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• ROHAN BHARGAVA

  Founder & Artistic Director

  Rohan Bhargava was born and raised in New Delhi, India. In 2012, he moved to New York to pursue his BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Rohan has experience in ballet, Bhangra, floorwork, Bollywood dance, street-jazz, contemporary dance, and Nukkad Natak (Indian street-theater). He currently teaches for Mark Morris Dance Center and Notes in Motion Outreach Dance Theater, and he is the Programs Manager and Curatorial Advisor for Mare Nostrum Elements' Emerging Choreographer Series.

  Rohan's choreographic work with Rovaco earned him a spot in Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" list in 2021. He has been commissioned to set original works by Sam Houston State University (Texas), Rhythmically Speaking (Minnesota), and Periapsis Music and Dance (New York). In 2017, Rohan collaborated with seven composers from Mannes School of Music, with funding from the Alsop Entrepreneurship Award. In 2019, he completed a two-year residency through the CUNY Dance Initiative at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, and he was awarded the 2020 Jadin Wong Fellowship in Dance by Asian American Arts Alliance. In 2023, Rohan was invited to teach, present work, and give lectures at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and he was selected into the inaugural cohort of NYU Production Lab's Artist Development Program for Dance in 2024.

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  NICO GONZALES

  Company Dancer

  Nico Gonzales, a Colorado native, received his BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to being a founding member of Rovaco Dance, he has performed with Studio Susan Marshall, Bryn Cohn + Artists, Christina Noel and the Creature, Heidi Latsky Dance, Periapsis Music & Dance, and HOLDTIGHT Company. Nico completed his Pilates Training from The Kane School and teaches at April Nicole Studios.

  

  DEVIKA CHANDNANI

  Company Dancer

  Devika Chandnani is a performing artist from Mumbai, India. She graduated from Ailey/Fordham's BFA in Dance program in 2019 and received her MS in Data Science from Fordham University in 2023. In addition to performing with Rovaco, Devika is a company member with Third Rail Projects, creators of site-specific, immersive, and experiential performances, and she has worked in the finance departments of Mark Morris Dance Group and MCC Theater.

  

  ISABELE ROSSO

  Company Dancer

  Isabele Rosso is a versatile dance artist and an interdisciplinary movement educator, born and raised in Brazil. She has worked as a professional dancer and choreographer with Nimbus Dance Company, and is the founder of Humma, a movement platform for building connection and self-awareness. Currently, Isabele dances for Kizuna Dance and Rovaco Dance, and is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University.

  

  LAILA GARRETT

  Company Dancer

  Laila Garrett joined Rovaco in 2026. She is is a recent graduate of Montclair State University with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Philosophy. Laila began her dance training at Umoja Dance Studio under the direction of Karen Love, and proceeded to study dance at Newark Arts High School. Laila has explored many different street dance styles (Jersey Club, House, Hip Hop, and more) and participated in organized dance battles for 3 consecutive years. Laila has performed works by Stefanie Batten-Bland, Camille A. Brown, Jessica DiMauro Marks, Ronald K. Brown, Maxine Steinman, and Maleek Washington, among others.

  

  JONATHAN MATTHEWS-GUZMÁN

  Grant Writer

  Jonathan Matthews-Guzmán hails from Memphis, Tennessee. They hold a BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch and a minor in music from NYU Steinhardt. A collaborative musician, they accompany at Tisch Dance, Gibney, and Mark Morris, mentor the students of Tisch's pedagogy program on musical collaboration, music direct for Medicine Show Theatre and Queens Shakespeare, Inc., and sing tenor with the Cecilia Chorus of New York. Their writing has been published by Dance Magazine, Eye On Dance and the Arts, The Dance Enthusiast, The Journal of Dance Education, and Time Out NY. Jonathan has written and project managed grants for Rovaco Dance Company since 2018.

  

  SIDDHARTH DUTTA

  Company Dancer

  Siddharth Dutta, born in New Delhi, India, is an architect turned dancer. He graduated in contemporary dance from Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore) and completed a one-year International Study Program at Peridance Capezio Center. Siddharth recently graduated with an MFA in Scenic Design from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He is on a hiatus from Rovaco for the 2026 season as he pursues full-time scenic design projects in NYC.

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  SAÚL GUANIPA

  Resident Composer

  Saúl Guanipa, Rovaco's in-house composer, is a Venezuelan, Austin-based producer and composer, and a Berklee College of Music graduate. His work has been featured by the David Lynch Foundation, AOL/Cambio, SONY, and has been widely used in television promos for HBO, Showtime, ABC, and CNN. Saúl currently works as a staff composer at VideoHelper Music + Sound Design Library. He created original music for Rovaco's first evening lenght work KAMA, and continues to collaborate with the company on all projects. Learn more at saulguanipa.com

  

  KARMA CHUKI

  Company Dancer

  Karma Chuki is an independent, versatile dancer from Bhutan, now based in New Jersey. She works primarily in New York with Rovaco Dance Company, MeenMoves, and The Moving Architects. Karma has performed with HT Chen & Dancers, assisted Brice Mousset / Oui Danse, and was a principal company member of Navdhara India Dance Theatre from 2013 - 2020, touring nationally and internationally.

  

  MAHIMA SAIGAL

  Resident Dramaturg & Script Writer

  Mahima Saigal is an award-winning actor, choreographer, and educator from New Delhi, India, with a bachelor's in history and over 10+ years of street theatre experience. She creates work that reveals the magic of storytelling, spreads beauty and understanding, and awakens audiences to the wonder of the human spirit. Mahima has been working with Rovaco since 2024 and she is a lead collaborator on our works - Baraat & Ghoonghat, currently in development. She is also the Theater Curator for our annual Rovaco Dance Festival.

  

  CONNOR HESTWOOD

  Company Dancer

  Connor Hestwood is known for his physical contemporary work. He recently graduated with a BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch, influenced by his time and training with a wide array of artists: Doug Varone and Dancers, Kayla Farrish, Baye & Asa, and more. Connor can also be seen on screen, recently starring in Cherry Blossoms, directed by Justin Yoon. Connor views dance as a tool for connection and community above all else.

  

  ISHIKA MUCCHAL

  Marketing Manager

  Ishika Muchhal joined Rovaco's team in 2026. She is an NYC-based, LA-raised actor, singer, dancer, collage artist, writer, model, producer, and comedian! She has a BFA in Acting from CalArts and training in various singing and dancing styles. Her work intersects activism and humor across performance, politics, and community engagement, and she is a California Arts Council 'Individual Artist Fellow' for her podcast A QISSAA with Ishika.

  

  Shloka Porwal

  Company Associate

  Shloka Porwal is Rovaco's 2026 Company Associate, working in a flexible understudy position with a path to becoming a company member for a future Rovaco season. She is a dancer and choreographer from Jaipur, India, and recently graduated with a BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch. Shloka has performed and presented work at Netherlands Dance Theatre Summer Intensive, Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Movement Research, Dixon Place, Arts On Site, Chain Theatre, Navy Yards Brooklyn, and Perry Mansfield. Her work blends Indian classical and Western dance forms through emotionally driven storytelling.

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