Pia Bunglowala

Contemporary Dance

"Movement can very often say things that words cannot. This is what attracts me to dance the most"

I am a freelance movement artist and facilitator based in Bangalore. I did my Diploma at the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in 2008 and I trained in Contemporary, Ballet, Bharatnatyam, kalarippayatu among other forms. Since then I have worked as a freelancer with various dance companies and choreographers in the city like Nritarutya and travelled with them extensively (Scotland in January 2014 - Celtic Connections Festival, Germany in April 2015 - Hannover Messe,MAKE IN INDIA). I have been part of the cast of KHWAAB SA, an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Mumbai based theatre director Atul Kumar, of The Company Theatre. I am currently part of the Citizens of Stage Co Lab, which is a collective of skilled contemporary dancers in the city who performed, teach and choreography and engage with the community. I also teach kids of various ages and teach modules for adults in various studios in the city.

I absolutely love teaching at Dhurii. I have taught for two editions of the Toolbox series and have been witness to some great students who now have taken up dance much more seriously and have made movement a part of their lives! In my class at Dhurii, I will cover basic contemporary dance techniques with a combination of stretching, weight bearing and sharing and floor work based on release technique. There is a special focus on strengthening the core or the abdominal muscles as they are the powerhouse of strength required by the body to enable it to move, leap and express. Developing specific muscles like the arm and shoulders, the quadriceps through dynamic movements and exercises will further enable the body to discover range, movement and flow.

Pallavi Jain

Jazz and Ballet

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is on a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” ― Martha Graham

it was when I read this a few years ago I realised how much this profession means to me. I am Shruti Kulkarni, a Bangalore based dancer practising and teaching belly dancing across the city for the past 5 years. I have completed my Diploma in dance in 2012 from Attakkalari and I am training in Kathak from the past 6 years under Guru Murari Sharan Gupta. Belly dance was introduced to me in 2013 and there has been no looking back since then. I continue to train with international teachers till date to ensure quality teaching in my class. A lot of creative excercises that I combine with belly dance helps the students explore and understand dance beyond technique.

From a very young age of 10 years I was exposed to the professional atmosphere of a dance artist, I always felt like as a dancer I had a purpose and responsibility to make my art form be heard and seen from my perspective. Dance from me has always been a deep way from me to connect with myself and understand my connection with the world. Dance is my best friend, my escape, my saviour in disguise.....its been exactly I NEED it to been according to the life condition I'm in.

Having trained and worked with The Danceworx, Rhythmotion, Edu Art Society, The world dance school, I feel grateful and blessed to have met beautiful teachers like Ashley Lobo, Butch Godito, Ratika Ram Kumar, Nakula Somana, Suhas Lohar, Tino Snchez to name a few.

In my journey ahead I look forward to create my own movement vocabulary blending yoga , ballet and contemporary.

Nivetha Shree

Belly Dance

Fascinated by arts as a child, Nivetha began studying Belly dance 6 years ago under teachers Colleena Shakti, Lamia Barbara, Violet Scrap, Sedona Soulfire to name a few. After training in both Belly dance and Yoga, she discovered and deeply fell in love with Tribal Fusion Belly dance.

Over these years she has taught workshops and performed in various belly dance festivals and also she had the privilege of organizing Tribal Nritta - the first event dedicated to Tribal Fusion Belly dance in Bangalore.

Nivetha’s vision of dance aims towards the connection between body, mind and spirit.

Prashant More

Contemporary Dance

“In term to gain Knowledge, Share whatever Knowledge you have.” – David Zambrano.

Prashant More is a contemporary performing artist based in Bangalore, India. He has been engaged in artistic work as a performer, teacher and a creator. He studied and trained in India and Europe. In 2012, he graduated in Contemporary dance from Attakkalari, India and also worked as a repertory dancer. He took intensive training in Flying Low and passing through and Choreography and in Physical Experimental Performances in Amsterdam and Berlin.

He is a passionate teacher and he engages largely in sharing and exchange knowledge with students. He is a guest faculty at Dhurii space where he teaches Flying low intensives for Tool Box (4 months dance training course) participants. He also organises a workshop module under the name of ‘Breaking Points’ where he teaches professional dancers in India. Aparts from teaching dance, Prashant also has a hobby in Photography (Street Photography)

Flying Low - This technique focuses mainly on dancer’s relationship with the floor, utilizing simple movement patterns, speed, alertness, awareness with space and other fellow dancers, and spirals which explore cohesion and expansion of the body.
Breaking Points - This Physical Movement Practice offers, a dancer/mover to critically develop a skill-set and physical intelligence by actively deconstructing the current movement vocabulary he/she has, in order to create a risk-based space for exploration leading to an encountering of the next physical challenge that pushes the body to go deep into their own dance language derived consciously through stepping out of one's comfort zone.

