Artistic Director

SANTOSH NAIR

THE DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER

Santosh Nair's journey as a dancer began under the blessings of his father Shri Kalamandalam Padmanabhan in the year 1986 as a Kathakali dancer. He furthered his training at Kathakali centre under the able guidance of Shri Sadanam Balakrishnan. The strong urge to explore, feel and create, led him to learn Modern dance with Shri Narendra Sharmaji of Bhoomika Creative Dance Centre for next five years, performing and choreographing dance pieces in a most innovative and heart touching manner.


The desire to incorporate varied and energetic movements into his dance style saw him learning the traditional dance of Orissa, Mayurbhanj Chhau under Guru Janmey Joy Sai Babu from 1995-2000.


Trained both as a traditional and contemporary dancer, Santosh Nair has proved his excellence in the field of dance and choreography by creating a unique style of his own.


In 1998 he initiated his own company by the name of Sadhya-a unit of performing arts which rests on the philosophy of tradition & innovation & has now established itself as one of the leading contemporary Indian dance companies of the country. Following are the milestone establishing his credentials both as a performer & choreographer.

• Brought together nearly 100+ artistes from different styles of Dance for the World Dance Day celebration. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 at NCPA Mumbai. Collaborating with India Habitat Centre & NSD. Presented by HTC in 2015-2016.
• Performed. “Inner Images" an experimental contemporary solo for Narendra Sharma Festival of Dance ( 2013)& Ignite Dance Festival ( 2015).
• Performed, "The Game of Dice" for BharatRang Mohotsav, National School of Drama festival, New Delhi. The production was also performed at the Samrachana festival, Orissa & Nrityakatha festival, Kolkatta. ( 2012)
• Performed, " Chaitanya" for Narendra Sharma Dance festival, New Delhi. (2012)
• Brought together a festival of contemporary dance, "Quarterfest" in collaboration with IHC. (2011,2012)
• Staged the production, ' We can make the difference' at Kamani, New Delhi. ( 2011)
• Designed & presented a site specific dance performance at Zorba The Buddha, New Delhi. ( 2011)
• Directed a 70 artists ensemble from different genres in collaboration with IHC on World Dance Day. 2011.
• Choreographed for the Celebration of 10 yrs of Bhagidari for Delhi. Govt.2011.
• Choreographed, "Chaitanya"-home production, premiered in IHC, 2010.
• Choreographed, French Opera-If I were King, premiered in Delhi-2010
• Choreographed "Jagriti…the awakening" for the Sangeet Natak Akademi festival in 2009 in Mumbai.
• Choreographed the home production-"We can make the difference" based on global warming & earth care. ( 2008 )
• Choreographed-the home production-Nataraj-the Lord of Dance based on Mayurbhanj Chhau & contemporary dance. ( 2007 )
• Choreographed-A Doll's House-supported by Norway Embassy. ( 2006 )
• Choreographed-The French Opera-The Pearl Fisher using Chhau & contemporary style- premiered in Delhi & Mumbai. ( 2005 )
• Choreographed a multi-media home production-"The Game of Dice" drawing from Mayurbhanj Chhau, Kathakali & contemporary dance. (2004).
• Choreographed & performed in Swarn Nritya Pratibha at Vadodara hosted by Sangeet Natak Akademi.(2004)
• Performances & choreography work for various corporate & tourism festivals.(2003)
• Choreographed and performed in the Kal Chakra festival at Bodhgaya in the play " The Life of Gautam Buddha"(2002).
• Choreographed and peformed in Uday Shankar Samaroh, a festival of choreographic works in Calcutta hosted by Sangeet Natak Akademi(2002).
• Choreographed some prestigious stage shows in the capital under the direction of Mr. R.K Dhingra of Modern Stage Services(Chamanlal Memorial Society-1999-2008.

