Govind Pillai is a dancer, choreographer, teacher and director trained in the classical Indian movement art of Bharatanatyam. Deeply in love with classical Indian music and dance, Govind is happiest when in the studio dancing, or teaching the lovely students of the Karma Dance academy. With a track-record of sell-out productions and festival appearances internationally, Govind has appeared at prestigious venues and events including the Sydney Opera House, The Arts Centre (Melbourne), Princess Theatre (Melbourne), Bangarra Theatre (Sydney), Arts House (Melbourne), Melbourne Town Hall, Woodford Folk Festival (Queensland), Melaka Arts & Performance Festival (Malaysia) and the Victorian College of the Arts (Melbourne) and toured shows including to Sydney, Auckland, Melbourne, Hobart and Byron Bay. Govind is a performer and dance maker with an active practice in performance, choreography, direction and teaching whilst also actively contributing to the Australian arts scene through past and present roles which include: Director of Karma Dance Inc., Board Member of the National Theatre (St Kilda); Lead Male Dancer of Samskriti Dance (Sydney); Vice President of Flare Dance Co. (Melbourne), and Dance Advisor to the Federation of Indian Music and Dance Inc. (Victoria).

Raina Peterson is one of Australia’s only professional practitioner’s of mohiniyattam. They have a background in a variety of movement traditions originating in India, including kathakali (dance theatre), kalaripayattu (martial arts), folk dance and Bollywood. They have performed their work in a variety of different contexts, ranging through the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Victorian Arts Centre, the queer party scene and the ruins of a church in Malaysia. Raina was also in the original cast of Hot Brown Honey Burlesque, and is one-third of feminist cabaret troupe the Ladies of Colour Agency, which toured sell-out productions across Australia. Over the past years Raina has been the recipient of residencies and programs such as the Midsumma Futures program, Australia Council Future Leaders program, Arts House Culture LAB creative development programs and grants.

Veena Kadayaprath
Teacher

Divya Shreejith Kumar is a Bharatanatyam artist with an active practice in performance, teaching and choreography. Learning from the age of five, she completed her Master Diploma in Bharatanatyam under Smt. Priya Dinesan. Her 25 years of classical dance practise includes a brief stint at Mohiniyattam. In Melbourne she joined Karma Dance and resumed her training with Govind Pillai - presenting her solo graduation performance in 2017. Since then, she has progressed her training in interrelated aspects of the art including rhythm, notation, composition, choreography and more. She looks to spread her love for the art by making it accessible and by inspiring students. Recently Divya presented a new choreographic work on post-natal depression. Divya is a member of Karma Dance’s touring group and also has an active presence in Melbourne’s community arts scene across platforms such as the Fed. of Indian Music and Dance VIC, Kerala Hindu Society (KHSM), and Telugu Language and Culture Federation Australia (TLCFA).

Veena Kadayaprath is a Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher. She nurtures a deep sense of dedication and love for Bharatanatyam. Veena started learning the artform at the age of five and has practised and performed for over 25 years. She presented her solo graduation in 2011 under Smt Anusha Gnanachelvan in Melbourne. A notable feature of Veena's performances is her talent for understanding and portraying the abhinaya concepts. A strong technical foundation has introduced a natural quality in her dancing that is underpinned by a strong passion and love for the artform. Veena is a member of Karma Dance’s touring group and has performed for Multicultural Arts Victoria, Shakti Foundation in Byron Bay, Melbourne Rice Festival, Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day and Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland.

Adrian van Raay is a qualified sound engineer and graduate of the SAE (Sound and Audio Engineering) Institute in Melbourne. He is an experienced production manager and has overseen aspects as broad as technical specification and management, stage management, front-of-house and the administration of production finances and budgets.

Sandhya Pillai is a passionate performer and practioner in the ancient classical Indian styles of Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam and has choreographed and performed several solo and group works in all three dance forms internationally. She has both stage and television performances to her credit. Her passion for dance started at the tender age of five when she learnt her first dance steps from her mother.