Your tatkar is crisp, your aramandi is solid, and your hastas are sharp.
So why does the expression still feel painted on?
Most classical dancers are taught *Abhinaya* from the outside in: widen the eyes, tilt the chin, freeze the smile. The result? Performers who look technically flawless, but emotionally disconnected—relying on a mechanical "plastic smile" that fails to move the audience.
True Abhinaya is not facial acting. It is a physiological state.
The Responsive Body: Somatic Abhinaya Intensive is a 90-minute immersion designed specifically for serious dancers and dance educators to move past miming and anchor the Navarasas inside the physical body.
Using principles of Dance Movement Therapy and somatic psychology, we explore:
The Somatic Anatomy of the Nine Rasas:
Locating the breath patterns, spinal adjustments, and weight shifts that give rise to felt emotion.
Overcoming Self-Consciousness
Shedding performance freeze and stage anxiety to access vulnerable, uninhibited expression.
Pedagogical Cues for Teachers:
Actionable methods to help your intermediate students emote naturally without forcing artificial expressions.
What to expect?
1
Somatosensory Embodiment:
Learn how emotions physically register and move through your body.
2
Navarasa Foundations:
Gain a grounded understanding of the nine foundational emotions.
3
Authentic Expression:
Uncover your personal, convincing way to express feel.
4
Explorative Environment:
Practice in a safe, non-judgmental, and open-minded space.
Who is this for?
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Performers & Dancers looking to bring authenticity and conviction to complex roles
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Dance Teachers seeking innovative, practical methods to teach Abhinaya
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Technically Strong Dancers who want to boost their confidence in emotional expression
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Enthusiasts & Beginners eager to explore the Navarasas (5+ yrs dance experience required)
P.S. : Participants must be 12+ yrs of age to register.
Takeaways
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A deeper awareness of somatic emotional expression beyond mere facial gestures.
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Practical breathwork techniques to support and sustain your expressions
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Pedagogical tools to teach Abhinaya effectively to your students
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Versatile strategies to portray a single emotion in multiple ways
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Techniques to regulate and process emotions in your personal life
Meet the therapists
Deepti Hasabi
Deepti Hasabi is a Kathak educator, dancer, and certified Dance/Movement Therapy facilitator (CMTAI) who integrates the rich vocabulary of Indian classical dance with somatic healing and mental well-being. With over 7 years of teaching experience across diverse age groups, she has introduced hundreds of people to the transformative potential of movement therapy through workshops and community-centered initiatives.
Aruna Nagaraj
Aruna Nagaraj is a classically trained Bharatanatyam artist and certified Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) Facilitator with over two decades of movement practice bridging performance and healing. She holds an MFA in Bharatanatyam from Chennai University, is a Doordarshan B Grade Artist, and a member of the International Dance Council (CID), UNESCO, Paris. She facilitates DMT sessions across diverse communities, from elder care and child mental wellness to corporate wellbeing and mindful parenting, using movement as a language for self-discovery and transformation within a safe, non-judgmental space.