MOVING
TRADITIONS
FORWARD
What does Anubhava Mean?
Drawing from Sanskrit, Anubhava means to directly experience or perceive. It is both the conscious and unconscious awareness that our bodies cultivate in response to the world around us—a concept deeply woven into the fabric of Indian classical dance, where every movement is an expression of lived emotion and sensory understanding.
Who we are
Do you remember the first time you fell in love? Felt enraged at a social injustice? Shed tears over a fleeting misunderstanding? We often feel the need to encapsulate these emotional experiences for the long-term, whether that be by snapping a picture on our phones, sharing news on social media, or simply penning down our thoughts.
Anubhava, meaning the "experience," aims to capture and explore the myriad of unique emotions that encapsulate the human experience through Indian classical dance and music. Founded by Dr. Shriya Srinivasan and Joshua George, the company comprises a vibrant group of second-generation Indian-American, award-winning artists. The company's repertoire ranges from traditional works exploring the depth of Bharatanatyam to contemporary, thematic works expanding the horizons of the Indian-classical arts. Anubhava premiered in 2015 at the prestigious Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival—the largest Indian classical music and dance festival outside of India—where it received widespread acclaim.
The company has since toured across the United States— captivating audiences, supporting charitable causes through benefit performances, and inspiring young artists to pursue Indian classical arts, even alongside demanding academic schedules.
In recent years, Shriya and Joshua have infused their training in science and medicine into their artistic creations, producing work that explores these distinct intersections. In collaboration with Dr. Srinivasan's BIONICs Lab at Harvard, the company recently developed an Immersive Haptics Platform to augment the sensory experience of dance. The technology enables audiences to feel the intricate footwork produced by dancers during performances through a mobile application. This project has been documented for feature on PBS NOVA’s "Building Stuff" Series in Fall of 2024.
Anubhava's work has been commissioned and supported through generous funding from the MIT Media Lab, Harvard ArtLab, MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund program, and The Boston Foundation, Aliad Fund, Movement Arts Creation Studio partnership through the Next Steps for Boston Dance grant. Their original creations have been developed in collaboration with a range of organizations, including the Harvard Art Museums, SEWA International, the International Services Center, and the American India Foundation, among others.
Current directions
Photos by: Sravani Royyuru