Chitra Vairavan
About Poetic Movement
Contact
AboutPoetic Movement
Chitra Vairavan
Contemporary Indian Dancer
Contact

Moments from Chitra’s creative foundations and work.

My Aaya
My Aaya

My Aaya

My grandmother in her 20s.

 My Atha/mom in the back and my Chithi/aunt in front, as they perform Tamil Folk Dance in Chennai, India.

My Atha/mom in the back and my Chithi/aunt in front, as they perform Tamil Folk Dance in Chennai, India.

 My parents at their engagement.

My parents at their engagement.

 Dancing at the age of 2

Dancing at the age of 2

 Dancing at the age of 2

Dancing at the age of 2

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Listening to my feet this season

Listening to my feet this season

photo credit: Tim Rummelhoff, McKnight Foundation 2016

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Founding Member of Ananya Dance Theatre and proud dancer of 13 years

Founding Member of Ananya Dance Theatre and proud dancer of 13 years

A moment from Ananya Dance Theatre's Moreechika: Season of Mirage (2012). 

After the Rain

After the Rain

Inspired by Vairavan's image, poet and healing artist Sham E-Ali Nayeem created this collage.

 A moment from the Women's March 2017 with mentor  Dr. Ananya Chatterjea

A moment from the Women's March 2017 with mentor Dr. Ananya Chatterjea

Minnesota Sage Awards

Minnesota Sage Awards

Vairavan received the 2015 Sage Award for Outstanding Performer for her work with Ananya Dance Theatre and Aniccha Arts.

Pictured with Gina Kundan (center) and Dr. Ananya Chatterjea (right).

First solo, untitled

First solo, untitled

A moment while performing my first solo on April 5 and 6, 2013 as a part of Sistah Solo, curated by Maia Maiden, in Patrick’s Cabaret.

photo credit: Jim Smith

Census

Census

A moment while performing in Aniccha Art’s Census at the 2016 Northern Spark Festival.

With over 100 people moving as a critical mass in collective patterns and at random flourishes, Census addresses the inherent challenges and inaccuracies of taking count of a populace. This performance begins with the sunset and invites the interactions of 9 hours of festival-goers to dance along into the sunrise.

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My Heart Hurts in Brown (October 2015)

My Heart Hurts in Brown (October 2015)

Duet by Vairavan for the 2015 Catalyst Series at Intermedia Arts

Water is Life (August 12, 2016)

Water is Life (August 12, 2016)

Watch Vairavan's performance in TEDxMinneapolis
Creation and performance by Chitra Vairavan
in collaboration with Dr. Cecilia Martinez of Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy 

Water is Life (August 12, 2016)

Water is Life (August 12, 2016)

Watch Vairavan's performance in TEDxMinneapolis
Creation and performance by Chitra Vairavan
in collaboration with Dr. Cecilia Martinez of Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy 

ஜன்னல்/Jannal/Window Into Healing (June 2016)

ஜன்னல்/Jannal/Window Into Healing (June 2016)

creation and performance: Chitra Vairavan
photo credit: RJL Photography

Rehearsal for 'Seeds of Transcendence' (June 2017)

Rehearsal for 'Seeds of Transcendence' (June 2017)

Rehearsing for 'Seeds of Transcendence' a collaborative experimental piece by Chitra Vairavan, Sally Nixon, and Jordan Malcom Hamilton as a part of New Puppetworks by the 2017 Monkeybear Cohort. 

Photo by Bruce Silcox

Seeds of Transcendence (June 2017)

Seeds of Transcendence (June 2017)

A moment from 'Seeds of Transcendence' a collaborative experimental piece by Chitra Vairavan, Sally Nixon, and Jordan Malcom Hamilton as a part of New Puppetworks by the 2017 Monkeybear Cohort. Performed on Thursday June 29, 2017 at Pillsbury House Theatre.

Photo by Bruce Silcox

 Vairavan performs an improvisation with Ananya Dance Theatre at the 2017 Northern Spark Festival.  photo credit: Ananya Chatterjea

Vairavan performs an improvisation with Ananya Dance Theatre at the 2017 Northern Spark Festival.

photo credit: Ananya Chatterjea

Burst of joy in transition

Burst of joy in transition

photo credit: Tim Rummelhoff, McKnight Foundation 2016

Patient Affirmations

Patient Affirmations

When you've trained, practiced, created, and been rooted in your foundations and artistry for a long time...there's no question about your ability to fly. The question is when and how wisely you use your time. Strategic, patient and confident affirmations. 💛

photo credit: Timm Rummeloff

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While working with Eiko

While working with Eiko

On my first visit to work with Eiko Otake (pictured center) for my 2016 McKnight Dance Fellowship.

Dancing in the cathedral

Dancing in the cathedral

On my first visit to work with Eiko Otake in New York City, I performed and experimented with movement in the Cathedral of St. John.

Station

Station

Choreographed by Eiko Otake, Performed by Chitra Vairavan
2018 McKnight SOLO | September 14 and 15, 2018
photo: V. Paul Virtucio

One Removed

One Removed

collaboration with audiovisual contributors
Tia-Simone Gardner & Rini Yun Keagy
Fragments: Reflecting on Choreographers' Evening 2018 through Bodies and Memory by Maija Brown

photo: Bobby Rogers

cloth and body (performed January 26, 2019)

cloth and body (performed January 26, 2019)

Vairavan performed a two-hour solo throughout the Pillsbury House Theater space on January 26, 2019, as part of her 2018 Naked Stages Fellowship in site-specific work.

photo: Bruce Silcox

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Previous Next
My Aaya
 My Atha/mom in the back and my Chithi/aunt in front, as they perform Tamil Folk Dance in Chennai, India.
 My parents at their engagement.
 Dancing at the age of 2
 Dancing at the age of 2
10411986_10105879422552010_3528943338558161186_n.jpg
10675797_10105330664302940_3899431668779065144_n.jpg
10418264_10105330665280980_4964801167681977704_n.jpg
10641066_10105330666089360_7717866710547452460_n.jpg
10351263_10105330665914710_1910444936959712179_n.jpg
Listening to my feet this season
Caterpillar2Butterfly.JPG
Founding Member of Ananya Dance Theatre and proud dancer of 13 years
After the Rain
 A moment from the Women's March 2017 with mentor  Dr. Ananya Chatterjea
Minnesota Sage Awards
First solo, untitled
Census
IMG_0206.JPG
My Heart Hurts in Brown (October 2015)
Water is Life (August 12, 2016)
Water is Life (August 12, 2016)
ஜன்னல்/Jannal/Window Into Healing (June 2016)
Rehearsal for 'Seeds of Transcendence' (June 2017)
Seeds of Transcendence (June 2017)
 Vairavan performs an improvisation with Ananya Dance Theatre at the 2017 Northern Spark Festival.  photo credit: Ananya Chatterjea
Burst of joy in transition
Patient Affirmations
DifferentPerspective.JPG
While working with Eiko
Dancing in the cathedral
Station
One Removed
cloth and body (performed January 26, 2019)

For inquiries please contact vair0002@umn.edu.
Copyright © 2018 Chitra Vairavan