Join the
ATMA Ensemble

The ATMA Ensemble is a growing body of artists dedicated to the unfolding of ATMA Moves as a living offering through performance, discipline, and embodied reverence.

It is a training body first. Artists enter the practice, stay close to it, and develop a shared language through movement, philosophy, attention, and repertory.

The Ensemble is also an opportunity to work closely with Navaji — to be mentored through the practice and creative process, and to become involved in the performances, productions, and new works he creates through ATMA Moves.

ATMA Moves is a movement practice and a philosophy of conscious motion, developed by Navaji David Nava and drawn from Vedantic, esoteric, and somatic traditions. It is a house from which the work is created, rather than a company of hired dancers.

The ensemble exists so the work can be developed in living bodies, by artists who have come close enough to the practice to understand its movement language, philosophy, ethics, and orientation.

The training moves through four parts — Stillness, Moves, Flow, and Cultivation. The physical work draws on classical ballet, contemporary technique, somatic and conditioning disciplines, and the energetic practices of the healing lineages Navaji continues to work in.

Casting for productions and performance opportunities comes out of the training with Navaji.

Artists interested in joining are encouraged to attend class, become familiar with the work, and allow the relationship to develop through practice and attendance.

Ensemble intake generally opens at the beginning and middle of the year, though artists may inquire at any time.

Consistency. The practice is cumulative, and much of the work can only develop through actually being in the room.

Artists are asked to train inside the vocabulary rather than around it, including the parts that may initially feel unfamiliar or slow to arrive.

The work also asks for engagement with the philosophy, to join the on going workshops in energetic healing, to care for the people sharing the room, and care for the integrity of the work beyond it.

Ensemble training and rehearsal are not paid. They are the practice itself and are offered without charge to the artists participating in the ensemble.

Productions are different. When a performance, showcase, or engagement carries artist compensation, the fee is established for that production and communicated in writing to the artists involved.

This distinction is made so artists can decide whether the structure is right for them before entering the work.

The training includes original movement vocabulary and repertory, but the practice extends beyond choreography.

Artists also work with the philosophical, energetic, somatic, and attentional principles that shape ATMA Moves and the way the work is carried in the body.