Contemporary Kathak and Choreography (ages 12-17)

This course is open access for young people aged 12 – 17 who have some dance experience.

Whilst no formal qualifications are required, it is recommended that students have some experience in dance classes (any style) to feel confident and fully benefit from the course.

If you are unsure about whether this course is suitable for you, please contact us on summerschools@rcs.ac.uk.

The students will engage in various creative activities set out for them by the instructors to explore rhythm and storytelling in Indian classical dance.

They will get a chance to learn basic movement vocabulary of kathak. They will also explore choreographic tools and techniques to bring Kathak and contemporary together.

No advance preparation is required for this course.

Participants should wear loose, comfortable clothes suitable for dancing – for example leggings and a t-shirt for girls, shorts or light/loose trousers for boys. Be prepared to work without shoes if required. Bring a notepad and pen/pencil in case you wish to make notes.

Students should bring water and healthy snacks as this course will be very physical. We recommend that a packed lunch is brought to the course as options for buying lunch at the weekend can be limited.

Nandini Manjunath

Dr Nandini Manjunath (She/Her)
Arts-based Researcher & Choreographic Co-Lead at Theiyā Arts, Edinburgh

Nandini is a Choreographer, a Kathak dancer, a Dance Movement Psychotherapist and a Arts-based Researcher, with a Doctorate in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and is currently a Part-time Lecturer in Arts Therapies at the Queen Margaret University and an Interpersonal Learning Facilitator at The University of Edinburgh. She also holds a Diploma in Kathak and BA Hons. in Choreography. As a dance educator and choreographer, I have worked in various artistic contexts in Edinburgh and Scotland and have been involved in multiple Arts-based research explorations creating and producing mixed media presentations and varied community based outreach activities. In her present artistic practice, she explores the in-between spaces of the creative and the academic, and is passionate about bringing all of her dancer, psychotherapist, social activist and Decolonial Feminist researcher selves into the different spaces she resides and works in. Her current artistic work draws from her commitment to using ‘Arts as Activism’ and initiating dialogue about contemporary socio-political issues through the medium of South Asian Arts.

Recent works include:
The Ticking Clock (at Edinburgh Fringe 22 and Multicultural Festival 22) and Maiden| Mother | Whore (supported by The National Lottery Funding) as a part of Theiya Arts Dance Collective and “What Draupadi Said to Penelope” a transnational, feminist reimagining of female characters from Indian Epics (Directed by Dr Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra and supported by GenderEd and IASH at The University of Edinburgh).

Himadri Madan

Himadri is a performer, choreographer, and dance teacher with training in Bharatnatyam and Kathak along with Bollywood. Recently awarded the Global Talent Visa to continue working as a choreographer in the UK, she studied BA Hons. in Choreography from Bangalore University, India, and an MFA in Choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (as a Leverhulme Trust Scholar). Her choreographic practice is situated in creating socially and politically relevant work through the vocabulary of Indian classical dance, exploring contemporary ways to understand and enjoy this traditional art form, and making a space for North Indian classical dance in Scotland. As a dance educator, she teaches Indian classical dance forms with an emphasis on fostering creativity and ensuring that the classes have an inclusive environment where every student can find their own connection with the art form.

Himadri is a co-lead of the choreographic division at Theiya Arts and the lead choreographer for Theiya Arts’ youth dance group. She works as a part-time lecturer at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Musical Theatre Department, and is an external assessor for Creative Scotland.

Her recent choreographic works include:

• The Ticking Clock (Edinburgh Fringe 22 and Multicultural Festival 22)
• Maiden| Mother |Whore (supported by The National Lottery Funding) as a part of Theiya Arts Dance Collective
• The Gaze- You, me, us and them (supported by The National Lottery Funding)

Summer Accommodation

We are pleased to welcome students from across the world to our Summer Schools. Our course fees do not include accommodation or food, and these should be organised by the student. Our campus is located in Glasgow city centre, and you can find the addresses below.

We recommend Base Glasgow, as purpose-built accommodation for Conservatoire students, with Rehearsal Rooms, Practice spaces and Dance Studios. Base Glasgow is perfectly suited for our summer school students; both safe and secure, with 24/7 staff presence and only 3 mins walk from our main Renfrew Street building, keeping travel costs to a minimum.

Classic En-Suite rooms come with a 3/4 bed, en-suite bathroom, ample storage, mirror, study desk and chair. The shared area includes a spacious lounge and kitchen area.

Please note that Short Courses staff are not affiliated with BASE or on site outwith the summer school teaching hours, and therefore cannot take responsibility for students outside of these hours.

For more information about booking accommodation at BASE Glasgow you can contact them directly via website BASE – Student Accommodation in Glasgow or email baseglasgow@herestudents.com.

Alternatively, there are plenty of hotels, hostels, and b’n’b options available. We are located close to transport links should you wish to stay outside the city centre. If you are travelling to Glasgow for a course, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers course fees, travel, accommodation, and cancellations due to COVID-19 – as RCS will not refund in this circumstance. You can view the Cancellations and Refund policy for full information.

For students under 18 years old, we strongly advise travelling with a responsible adult should any emergency situations arise during class. Students are only monitored by staff during class times.

Renfrew Street Campus: 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Wallace Studios Campus: 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G4 9RR