CREATIVE CLASSROOM

CREATIVE CLASSROOM

Looking for All Things Art? We’ve got you covered!
Join our inclusive community to participate in workshops designed to broaden your knowledge and facilitate a deeper connection with your inner self through creative expression. Open to all ages and skill levels. 

DANCERCISE

DANCERCISE is an Exclusive “Nutrition, Strength Training, and Yoga Therapy” Workshop for Dancers of all genres.

This interactive workshop offered a Hybrid Learning Module, allowing participants to attend in-person and online. It was open to dancers both within India and abroad, and the workshop was a LIVE Interactive Session. Over 40 participants from across the globe made this a unique interactive experience, making it a global learning platform.

The workshop featured three renowned experts from the health and fitness industry, addressing three important topics:

  • Nutrition for dancers by internationally acclaimed sports nutritionist Shiny Surendran
  • Strength & Conditioning by celebrity fitness coach Dr. Aridhas
  • Yoga Therapy for dancers by renowned Master Yoga Teacher and Therapist Lara Abhisheikh

It was a fantastic learning opportunity for all dancers who benefitted immensely from the expertise of these celebrity coaches. It truly helped Unlock our potential, and elevate our dance journey.

Rooted in Rhythm

The Rooted in Rhythm workshop in Chennai provided young learners with an exclusive opportunity to explore the folk dance forms of Oyillattam, Karagattam, and Thappattam. Led by the renowned folk artist Kannan Kumar, recipient of the Dronacharya Award 2021, the workshop aimed to deepen children’s understanding of folk dance and instill an appreciation for its cultural heritage. Kannan Kumar, with over 30 years of experience teaching folk dance to school students and impacting the lives of over 50,000 children, brought his expertise as a Deverattam exponent to create a remarkable learning experience. The workshop focused on fostering creativity, grace, and imagination through expressive movements, allowing participants to discover their own rhythm and develop a passion for folk dance. It aimed to ignite a lifelong love for this mesmerizing art form, inspiring children as custodians of their cultural traditions.

The participants presented their learning at The Mylapore Festival.

Earth Calling

“Earth Calling” was a uniquely curated Shadow Puppetry Workshop that united 50 young minds with the essence of traditional artistry while exploring the urgent theme of Global Warming. It was an unforgettable fusion of creativity, education, and cultural preservation.

Led by the masterful Selvaraj, a Thol Paavai Koothu/Tholu Bommalattam exponent from a hereditary lineage of artists, the workshop mesmerized everyone as puppets came to life through the captivating art of shadow puppetry.

With a focus on the pressing concept of Global Warming, the workshop empowered the young participants to brainstorm solutions and weave captivating stories. Under Selvaraj’s meticulous guidance, the children mastered the fading folk tradition, honing their storytelling skills through shadow puppetry over the immersive two-day workshop. The workshop concluded with awe-inspiring presentations by the children.

Chief Mentor for Yoga Yogacharya Lara Abhiesheik

– Yoga Pedagogy & Course Planning

Founder of Vinieyoga Healing Centre and Chief Consultant at Vinieyoga Academy, Expert Therapist, Thodu Varma practitioner, Nadi Pariksha expert, Lara Abhiesheik was trained in the tradition of Sri T. Krishnamacharya’s Viniyoga by none other than Sri Desikachar at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) in Chennai, India. Over a decade before he approached Sri Desikachar, Lara spent time mastering hatha yoga techniques, which gave him the impetus to further understand the layered aspects of Vinieyoga and Vinyasa Krama. Guided by a deep understanding of alignment of the body, breath and mind he mastered highly advanced asana and pranayama techniques. He specializes in course planning principles, unique to the Krishnamacharya yoga tradition. He went on to learn ‘nadi pariksha’ (disease diagnosis) and applied his vast knowledge of function-based asanas in yoga therapy. He has used other healing methods like ‘thodu varmam’ along with yoga therapy to meet the needs of over 10,000 seekers (and counting). He has designed several specialized Teacher Training Courses, including ones for Yoga Therapy, for Pain Management, for Women, and Sleep Disorders. For a decade now, Lara has been mentoring an expertly trained team of yoga teachers and therapists through VHC, an authentic centre for yoga training and yoga therapy that follows the Sri Krishnamacharya yoga tradition. Under his able stewardship VHC has rolled out 10 batches of certified yoga teachers’ training programs, innumerable programs for specialised yoga therapy and continues to serve thousands of health seekers.

