Overview
What the program is
A twelve-to-sixteen week arts and emotional well-being program delivered inside a partner community, ending in a collaborative performance.
2026–27 Community Program
The Program
Twelve to sixteen weeks, three phases, one collaborative performance, delivered inside the community, not in a studio people have to travel to.
Community
Who it is for
Adults and young adults from communities with limited access to performing arts and creative well-being experiences. Recruitment runs through partner organisations.
Duration
Rhythm of the weeks
One long session each week plus a shorter practice session, held at a time and place agreed with the partner organisation.
Structure
Inside a session
Warm-up and breath · Kathak fundamentals · somatic exploration · art or storytelling response · closing circle. Counsellor present throughout.
Curriculum
What is taught
Tatkar and basic footwork, hasta mudras, abhinaya as emotional expression, rhythm and taal, improvisation, and ensemble composition.
Counselling
Counsellor integration
A qualified counsellor attends sessions, holds the closing reflection, and is available privately. They are part of the room, not a referral at the end of it.
Somatic
Somatic activities
Grounding, breath work, body scanning and paired movement, building the body awareness that makes expressive work possible and safe.
Art
Art & storytelling
Drawing, collage, and spoken or written narrative used as a second route to expression for participants who find movement difficult on a given day.
Performance
The final work
A collaborative piece built from the participants' own material. Participation in the performance is invited, never required.
Measurement
What we measure
Creative confidence · self-expression · body awareness · sense of belonging · access to performing arts · participant agency. We measure the journey, not just the performance.
Please noteNritya Sanjiwani is an art-based emotional well-being initiative and does not replace professional mental-health treatment or clinical therapy. Professional counsellors are involved to support appropriate emotional well-being and guided reflection.