Swetha Prabakaran is a choreographer & filmmaker exploring third-culture/diasporic identity, femininity, and accessibility.

She developed the “Modern Natya” movement method, which provides diasporic audiences a bridge between their cultural traditions & modern dance while challenging Western audiences to see Bharatanatyam as a versatile movement foundation that isn’t limited to “classical” ethnic performance. Rather, her projects show how Bharatanatyam can–and should–be used as a storytelling tool across diverse media. Grounded in tradition yet groundbreaking with its disability-justice-centered pedagogy, Swetha champions the ”Modern Natya” technique as a Teaching Artist at PUSH Dance Company.

Swetha performed her Bharatanatyam arangetram in India under Smt. Subhashini Krishnakumar and graduated from UC Berkeley TDPS. Recent projects have been presented by Dance Mission Theater and Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, among others. Swetha is a 2025 Center for Cultural Innovation Awardee, AXIS Choreo Lab Fellow, and Voices of Bhakti Fellow (by Interfaith America).