• Delegate from India sponsored by Japan foundation for The Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama, Japan. 2016
• Festival of India, Budapest, Hungary presenting The Mystical Forest.
• Performed and choreographed in "Flamenco India" a collaboration of Indian & Spanish artistes produced by Calderon Theatre, City Council of Valladolid & Teamwork, India. 2015
• Performed for the Festival of India ( Nrityarupa) in Latin America ( Peru & Cuba ) & Vietnam under the aegis of Ministry of Culture & Sangeet Natak Akademi. ( 2013,2014)
• Was part of the Indian delegation under the aegis of British Council for British Dance Edition in Edinburgh, Scotland. ( 2014 )
• Artistic Director for the Moving Earth project under Sampad South Asian Arts, Birmingham, UK, involving 240 artistes for the Jubilee Celebration of the Queen's reign. ( 2012)
• Performed & choreographed, "The Game of Dice", in Toronto, Canada for Kalanidhi Fine Arts Festival & in Austria under the aegis of ICCR. 2011.
• Choreographed " Stealth" for Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa. ( 2010 )
• Choreographed-"The Spirit of India"- the contemporary section for the Inauguration of The Year of India in Russia in Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow under the aegis of ICCR ( 2009 )
• Performed The Game of Dice, at National Theatre in Oslo, Norway. ( 2008)
• Performed The Game of Dice for the International Festival IBSA, in Brazil & Port of Spain. ( 2007 )
• Collaboration project-Motherland-with Sampad south asian arts, Birmingham, in August, September'07 as co-choreographer & performer with another of Sadhya's senior artist.( 2007 )
• Performed Mayurbhanj Chhau in Kalanidhi International Dance Festival at Toronto, Canada. ( 2006 )
• Performed in the Ibsen festival in Oslo, Norway ( 2006 )and in an Indo-Norwegian project with Damini House of Culture in Norway-where Chhau, Kathak & Modern dance were braught together(2005). Beyond Borders-a collaboration project with Norwegian choreographer & dancers in Norway.(2003)
• Choreographed and performed in the play "Life of Gautam Buddha" staged in various cities in United States of America and Singapore(2002).
• Performed in the festival of India, London(2001).
• A Chhau performance in the Big World Festival in Brazil(1998)
• Collaborated work with eminent Austrian Choreographer Editta Braun with performances in Germany, Vienna, Salzburg and other European cities(1998).
• Performance in China, North Korea, Mongolia, Indonesia as solo Mayurbhanj Chhau dancer with Natya Ballet centre(1995).
• A keen participant of a Modern Dance Workshop during the American dance festival in Delhi(1990).
• Performance in International Festival in West Germany in Modern Dance(1990).

• Workshop in Mayurbhanj Chhau at NCPA, Mumbai & Jugini Festival by Terrence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company. 2016
• Conducted workshop in Mayurbhanj Chhau & Contemporary dance with World Dance Alliance, Bangladesh Chapter in Dhaka. 2015.
• Conducted workshop with 20 different groups in Mayurbhanj Chhau in Birmingham, UK for a project in 2012 as the artistic director for the Moving Earth Project, presented by Sampad South Asian Arts for the cultural Olympiad.( 2011)
• Mayurbhanj Chhau residency in Toronto, Canada, as pert of Kalanidhi Fine Arts Festival. ( 2011).
• Invited for Dance Intense in Toronto, Canada as Master-Teacher for Movement workshop with International Professional dancers. (2009)
• On Mayurbhanj Chhau & contemporary dance for Tanushree Shankar's group in Calcutta. ( 2008)
• On Mayurbhanj Chhau in Oslo-Norway(2003, 2006 )
• On contemporary and Mayurbhanj Chhau dance form in Houston(USA-2002).
• On techniques of contemporary dance form, Mayurbhanj Chhau and choreography with the Delhi based dance company-Danceworx(2002 & 2004).
• On understanding the field of choreography with the students of Lady Sriram College(2000, 2002 & 2003)
• In memory of Jeevan Pani ji an eminent scholar on usage of Mayurbhanj Chhau for choreographic work(2001)
• On techniques of Mayurbhanj Chhau in Brazil and Austria(1998).

Institute At : B-96, Shivalik, New Delhi - 17
Mobile No. : 26693030, 9810105441
Visit : www.sadhya.com
E-mail : [email protected]