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.
In her performances she explores the now using the vocabulary of the past, and brings together the fluidity of body language and control of the physical, while weaving an intricate tapestry of movement and stillness. Many of her productions highlight contemporary social and cultural issues while others underscore the intricacies of classical literature. She has performed with jazz musicians, modern dancers, flamenco and tap artists, and Celtic musicians.
In her research collaborations with Dr. Matthew Allen, Prathiba has been reviving the ainthinai padams by K. Ponnaiah Pillai that were written in the early 20th century. She has been invited to perform at TedxTWU, is producer and protagonist of Set Free – a dance short film, 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 based in Dallas, TX. Since then she has also been teaching bharatanatyam.
Dr. Natesan Batley is also a statistician with over 50 peer-reviewed research publications and over 50 conference presentations. 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. Experiencing Prathiba’s lecture demonstrations and master classes have often been described as “life-changing” by aspiring dancers.
The College of Arts