Chief Mentor For Natyam Guru Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari

– Natya Sastra & Philosophy

Guru Vasathalakshmi Narasimhachari, is an internationally acclaimed performer, choreographer, teacher, and art mentor. She is the Founder Director of Kalasamarpana Foundation, which was established in 1969 as an arts organization dedicated to promoting and propagating Indian Classical Dance and Music. With hundreds of professionally well-established students as performing artists and teachers across the globe, she brings with her over five decades of experience in the field of dance. Her exceptional ability to impart both complex and practical aspects of learning and training in Natyam, has placed her among the top teachers of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi styles of Indian classical dance. In addition to being a nattuvanar par excellence, she has conducted numerous performances and is an extraordinary veena player. During the early 1970s, both Vasanthalakshmi and her husband Guru Narasimhachari had the privilege of learning Yoga under Sri TKV Desikachar and  Smt Menaka Desikachar.

Guru Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari is the Author and Founder trustee of RASOHAM Public Charitable Trust, leading the team in several community outreach programs.
www.kalasamarpana.in

Anuradha Suresh

Anuradha Suresh, co-founder of Future Self Performance Institute in Chennai, offers comprehensive services in personal training, physiotherapy, nutrition, and education. With a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy, Diploma in Nutrition and Health Education, MSc in Dietetics and Food Service Management, and certifications as a Pre and Post Natal care instructor, Pilates instructor, Certified Personal Trainer (American Council of Exercise), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, Anuradha brings over 15 years of experience. She has positively impacted over 5000 clients through her expertise in health and fitness.

An injury prevention and recovery expert, Anuradha has worked with numerous celebrities in sports and film, who endorse her approach to pain management and rehabilitation, further solidifying her reputation as a trusted professional in the industry.

Dr. Sudharshanan Balaji

– Anatomy & Physiology

Dr. Sudharshanan Balaji, MBBS, received extensive training in biomedical research methodology, genetics, and stem cells from prestigious institutes. Dr. Sudharshanan founded the Clinical Cellular and Molecular Genetics and Translational Research (CCMGTR) Club, the first-of-its-kind in the world, at Government Kilpauk Medical College to bridge research and clinical application. With 18+ years of experience as a trained Bharatanatyam dancer under The Narasimhacharis, Carnatic music under A Narayanan, trained veena player from Kalakshetra, and Yoga practitioner of the Krishnamacharya Tradition, Dr Sudarshan’s research interests include the impact of performing arts on health and genetic diagnostics for non-communicable diseases. He is acclaimed for his research on “The Beneficial Effects of Ragams Shankarabharanam, Reethi Gowlai & Kapi on Fetal Cardiac Activity”. He taught music to children on the Autism Spectrum in Hitham and Neyam initiatives by Padmashri awardee Bombay Jayashri Ramnath and tutored students in Carnatic Music at Vidya Vanam, a school for underprivileged tribal children, with Dr. Sudha Raja. He received recognition for outstanding contributions in medicine, genetics, and research, including the Governor’s Recognition Award from the American College of Physicians’ (India Chapter), Republic Day Award for Meritorious Service, and COVID Warrior award. He is an elected member of prestigious organizations such as ACMG, ACP, AUA, ISSRF, and ISHG. Dr. Balaji authored the book “Training Manual and Resource Handbook on Decoding Mutations/SNP/Variants” published by Amazon.