Anil Natyaveda

🪔 About

Anil Natyaveda, also known as Anilkumar Sukumara Pillai, is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, teacher, and an expert in the martial art of Kalarippayattu. Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, India, he is a Co-Director of SINDHOOR & NATYAVEDA - Navarasa Dance Theater, an acclaimed institution that promotes Bharatanatyam, Kalarippayattu, Yoga, and various other South Asian art forms across the U.S. and India. His extensive training encompasses classical Indian dance, contemporary, and aerial dance forms, with his professional dance career commencing in 1991. Natyaveda holds a degree in dance from Sree Swathithirunal Music College, India, and further acquired a teacher-training degree in Dance under Project Sakrthaya. With a career spanning over two decades, Guru Anil Natyaveda has performed and taught globally, gracing prestigious stages such as the Edinburgh Dance Festival, Germany International Summer Theatre Festival, Hong Kong Art Festival, and Khajuraho Dance Festival. His choreographic work extends to Indian cinema, including the Malayalam film "Anandabadhram" by Santhosh Sivan, and he has collaborated on a circus production with Franco Dragone. Alongside Dr. Aparna Sindhoor and S.M. Raju, he has co-created significant dance theater productions like "A Story and A Song," "ENCOUNTER," and "Prayanam," which integrate classical Indian dance, martial arts, aerial techniques, and live music. A testament to his commitment to accessibility in arts, he co-founded the "Dance for Everyone" program, offering free and subsidized dance, martial arts, and yoga classes to over 150 underprivileged children and adults in India and the USA. He currently teaches in Los Angeles and San Jose, California, and online. Awards & Honours: Natyaratnam (2008), Meena Srinivasan Memorial Award (2012), Master-Apprentice Award, India Darshan National Integration Award.