SHRUTI MARIA DATAR

Shruti Maria Datar is a Mumbai based Indian Performer, Choreographer and Arts Manager. She has completed her Professional Training in Contemporary Dance from Danscentrumjette, Belgium and holds a Diploma in Movement Arts from Centre for Movement Arts,Bangalore.​She completed her formal education in BMM (Bachelors of Mass Media) from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai in 2011. 
With a background in classical and contemporary dance forms her work often explores themes of identity, culture, and human emotion, resonating deeply with diverse audience. 

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She received the G5A Performance Grant for the season 24/25 to premier her choreographic work C.Tactile in December 20204. She is the recipient of the prestigious KCC Arts Fellowship for the year 2023-24. Her choreographic work-in-progress ‘Phi’ was showcased at The Prakriti Excellence in Contemporary Dance awards 2016. She was featured in the Dance films series Moving Cities Brussels. 

 

She has performed at some of the predominant arts festivals and venues such NMACC, Serendipity Arts Festival (India), Prayatna Dance and film festival (India), Europalia (Belgium) to name a few. As an arts manager, she actively contributes to the development of the Indian performing arts scene, supporting collaborations and curating meaningful artistic engagements. She is the conceptualiser for Viewpoint- a platform for emerging choreographers. She is also the festival coordinator for Sanskar International Dance festival: India’s first International Training and Virtual Performance platform. 

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Her performances delve deeply into themes of identity, culture, and personal expression, weaving together her own lived experiences with broader societal narratives. Through her work, she often explores the interplay between individual and collective identities, addressing questions of belonging, heritage, and self-discovery. Navigating complex themes such as gender, memory, and social norms she invites her audiences into a space of introspection and dialogue, encouraging them to reflect on their own relationships with identity and culture. Her performances are as much personal as they are universal, offering a window into the shared human experience while retaining her distinct artistic voice.