Top image: Naatadavu #3 adapted to be done just with hands
Creating the foundation to use Bharatanatyam for creative aging
To make sure people of all backgrounds are included in my classes, I use a variety of techniques; one is to adapt steps that are usually done in the "half-sitting" (Aramandi) position to be done seated on a chair, standing up, or even with just hands.
In the image on the left, you can see an adavu (a sequence of movements) that I have adapted to be done with one's hands only.
I have started formalizing and systematizing this work in the form of short written pieces that you can find here. Testimonials about this work can be found here!
To make sure people of all backgrounds are included in my classes, I use a variety of techniques; one is to adapt steps that are usually done in the "half-sitting" (Aramandi) position to be done seated on a chair, standing up, or even with just hands.
In the image on the left, you can see an adavu (a sequence of movements) that I have adapted to be done with one's hands only.
I have started formalizing and systematizing this work in the form of short written pieces that you can find here. Testimonials about this work can be found here!
Member, NGO Committee on Ageing, NY.
November 2022 - present: Member of NGO Committee on Ageing, NY. "The NGO Committee on Ageing, NY works to raise world awareness of the opportunities and challenges of global ageing. The Committee advocates within the United Nations community to further integrate ageing in UN policies and programs."
November 2022 - present: Member of NGO Committee on Ageing, NY. "The NGO Committee on Ageing, NY works to raise world awareness of the opportunities and challenges of global ageing. The Committee advocates within the United Nations community to further integrate ageing in UN policies and programs."
"If Not Us, Then Who? The Arts, Healthcare & Wellbeing"
November 2022: In this panel discussion with Hidden Truths Project's founder Dr. Julie Thompson-Dobkin and Cynthia Perlis, director of the UCSF Art for Recovery program, I will talk about my the role of arts as a part of holistic approach to healthcare. More about this event can be found here, and its recording can be found here.
November 2022: In this panel discussion with Hidden Truths Project's founder Dr. Julie Thompson-Dobkin and Cynthia Perlis, director of the UCSF Art for Recovery program, I will talk about my the role of arts as a part of holistic approach to healthcare. More about this event can be found here, and its recording can be found here.
Workshop at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
December 2022: I will facilitate a Bharatanatyam workshop for older adults at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House in NYC.
December 2022: I will facilitate a Bharatanatyam workshop for older adults at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House in NYC.
Dance as Medicine: The Science and Practice of Sloka Iyengar; Workshop, Public Program
October 2022: I will share some dance first, and then explore the movement stylings that I have used in my creative aging sessions at various organizations. Once the participants have worked with our bodies, they will settle in for a thought-provoking interview regarding my work as a scientist, and arts and health practitioner. This workshop is part of The Creative Center Training Institute October 2022.
October 2022: I will share some dance first, and then explore the movement stylings that I have used in my creative aging sessions at various organizations. Once the participants have worked with our bodies, they will settle in for a thought-provoking interview regarding my work as a scientist, and arts and health practitioner. This workshop is part of The Creative Center Training Institute October 2022.
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Goddard Riverside NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities)
October 2022 - February 2023: I am facilitating creative aging sessions for individuals that are aging-in-place at the Goddard Riverside communities in NYC. |
Block party at the Y
September 2022: I will be facilitating a session for the Block Party for participants at the Center for Adults Living Well @ the Y. A few pictures and a video from the block party where I am working on an adavu sequence with seniors is below (photo and video credit: Padma Narayan).
September 2022: I will be facilitating a session for the Block Party for participants at the Center for Adults Living Well @ the Y. A few pictures and a video from the block party where I am working on an adavu sequence with seniors is below (photo and video credit: Padma Narayan).
Assistant Teaching Artist; Dance for PD
August 2022 - present: I am working as assistant teaching artist for a Dance for PD hybrid class at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn.
August 2022 - present: I am working as assistant teaching artist for a Dance for PD hybrid class at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn.
An open session for seniors at the RING Garden
August 2022: In an hour-long session for seniors, I am planing on starting with a warmup, go through some movement patterns of Bharatanatyam and then take a look at how emotions can be portrayed on stage. The session will end with a cooldown and reflections.
Some pictures from this session are below.
August 2022: In an hour-long session for seniors, I am planing on starting with a warmup, go through some movement patterns of Bharatanatyam and then take a look at how emotions can be portrayed on stage. The session will end with a cooldown and reflections.
Some pictures from this session are below.
Center for Adults Living Well @ the Y
July and August 2022: An “Innovative Senior Center” (ISC) funded by the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC DFTA), the Center for Adults Living Well @ the Y (CALW) is Northern Manhattan’s place for adults 60 and better to enjoy social engagement, meals, and dining, while accessing benefits and entitlements assistance. In July 2022, I will be offering a series of Bharatanatyam sessions to seniors.
A short snippet of the session at CALW can be found here. Video credit: Tom Frambach.
July and August 2022: An “Innovative Senior Center” (ISC) funded by the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC DFTA), the Center for Adults Living Well @ the Y (CALW) is Northern Manhattan’s place for adults 60 and better to enjoy social engagement, meals, and dining, while accessing benefits and entitlements assistance. In July 2022, I will be offering a series of Bharatanatyam sessions to seniors.
