Contemporary Approach to INDIAN DANCE 'Bharata Natyam'

Intensive Weekend With SEETA PATEL

Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd February 2009 - 12-3pm
Race and Rhythm Studios
Tufnell Park station (Northern Line)
2 DARTMOUTH PARK HILL, NW5 1TL
London, United Kingdom

info@raceandrhythm.com

Bookings in advance are recommended to avoid disappointment.

Two days intensive workshop weekend with Seeta Patel who will introduce the main elements of Bharata Natyam Dance into Contemporary Dance. The workshops will include technique, movement development and sharing talks.

Seeta Patel Dancer & Choreographer
Born in London, Seeta began training under the guidance of Kiran Ratna in 1990 and has since worked with a range of Bharata Natyam and contemporary dance professionals including Mavin Khoo, Professor C.V. Chandrashekar, Chitraleka Bolar, Pushkala Gopal, Liz Lea and Darshan Singh Bhuller. She has toured with Kiran Ratna's company (UK) and the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company (Canada and America).

Seeta joined Mavin Khoo Dance as a founder member for Parallel Passions in 2003. She continued with the company in its production Chandra Luna (2005). Seeta has also performed as a company member for Nina Rajarani's Shristi (UK tour) and Angika (Europe), as well as working for Liz Lea.

Seeta received Arts Council England funding to produce a solo show in collaboration with choreographers, a live cellist and digital musician (2005). She was awarded the Lisa Ullmann Travel Scholarship to study dance and vocal percussion in India (2005). Seeta has presented solo work at the Purcell room (Akademi's Daredevas), and Royal Opera House: ROH2 (2005 & 2006) as a part of it's new:currents summer season.

Her recent work After Cut Glass, commissioned by mac (Birmingham) and funded by Arts Council England, featured her own choreography and played at the mac and ArtsDepot (London). She performed the lead role in the multimedia production Find Me Amongst The Black, choreographed by Darshan Singh Bhuller (Purcell Room).

In collaboration with Kamala Devam of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company Seeta created a new choreography for the Royal Opera House (ROH2) entitled Alter Ego. This was also performed at deciBel07, Touch Wood at The Robin Howard Theatre and was short-listed for the no-ballet competition competition in Germany (2008).

She was a core dancer for Akademi's site-specific works Sapnay (2005), Dreaming Now (2007) and Initium (2008). Seeta also continues her classical performance work and teaching.

Seeta teaches Bharata Natyam and creative dance at all levels. She has experience teaching both one-off taster workshops and longer residencies. She has worked with and taught special needs groups, and choreographed a piece on a theatre group with both hearing and non-hearing participants. Seeta has taught for the undergraduate South Asian Dance Degree course at the London Contemporary Dance School, and presented guest lectures to the Masters students at Middlesex University.

Seeta was awarded the danceWEB 2008 scholarship to attend the ImpulsTanz festival in Vienna. She was also supported by Akram Khan Company for her professional development.

As a freelance dancer, choreographer and teacher, Seeta endeavours to deliver a high quality of dance and dance education to a wide range of audiences both nationally and internationally. She has been involved in numerous projects that challenge both the classical dance form she has trained in, as well as contemporary themes and narrative.

The constantly growing world of contemporary South Asian Dance is developing as an integral part of the international dance world and Seeta Patel aims to be a part of producing high quality and thought provoking work.

Seeta is Associate Artist with Akademi South Asian Dance and has recently been awarded the Bonnie Bird New Choreography Fund, the Alpha Associate scheme with Swindon Dance and the Kadam Choreography Award.