About
After years of training in technique, a process of unlearning and deconstruction began for me. During the pandemic, I started my individual research in contemporary dance and developed my own pedagogy for movement and improvisation. Earlier in the year, I focused on developing more performance spaces that encourage improvisation and experimentation. Hoping to bring the space back as soon as the restrictions are lifted up.
Background / Culture
I am trained in contemporary, jazz, and ballet for 8+ years rigorously. My journey started with India Dans Theatre, Delhi. (2010-15) Thereafter, I trained at Broadway Dance Centre, New York, for the Professional Semester (2016). After graduation, I worked as the Program Director of Nritya Shakti studio, widely taught Contemporary dance in Mumbai as well as toured as a performer for live shows with the ‘A.R. Rahman’ troupe internationally. I have extensively toured within the country as a performer and choreographer for independent artist/actor, ‘Monica Dogra’.
To further my capacity as a dancer, I attended a residency called Moksha – A Dance Retreat in Nature (2018) which was a turning point in my life. I was led by three wonderful teachers from Europe – Eleonore PB, Clementine Telesfort, and Rob Hayden who inspired my approach to dance deeply. They brought my attention to movement, body, improvisation, sensations, and contact improvisation. Needless to mention, it opened new doors for me as I began to question what contemporary dance meant to me.
I traveled to Paris for a summer program, Paris Summer Academy (2019) in multidisciplinary art forms including contemporary dance, physical theatre, performance art, voice, and more.
Expertises
PEDAGOGY
Through teaching, I strive to cultivate a curiosity among individuals to explore with their bodies. It’s enlightening to see different perspectives come through on an idea and how it enables them to make conscious choices as well as trust them. Classes involve reflective dialogue and journaling.
PERFORMANCE
Performance is an ideal way to communicate and share with people. A defined process is the most important part. I encourage honesty, purpose/story, and conscious decision-making in performances.
CREATIVE RESEARCH
To find enough we need to know all about the said subject, not just one perspective. The history of it, its relevance now, why does it matter to me/us? All of it, limitless.
CHOREOGRAPHY
At the moment, I am pulled towards improvisation on stage – how one person or a group of people perform in real-time. Purpose/story is vital and creation happens through play and research. Physical theatre and performance art are other areas I am exploring as a choreographer.
‘We are all different and have very individual experiences. Part of my aim is to allow that to flow into dance practices and guide students to find connections in their own creative processes & way of life.”
If you’d like to join my classes and learn my pedagogy…