Zia Nath Bio
In 1994, at the Osho International Meditation Resort, Pune, India, Zia witnessed the performance of Gurdjieff Sacred Dances. Watching this was a profound experience, it invoked the witness within her. She was stunned by the grace of the simple yet perfectly coordinated linear movements with complex footwork and soul-stirring music. Watching the meditative silence on the dancers' faces and the stillness of their center left an indelible impression, one that changed the course of Zia’s career. Zia studied Gurdjieff Sacred Dances at the Osho Commune in Puna in 1995 and thereafter traveled to America and Europe over several years to study the Sufi work and the sacred dances under world-renowned teachers of the Gurdjieff – Bennett tradition. With the influence of Sufi musicians and the understanding of Sufi music and Osho’s guidance, Zia self-trained as a Whirler.
In recent years Zia has been passionately involved in the study of Odissi Indian Classical dances under the tutelage of Smt Jhelum Paranjpe and Sri Sanatan Chakravarty of Smitalaya. The ceremonial and devotional aspect of this work is similar to that of the Sufi Sacred Dances and this inspired Zia to weave the three diverse dances forms into one show, with Sufi music and poetry as the common thread that connects them all.
In 2007 Zia originated her show Sufi Splendour®, and now re-launched as Realms of Dance™ in September 2016. Realms of Dance is a spectacular presentation of Sacred Dance & Whirling Mandala™, rendered to music and poetry of renowned artists and mystics. Zia has performed at prestigious festivals and events across the country and internationally, sharing the mystique of our sacred heritage.
Conceptualized and created by Zia Nath, Realms Of Dance™ is inspired by ancient sculpted stories of the Temples of Orissa, and the wild abandon of spinning gypsies of India and Asia. These dances are tales of love suspended in the realms of sensuality and spirituality. Expressed as movement translations of ancient sutras and passionate poetry, laced with the lyrical music of Indian and Persian origin, the dances create a tapestry of rhythm, mystique, and magic. Dances are presented as a solo, duet, or with a troupe, in collaboration with renowned dance exponents and dance schools.
Professionally Zia is a natural healthcare practitioner and India’s first internationally certified Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. Zia has been in this practice for the past 15 years and her clinic is now the organizer of International Foundation Training of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Diploma courses in Mumbai.