Naina Shastri

About the Artist

Guru Vidushi Smt. Naina Shastri is the Artistic Director of Ushanjali School of Dance, a premier Tri Valley-East Bay based South Indian Classical Dance academy. Students are trained in the Mysuru style of Bharatanatya and taught both theoretical and practical aspects of this ancient art form.

Students of Ushanjali have performed at various events throughout the Bay Area and neighboring cities like Sacramento, Stockton and more. Students are also trained for their debut solo performances called “Rangapravesha”. Smt. Naina, has also performed at various venues in the Bay Area and India. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, a RAW artist resident at SAFEhouse for the Arts and has performed at the West Wave Festival, APAture 2016, San Francisco International Arts Festival, Mbongi Square Festival and more.

Naina is interested in cross-cultural explorations and regularly collaborates with various artists from other ethnic genres. “In search of eternal love” – from Meera to Rumi with visual artist Salma Arastu has been presented many times around the Bay Area. Naina often collaborates with and performs for Rewire Community (https://www.rewirecommunity.org/) and Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments (S.A.V.E).

She is the founder/director of the 501c(3) nonprofit organization, Namaha Foundation for the Arts (www.namahaarts.org) and the Chair of San Ramon’s Arts Advisory Committee.