ODISSI: CONTEMPORARY EXPLORATIONS

A participatory and experiential Movement Lab designed to reimagine the foundational principles of Odissi for today’s world. This lab offers an accessible introduction to the rich heritage of Odissi while encouraging participants to bring their own embodiment, lived experiences, and creative voices into the practice, fostering a dialogue between form and personal expression.

PARTICIPATORY AND EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH

This lab focuses on democratizing access, making Odissi practice available to diverse communities through a welcoming and inclusive approach.

The aim is not to replace traditional training but to introduce Odissi in a way that emphasizes exploration and collective growth.
As a facilitator, I position myself as a guide and co-learner in a learning community that explores and grows together.

MERGING TRADITION WITH INNOVATION

This lab honors Odissi’s cultural and historical lineage while embracing its potential to evolve in response to contemporary contexts.

Odissi is treated as a living practice, allowing participants to engage with its principles while interpreting them through their own perspectives.
This approach supports broader efforts to decolonize dance pedagogy, challenging static views of how we engage with classical forms, and fostering relevance in today’s world.

COMMITMENT TO CO-LEARNING

The lab is a collaborative space where participants and facilitator engage in a process of mutual learning, fostering shared leadership, respect, and creativity.

This participatory approach reflects the values of my pedagogy, rooted in emancipatory practices that prioritize community dance as a tool for activism, inclusion, and empowerment. The lab is committed to creating a safe and equitable environment where all voices contribute to the exploration.

USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AS ADVOCACY

Through experiential learning, participants engage with Odissi’s foundational movements, storytelling principles, and rhythmic structures while reflecting on their identities and experiences.

This approach encourages an exchange where participants are fully empowered to connect to Odissi with their own lived experiences and creative embodiment.

KEY FEATURES OF THE MOVEMENT LAB

INTRODUCTION TO ODISSI

Explore Odissi’s roots in Indian classical dance, including its cultural, political and historical context.
Learn foundational movements, including Chauka (square stance), Tribhanga (tri-bent posture), and basic mudras (hand gestures).

EXPLORATORY AND CREATIVE EXERCISES

Reinterpret traditional movements through improvisation and personal exploration.
Use Odissi-inspired elements to craft your own stories and expressions.

ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION

Designed for participants of all backgrounds, ages, bodies, and abilities, ensuring movements and exercises are adaptable, individually-focused and inclusive.

REFLECTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

Each session includes dialogue on cultural representation, power dynamics, and embodied experiences, fostering deeper connections between practice and personal insight.

THIS MOVEMENT LAB IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO:

Create opportunities for diverse individuals and communities who face barriers to participation in classical arts to experience and engage with Odissi in an inclusive, welcoming environment.
Offer an adaptable, healthy and accessible approach to traditional practices, ensuring participants feel empowered to engage with movement on their own terms.
Build connections between Odissi’s foundational principles and contemporary movement practices, celebrating how tradition and innovation can coexist.

WHAT THIS LAB IS NOT:

This lab provides a foundational introduction to Odissi-inspired movement, not a substitute for comprehensive or traditional training.

Participants interested in deepening and formalizing their exploration of Odissi are encouraged to seek formal training with experienced Odissi teachers / gurus.
Transparent communication ensures this lab complements traditional practices while democratizing access and fostering inclusivity.

HOW IT WORKS:

This lab is designed to be flexible and accessible across various mediums:

Online via Zoom (live or asynchronously).
One-on-one in person sessions.
Occasional in-person group workshops (based on interest and availability).