Although very physical, the class will follow a clear structure never breaking the flow but systematically guiding one from the beginning to the end, maintaining a synergy of one energy that binds all, with non- judgmental but a friendly approach.

Arpita Banerjee

Kathak Dance

Arpita Banerjee started learning Kathak at a tender age of 5 under the kind tutelage of Nritya Shiromani Guru Bandana Sen and NrityavilasSuchandra Banerjee in Kolkata. she continues her training under Guru Shri Murali Mohan and Smt Nandini Mehta since 2006. Arpita has attained the degrees of Visharad (BA), Alankar (MA) and Shiksha Visharad (B.Ed.) in Kathak from the AkhilBharatiyaGandharvaMahavidyalaya.
Arpita has also been fortunate to learn various styles n vastness of Kathak under many Gurus in different workshops. She has been fortunate to learn under Pt. Birju Maharaj Ji, Rani Khanam Ji, Maulik Bhai n IshiraBehn, Late Pt. Arjun.

Performamces at a glance :
NrityaDhare(Bangalore), West Bengal State Music Academy Awards Function(Kolkata), LakkundiUtsav (Hubli), Dharwad festival (Dharwad), Kalanadam -festival of Indian Classical Dances(Bangalore), Cuttack Mahotsav(Odisha), Konark Festival(Odisha), Chalukya Festival(Bagalkot), Indian Habitat Centre(New Delhi), Stars of Tommorrow (Kolkata), KarurNatyanjali(Tamilnadu), IIDF Hyderabad and many many more. Arpita has travelled the USA, Canada, Cambodia, Thailand for various performances and workshops. She had the honor to hold a white official passport during her tour to the Thailand for performances conducted by the Ministry of Culture.

Arpita trains a bunch of students intensively to hold on the traditionalism of Kathak. She strives to maintain and teach the right aesthetics of Kathak to the younger generation so as to keep the gharanas of Kathak alive. She is trained in Lucknow Gharana of Kathak and has also explored the Jaipur Gharana of Kathak and shares her knowledge the same way with her students as earned from her Gurus. Arpita also choreographs and mentors professional dancers as she holds her own style of dancing.

Darrel Roberts

Latin dance Instructor

"Dance is Magical romance, passion to fall in love with yourself"

Dance is not the only thing in a persons life but it's safe to say one can immerse himself/herself in dance and is compelled to share this fascination with others. Beyond the complusion to share what I love with others i am enthralled with the art and act of teaching, every day i remember what it's like to be a student,, we all have been there, haven't we. But I don't rest until i pass on the skills which i have developed nd mastered in time, Everyone's a born dancer, but all we need is someone to encourage,cheers nd motivate people to dance like a beautiful peacock which every person admires “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

Joshua Sailo

Prime Mover

Joshua Sailo investigates movement through a multidisciplinary lens informed by close collaborations with other artists and improvisational studies. His playful approach towards performance-making stems from a curiosity towards the parallels, juxtapositions, and conjunctions that exist within the interaction of different art forms and contextualizing dance within the socio-political framework.

Joshua holds an MA in Dance awarded by Institute of The Arts Barcelona/Liverpool. John Moores University for his creative practice researching the emobdiment of gendered personifications and continues to deepen his choreographic investigation through the initiative Sailoway. As a performer, Joshua has worked with various international artists including Cirque du Soleil, Jasmin Vardimon Company, Nachom Arts Foundation, Studios Wayne Mc-Gregor, Toronto Dance Theatre, 45 Degrees, Peggy Baker, Mandeep Raikhy, and Darryl Tracy amongst others.

Prime Movers is a consolidated movement practice that emerged from the synthesis of various movement principles and methods that aims to build awareness of the body and access a dynamic range of embodied possibilities. This ever evolving method was devised by Joshua Sailo from his training and experience working with numerous choreographers, companies and practitioners to enhance the physical training as well as challenge the intellect and creativity of a dancer through playful compositional and theatrical tools.