with nritta interludes and performed to recorded music, the piece was an impressive testimony to choreographic and aesthetic acumen.”
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Madhavi Ramkumar, The Hindu
“However, the best was probably saved for the last as Navia ended the programme with a scintillating thematic presentation
called Agni. As she culminated her performance with this fiery thematic presentation, she left the audiences asking for more.”
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Deccan Herald, Bangalore
Duration - 90 min | Created in the year 2011
Bharatham Kathi Kathaiyam
Story Narration through Dance
This experimental production commissioned by Natyagram, Chennai, brings together mime, classical dance and music. This unique and original piece consists of two distinct segments – part one features the enactment of a modern short story and the second segment features the storyline of an old short story. For the first segment , I act out a contemporary short story, ‘Asalum Nagalum’, penned by Padmasri Indira Parthasarathy. I had to depict the modern story sans lyrics or narration, and only by the dint and language of ‘Abhinaya’ or expression. Using an entrancing emotive range, I portray the setting as well as the moods and intentions of the characters through the sheer creativity of ‘Abhinaya’. In the second segment, I presented my take on the mythical story of the celestial polestar Dhruva, this time with both lyrics and expressions.
Press Reviews
“The scene where the child fights her restless nature and discomfort during the painting sessions and the artist's genuine love for her, were effortless essays. The final summation by the dancer lent weight here.
“A grasp of essentials in Dhruva's story which evolved without needless detours, helped fortify the outcome. Dhruva‘s struggles
during his meditation and the final granting of his wish were depicted with intense feeling. What raised the bar in the performance were the different hues of the mood endowed to the characters and the skill in pure dance in both sequences.”
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Vidya Saranyan, The Hindu
“Even without hearing the story, one could make out that Navia was portraying a little girl, wide eyed and prancing about.”
“The dancer switched with ease from dance movements to yogic poses, without losing balance!”
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Lalitha Venkat, Narthaki
Coming Soon...
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