KIRSTEN NEWELL

DATE OF BIRTH: 16/10/1987    -   NATIONALITY : British

W: kirstennewellindiandance.com  -  E: kirstennewell0@gmail.com

WORK: 

Self Employed – Bharatanatyam choreographer, dancer, teacher, Siva Nanda Hatha Yoga Instructor.

DANCE Qualifications and Awards:

  • BA/First class Bharatanatyam Graduate, Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, India, 2009-2013. Main subject: Bharatanatyam. Secondary subject: Carnatic Vocal. Yoga, dance, theory, heritage, history, Folk dance, and two years of Kathakali training.

  • Siva Nanda HATHA Yoga Teacher training course 2013, Sivananda Ashram, Himalayas, Netala, India

  • Member of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO - 2018. 

  • Hidden Idol, London Dec 2014, First prize winner.

  • Diploma in contemporary Indian dance at Attakalari Center for movement arts in Bangalore, India, 2007-2008. Classes in Contemporary technique, Kalari, Bharatanatyam, and Yoga.

  • RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) ISTD Intermediate Ballet 2007, Edinburgh.

  • ISTD Intermediate exam in National Dance 2007

  • One-year certification course at Dance for All, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2006-2007
    Techniques studied: Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, national, and Tap.

  • Broughton High School, Edinburgh, Specialist Dance Unit from 1999-2003.

Techniques studied: Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Modern. Received Higher SQA qualification in dance.

Main Projects/Productions  

  • MaMa Scottish Tour Summer 2022 Awarded by Creative Scotland, 

  • Brihati R&D with Leela Samson, Supported by Creative Scotland and Dance Base

  • Virtual performances for the Nehru Centre London, Celebrating Mahatma Gandhi 150 years, 2nd October.

  • MaMa Dance on Screen R&D is supported by Creative Scotland and Akademi  

  • Srishti Dance Creations for Srishti Squared dance film, July/August 2020. 

  •  ‘Spy Monkey’ for Dots Day at The Royal Opera House London, with ATMA Dance Company. 22nd of February 2020. 

  • RND ‘Spy Monkey’ with ATMA Dance Company, London. February 2020. 

  • RND for ‘Narratives of 0s and 1s’ A Mathangi Keshavan production. London January 2020. 

  • The Natya Kala Conference, Chennai , India. Performing ‘Play Ball’ by Srshti Dance Creations. 29th December 2019. 

  • Performing a restaging of The Place prize winner ‘Quick’ at Akademis 40th anniversary. London Rich Mix 25th October 2019. 

  • RND with Srishti Dance Creations Nina Rajaranis ‘Quick’ The Place Prize winner 2006. October 2019.

  • Dancer for ‘Hebridean Treasure: Lost & Found. Edinburgh Fringe 2019, One week run at Surgeons Hall and Dance Base Heads Up. August 2019.

  •  ‘Bheara’ Commission Glasgow Mela presented by Kirsten Newell Dance. June 2019. 

  • Dancer for Dance Dialogues - choreographer  Seeta Patel. Touring throughout UK alongside Right of Spring production. May 2019. 

  • Dancer for ‘Hebridean Treasure: Lost and Found. Choreographer and artistic director Shane Shambhu. Production debut March 2019.  The Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. 

  • Dance Base RND for ‘Hebridean Treasure: Lost & Found’ January 2019. 

The Natya Project – Summer 2018, three-week dance residency with Seeta Patel and Shane Shambhu, ending with a performance at The Mac, Birmingham August 2018 

  • Vyuti Dance Company Bangalore June-August 2017. Final performance at The India Habitat Centre, Delhi, India, August 2017. 

  • Collaborations/choreography projects – Various collaborations with Scottish-based musicians and dancers. Performances throughout Scotland i.e. The Edinburgh Fringe festival, Hindu Mandir, Edinburgh University, Melas, Interfaith festivals, Diwali celebrations, and fundraising events 2013-2022. 

  • Vision Mechanics Company Production ‘Embrace’. Autumn Tour Scotland 2014. Choreographer and dancer for Folk Dance, Bharatanatyam dance, contemporary dance, and movement for silhouette puppetry for this production 

Main dance productions with Dance Ihayami, Scotland:

  • ‘Ras Leela’ one-week residency July 2019. 

  • ‘Silent Space’ production, Ullapool festival - Spring 2018

  • ‘Silent Space’ Production, Autumn tour, Scotland 2016/2017

  • ‘Silent Space’ Edinburgh Festival, Dance Base 2016

  • ‘Masala’ Edinburgh Festival, 2016

  • ‘India Flamenco’ at Alba Flamenco Aug 2013 and 2014. 

  • ‘Blue Lotus’ Botanical gardens, Edinburgh. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter production - 2013/2014

  • Various performances at Dance Base Edinburgh, Melas, social gatherings, commonwealth, etc 2013 – present.

Teaching/Classes in Scotland

Cosmic Dance Bharatanatyam classes (2019- present) http://www.cosmic-dance.com/

  • Weekly Bharatanatyam classes teaching ISTD/OFAAL exam syllabus - Dance For all, St Stephens Street, Edinburgh. Present, 

  • Private classes for Bharatnatyam students. Edinburgh. Present. 

  • Edinburgh University Hindu Society - Bharatanatyam/yoga for students. Present. 

  • Guest  Bharatanatyam teacher for The Specialist Dance Unit at Broughton High School – Beginning November 2018. 

　Yoga Classes:

  • Lunchtime Yoga for students and staff of Edinburgh University at Edinburgh University's Chaplaincy, Potter Row, 2013-present

  • Yoga for staff – Broughton High School, Edinburgh – 2016 till present

  • Yoga for staff- St George’s, Edinburgh, present. 

  • St. Peter’s primary school, Edinburgh, present. 

Past Bharatanatyam classes:

Teacher for Dance Ihayami’s  School. From 2013 – December 2019 - DANCE IHAYAMI

•Teaching weekly Bharatanatyam classes in Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Outreach Projects: Outreach projects in Scotland from 2013 to the present have included a dance with the elderly, primary schools, and secondary schools, workshops with carers, disadvantaged communities, children and adults with learning difficulties.

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