Diya Naidu is a choreographer, dancer, performer, facilitator, arts and culture organiser.

​She is the founder of Citizens of Stage Co Lab and was the head of Dance Programming at Shoonya Centre for Art & Somatic Practices, Bengaluru. As a choreographer, her work has traversed into the area of gender and feminism – violence against women, the role of caste and class in lack of safety for women and the somatic implications of patriarchal penetration. While she makes work for large stages, currently she works largely in the immersive and intimate performance space.

Since 2017, she has been part of several Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality projects with Cie Gilles Jobin, Switzerland. This new dynamic interaction of dance with technology has proved extremely exciting through the pandemic in terms of being able to connect and collaborate. 

​She explores intimacy and touch through her work and finds deep correlations between our deepest needs and desires and the challenges we face in the socio-political realm. Diya has performed in many countries including Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, UK, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea. She has also begun engaging in the cultural scene in Africa with the East African Soul train residency (2019).

​She sees the artist as the key site for the integration of worlds and hopes to be of service. As such she is invested in work the transforms the artists as well as the witness, and creating in a safe and equal environment while really listening to what is needed. Diya Naidu is also a trained Animist practitioner from the Sagh’ic tradition and a trained Yoga teacher.

She acquired her Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media from The Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Bengaluru in 2007. After working with companies like The Danceworx, Delhi and Rhythmosaic, Kolkata, she then continued with Attakkalari as repertory member till 2014. She also has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Lady Shriram College, Delhi University.

IMPORTANT MILESTONES:​

• Artist-in-residece at East’s Residency called ‘Lost and Found’, working with 12 other artists from Africa and Europe, 2021

• Youth Award for Performing Arts for the AMI arts festival – Kolkata Centre for Creativity, 2020

• Prakriti Excellence in Contemporary Dance Awards for Hands and Face Project, 2016

• Pro Helvetia Artist in residence at the Rote Fabrik, Zurich, June – August 2015

• Robert Bosch Young Choreographers Award, 2011