A short snippet of the session at CALW can be found here. Video credit: Tom Frambach.
Showing gestures seated to participants at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood.
Photo credit: Padma Narayanan.
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Working with participants at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood on Bharatanatyam movement patterns. Photo credit: Padma Narayanan.
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Awarded the Aseemkala Choreography Fellowship 2022-2023
August 2022 - June 2023: The Aseemkala Initiative aims to provide a platform for ideas, dialogue, and creativity using traditional arts and dance to address issues of health inequity in healthcare. Through this fellowship, I will explore age and aging through Bharatanatyam. I will express these themes: dancing with an aging body, losing one’s memory, losing one’s friends, the subtle but sure ways senior citizens are treated with almost-contempt, the gradual exclusion from society, and the infantilization of senior citizens. The message is positive as well, with an enhanced wisdom and experience that age brings. Here is a description of my proposal.
August 2022 - June 2023: The Aseemkala Initiative aims to provide a platform for ideas, dialogue, and creativity using traditional arts and dance to address issues of health inequity in healthcare. Through this fellowship, I will explore age and aging through Bharatanatyam. I will express these themes: dancing with an aging body, losing one’s memory, losing one’s friends, the subtle but sure ways senior citizens are treated with almost-contempt, the gradual exclusion from society, and the infantilization of senior citizens. The message is positive as well, with an enhanced wisdom and experience that age brings. Here is a description of my proposal.
Sirovich center for balanced living
June 2022: Educational Alliance’s Sirovich Center for Balanced Living makes aging in New York City easier—and fun! I led a workshop on Bharatanatyam for older adults.
June 2022: Educational Alliance’s Sirovich Center for Balanced Living makes aging in New York City easier—and fun! I led a workshop on Bharatanatyam for older adults.
DOROT
June 2022: DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. I facilitated a movement-based workshop for older adults with warm-up, movement, mudras, emotions and storytelling.
In August 2022, I will be conducting a series of sessions using Bharatanatyam for older adults at DOROT.
June 2022: DOROT is a nonprofit organization addressing the challenges of an aging population. I facilitated a movement-based workshop for older adults with warm-up, movement, mudras, emotions and storytelling.
In August 2022, I will be conducting a series of sessions using Bharatanatyam for older adults at DOROT.
Dance for PD Community Festival
April 2022: To celebrate 20 years of innovative community programming, Dance for PD® hosted Dance for PD Community Festival: Around the World, Around the Clock. My proposal was selected as one of the entries for the festival.
April 2022: To celebrate 20 years of innovative community programming, Dance for PD® hosted Dance for PD Community Festival: Around the World, Around the Clock. My proposal was selected as one of the entries for the festival.
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Teaching artist with Su-Casa
February to July 2022: Awarded a fellowship as a teaching artist with Su-Casa, a community arts engagement program that places artists and organizations at senior centers. This fellowship is awarded by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC). A list of the artists and the senior centers we are matched with can be found here. I was matched with the senior center at Union Settlement in NYC and my project is entitled "Navarasa: Time and Timelessness of Emotions in Dance". As part of the residency, I did a public performance in at the Gaylord White Senior Center in July 2022. |
Stories in the moment
Summer and fall 2022: As a qualitative researcher for the Stories in the Moment Pilot Project, I will develop a a mixed-method action research study of Stories in the Moment, a dance, movement and storytelling program for people living with dementia. I will help deliver focus groups with three groups of virtual Stories in the Moment participants (people living with dementia and their loved ones) and support the transcription, coding and evaluation of the data produced.
Summer and fall 2022: As a qualitative researcher for the Stories in the Moment Pilot Project, I will develop a a mixed-method action research study of Stories in the Moment, a dance, movement and storytelling program for people living with dementia. I will help deliver focus groups with three groups of virtual Stories in the Moment participants (people living with dementia and their loved ones) and support the transcription, coding and evaluation of the data produced.
Teaching artist at The Creative Center
The Creative Center is an organization dedicated to bringing the creative arts to people with cancer, chronic illnesses, and through all stages of life. In April 2022, I conducted 4 week-long workshop with the participants on "Navarasas". Bharatanatyam has in it codified an array of emotions, called “rasas”. The nine rasas (Navarasa) include love, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder, and peace. While Bharatanatyam is a form rooted in tradition, the emotions laid out are relevant even today, and perhaps more so. In this project, I will work with participants and their caregivers to explore the emotions they feel throughout the course of their days the vocabulary of the Navarasas and Bharatanatyam.
I am so excited to bring the program back to The Creative Center in October 2022.
The Creative Center is an organization dedicated to bringing the creative arts to people with cancer, chronic illnesses, and through all stages of life. In April 2022, I conducted 4 week-long workshop with the participants on "Navarasas". Bharatanatyam has in it codified an array of emotions, called “rasas”. The nine rasas (Navarasa) include love, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder, and peace. While Bharatanatyam is a form rooted in tradition, the emotions laid out are relevant even today, and perhaps more so. In this project, I will work with participants and their caregivers to explore the emotions they feel throughout the course of their days the vocabulary of the Navarasas and Bharatanatyam.
I am so excited to bring the program back to The Creative Center in October 2022.