Maya Rau-Murthy Website

maya Rau-Murthy

(she/her)

Dancer

Konnakol Artist

Rapper

Composer

Choreographer

Performer

director

Educator

activist

PRAVEEN KUMAR WORKSHOP

Biography

Living in the intersection of arts

Maya is a Konnakol artist, rapper, Bharatanatyam dancer, mridangist, composer, performer, choreographer, curator, and co-director of Natya Anubhava Dance Academy. Her work centers around using arts as a medium for social justice. She and her work has performed widely nationally, including in Seva Sadan, National Gallery of Art, United Nations, Drive East, SafeHouseArts, NYC Hall, Jewish Museum, Hammond Museum, Javits Center, Smith Center, Stanford, and with Akshara Music Ensemble. She has directed, choreographed and composed for dance ballets from traditional topics (Tales of Hanuman) to contemporary themes exploring social justice (Ardhanareeshwara: Shattering the Construct of Gender, Anyatha Naasti: Dreams of the Other, and Janani: Ode to Mother Earth). She also enjoys directing music for dance productions, including Finding Joy, by Surabhi Bharadwaj. She has co-taught over forty students including ten for their solo debut. She co-organizes and curates Chitkala, an incubator bringing mainstream under-represented arts rooted in Indian tradition. Her gurus are Dr. Nalini Rau (Bharatanatyam, disc. of Dakshinamoorti Pillai), Balaskandan (Mridangam, disc. Karaikudi Mani Sir), Ranjani Venimadhavan (Vocal), Ashwini Srivatsan (Karnas & Natya Shaastra), Rakesh SaiBabu (Chhau). She is currently directing and touring Steps Beyond Silence, an NEFA NDP finalist multi-media production amplifying survivor voices.

Artistic vision

konnakol

bring center stage

Joy

discover through art

silenced narratives

voice through art

unprecedented merges

explore of konnakol, rap, dance

community

build a supportive

as an educator, collaborator & promoter of

other artists

Select Productions

Steps Beyond Silence

“Steps Beyond Silence” is an award-winning, touring multi-media awareness education work amplifying the silenced voices of survivors of gender-based violence. Stemming from my personal journey as a survivor, the production is a carnatic hamilton-like fusion of rap, konnakol, animation, bharatanatyam-based dance, navtar, mridangam, and carnatic vocals. This production is a part of the Unrehearsed Artist Residency, NEFA Finalist, and its music is a Global Asian Creative Awards Finalist.

Direction: Maya Rau-Murthy

Music Collaborators Maya Rau-Murthy, Vishnu R, Sindhu Natarajan, Shubha Chandramouli

Dance Collaborators: Anugraha Sridhar, Meenakshi Chen, Mrinaalika Sivakumar

Animation: Mrinaalika Sivakumar

Anyatha Naasti:

Dreams of the Other

For generations, ‘othering’ has been used to excuse the silencing, dehumanization, and subjugation of entire populations, festering deep inequalities. The production "Anyatha Naasti: Dreams of the Other," explored the harmful effects of 'othering' and highlighted the importance of our interconnectedness for global peace. We took this production to venues like the Rotary Conference on Equality in Bhubhaneswar, India and the Asian Heritage Festival.

Direction, Choreography, Performance: Maya Rau-Murthy & Dr. Nalini Rau

Composition:

Dwaraki Krishnaswamy, Maya Rau-Murthy

Poetry:

Dr. Nalini Rau

Ardhanareeshwara: Shattering the Construct of Gender

Addressing issues from toxic masculinity to glass ceilings, we draw on Ardhanareeswara, the gender-fluid embodiment of Shiva and Parvati, to challenge restrictive gender roles. Emphasizing the importance of conversations beyond our echo chambers, we staged this production at at the Ganesha Temple in NY, and at the Duke Convention Center in Ohio.

Direction, Choreography:

Maya Rau-Murthy

Composition:

Dwaraki Krishnaswamy, Maya Rau-Murthy

Performance

Natya Anubhava Dance Company

Janani:

Ode to Mother Earth

We confront the urgent theme of environmental responsibility, pleading to Mother Earth, Janani, without whom we would not exist. We had the honor of presenting to her Holiness Sri Karunamayi for Gurupoornima in California, and in the Paramount Theater in NY.

Direction, Choreography, Performance: Maya Rau-Murthy

Dr. Nalini Rau

Composition:

Maya Rau-Murthy

Subbaraaya Shaastry

Select Works