Malavika Mohanan began training in bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance tradition, at the age of eight at Kalanjali in Berkeley, California. She joined Apsaras Arts in Singapore in 1990 to continue her training and performed her arangetram (first full solo public concert) in 1995. She began study of theatre at the age of fifteen at United World College South East Asia in Singapore and continued training in the art at Stanford University, California, graduating with a B.A. in Drama. After spending some years exploring different styles of movement and expression, she began creating and travelling with her own solo performance works, often with substantial social content. She has directed and choreographed various theatre and dance projects, both solo and group, which have been performed in the United States, India, Singapore, Canada, Argentina, and Kenya.  She currently lives in the Patagonian Andes of Argentina with her family.