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Image description: A dark brown skinned woman, long black hair, wearing a white shirt, khaki waistcoat and skirt, with a nose ring on the right side of her nose per the Tamil tradition, smiles. Photo by Nathan Cornetet/Fusion Photography.
she/her/hers
Osage, Myaamia, Shawnee, Kaskaskia, Hopewell culture, Adena culture; Louisville, KY
A three-time Indian National Champion of Bharatanatyam. Dr. Prathiba Natesan Batley is an international dancer with over 300 performances to her credit. She is trained in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam by Guru Preethi Menon, in Kathakali by Kalamandalam Udayakumar Ashaan, and in facial expressions by Kalamandalam Prasanthi Jayaraj .
Many of her productions highlight contemporary social justice, gender, and equity issues while others underscore the intricacies of classical literature. She is passionate about the underrepresented, repressed, and marginalized communities for whom she provides a voice through her art. She has performed with jazz musicians, modern dancers, flamenco and tap artists, and Celtic musicians.
She has been invited to perform at TedxTWU, is producer and protagonist of the dance short film Dirty Secrets, choreographer of The Great Celestial Cow, and director/creator of productions such as Enticing Anklets (Konjum Salangai) and The Ballad of the Gypsy (Kuravanji). In 2012, she established Eyakkam (Movement) Dance Company – a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit dance company that is now based in Louisville, KY. Since then, she has also been teaching Bharatanatyam.
Dr. Natesan Batley is also a professor of statistics with over 50 peer-reviewed research publications, over 50 conference presentations, and prestigious research grants. She is often invited to give workshops in statistics at prestigious institutions such as Oxford University in the UK. These experiences have further honed her attention to detail, research, and pedagogical skills in dance. Prathiba’s lecture demonstrations and master classes have often been described as “life-changing” experiences by aspiring dancers.
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