Afreen Sen Chatterji (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate with the Department of Theater and Dance at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Previously a ballet teacher and theater practitioner, Afreen’s interest in performance narratives as shaped by structures of power have brought her to Santa Barbara from New Delhi, India. Her research focuses on the relationship between bodies on stage and the intersecting politics of caste, gender, and class in India. Her articles have been published in The Shakespearean International Yearbook: Reparative Shakespeare (Routledge: 2025), Border Crossings: Exile and American Modern Dance (1900-1955) (UCSB/NYPL: 2023), and a forthcoming article with Dance Research Journal (Cambridge University Press: 2026).

Alongside research, Afreen is committed to staying in touch with her theater practice. She has co-organized Graduate-Directed One Acts in which she directed Degas C’est Moi by David Ives (2025). She has also choreographed for productions, directed readings, and taught performance/production-based courses at UCSB. She is delighted to be a part of the LAUNCH PAD team!