
Shane Shambhu is a creative visionary adopting the roles of director, choreographer and creative collaborator. He creates productions that seamlessly integrate differing artistic practices and languages through collaboration, stemming from his knowledge of the Indian Performing Art of bharatanatyam.
Shane has an extensive performance career spanning, dance, theatre, opera, music, mime, mask, circus, film, radio, literature, visual arts and poetry. His productions explore perceptions of race, languages and identities and constantly defy any categorisation.
Shane Shambhu shares and contributes his
working knowledge from his unique intercultural
standpoint to individual projects with companies,
artists, academics, researchers and
educationalists.


Shane is an articulate, impassioned and engaging speaker. His talks often take the shape of practical sessions to creatively engage and to stimulate fluid discussions and conversations around interconnected psycho-socio-political issues.
The Horizon Ahead...
Shane is currently Complicite Associate, Associate of Lakeside Theatre, University of Essex and receiving regular support from Regent's University, London. He leads his own module at East 15 Acting School with his unique dance and actor-training model. His continued research has been supported by a number of different Associateships, Residencies and Awards.
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Dance UK Future Leader Mentoring Scheme, 2013
mentored by Alistair Spalding CEO, Sadler's Wells
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Escalator Dancer-Producer Initiative, 2012
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Associate Artist, The Hat Factory, Luton, 2011-2013
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Akram Khan Company AKCT Bursary, 2010
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Directors Observership, Circus Space, Tamasha Theatre, 2011
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Director-Designer Programme, Tamasha Theatre, 2009
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Associate Artist, Dance 4, Nottingham, 2007-2009
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Platinum Programme Award, 2007
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Bonnie Bird Choreography Award, 2006
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Collide Commision, 2006
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Resident Artist, Leicester Haymarket Theatre, 2006
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Resident Artist, Derby Dance Centre, 2005/2006

Shane continues to build upon his practice and examine ideas exploring perceptions of race, language and identities.
The Metamorphosis...
Shane's passion to follow his dream of a career in dance led him to depart from his bharatanatyam teachers, much to their disappointment. Shane's inquisitive and curious nature led him to follow his instincts and soon began exploring outside of his known language of bharatanatyam through working with different companies as a collaborator and performer.
COMPANIES
Complicite Devisor/Actor
A Disappearing Number, 2007/ 08 / 10
Radio Play BBC Radio 3
National Theatre Live
Laurence Olivier Award
Critic's Circle Award
Evening Standard Award

The Early Years...
Menagerie Theatre Actor
Human Rights! Bloody Human Rights!
2014
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company Dancer
City:Zen
with Hong Kong City Contemporary Dance, 2006
Exit No Exit, 2006
Flicker, 2005
Transtep, 2004
Phantasmaton/Hinterlandz, 2003
Theatre Ad Infinitum
Light, 2015
Devisor/Actor/Mask Performer
Icon Theatre Devisor/Actor/Co-writer
Release, 2011 / 12
Fringe First Award

Nina Rajarani/Srishti Dancer
Equilibrium 2005
Quick! 2006
Place Prize Winner 2006

OTHER PRODUCTIONS
Royal Opera House Dancer/Actor
Tamerlano, 2009
London Youth Circus
Juggling Choreographic Consultant
RhythmAsia, 2008
Moby Duck Productions
Dancer/Actor/Choreographer
Wild Child, 2010
inDance (Canada)
Dancer/Co-choreographer
Recipes For Curry, 2009
Wardrobe Dance Theatre Dancer/Actor
Triangle, 2006
Dragonbreath Theatre
Devisor/Dancer/Actor/Poetry Collaborator
Cosmos, 2009
Vayu Naidu Company
Dancer/Actor/Devisor/Choreographer
South, 2003
City Arts
Creative Director/Choreographer/Collaborator
More Than one Anchor, 2012
London Jazz Festival
Collaborator/Choreographer
A Handful Of Dust, 2013
mac/Sampad
Devisor/Dancer/Actor
Savitri/Dido & Aeneus 2004/2005
Para-Active Theatre Choreographer
Al' Daakan, 2002
Annapurna Dance Company
Dancer/Choreographer
Moods & Melodies, 2001
Shane wanted to pursue dance in his formal education. However, coming from a then strict Indian upbringing, there was strong resistance from his family to follow that course. Not having discovered a passion for academic study in engineering, applied mathematics, business information systems and marketing management over three years, he left University without graduating.
Whilst Shane was performing and teaching, he furthered his training and knowledge with
Mavin Khoo
Prof. C. V. Chandrasekar
Leela Samson
Adayar K. Lakshmanan
Narasimhachari
During this time, he continued performing bharatanatyam repertoire at various community events and festivals both nationally and internationally including:
Double-bill with Akram Khan, 1999
Shaw Foundation Theatre, Singapore, 2000
Pradosham a solo performance evening, 2001
Nattuvanar for Mavin Khoo, Taiwan, Taipei, 2001
Nattuvanar, Thirupathy Performance, India, 2002
Pushkala Gopal & Unnikrishnan
Shane Shambhu began training in bharatanatyam with Pushkala Gopal and Unnikrishnan in East London. Pushkala Gopal and Unnikrishnan both trained with The Dhananjayans in Chennai, India. In addition to their bharatanatyam training, Pushkala trained as a Carnatic singer and still continues to sing, Unnikrishnan also trained in Kathakali from Kalamandalam. Pushkala and Unnikrishnan arrived in the UK in 1986 to perform in the production of Adventures Of Mowgli produced by Akademi. They remained in the country to promote and present Indian Classical dance due to strong demand for their work at the time. They launched a company, Akshaya Dance Theatre and set up a bharatanatyam class to train a new generation of bharatnatyam dancers in the UK.