About the Speaker: Madhu Nataraj is an Indian classical, contemporary dancer and choreographer who lives in Bangalore. She is the director of the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography and founded its performing wing STEM (Space.Time.Energy.Movement) Dance Kampni. The dance company has performed globally, having travelled to 37 countries including the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UAE and Southeast Asia. It has made approximately 60 productions and more than 100 unique short sequences.

Nataraj received her dance training in Kathak under her mother Maya Rao, aunt Chitra Venugopal and Munna Shukla.

Nataraj trained in contemporary dance from Karen Potter at the Jose Limon Centre, New York. She learnt under Karen Potter and Sara Pearson. She has trained in folk and martial dances of India and studied Yoga using the B.K.S Iyengar technique. As of 2018, she was pursuing a master's degree in Anthropology from Indira Gandhi Open University.

Nataraj has performed in various dance festivals such as the Khajuraho Festival, Khajuraho; Purana Quila Festival, Delhi; Nritya Kriti organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ahmedabad; Festival of Babylon; Kathak Mahotsav, Delhi, Lucknow and Canada and Kalanidhi International Dance Festival, Toronto.

She was a dance curator for the Under The Raintree women's cultural festival in 2017 and 2019.

Zoom Link:  https://flameuniversity.zoom.us/j/93063397430