“Each person has a literature inside them.” - Anna Deavere Smith Actor/theatre maker
Teaching & Workshops
As a Maths and Sociology graduate, I don’t have any formal qualifications in acting, writing, or teaching. When I am asked to teach or to run workshops, I can offer my lived experience and inspiration that I have gained from encounters with and the work of other generous artists. As an artist of colour, it is easy to feel eroded by the very real and unique challenges facing us in this profession. I try to stay grounded and let the work lead the way. Yoga, meditation, and white wine help!
“Commit to finding the true nature of art. Go for that thing no one can teach you. Go for that communion, that real communion with your soul, and the discipline of expressing that communion with others.” ― Anna Deavere Smith, Letters to a Young Artist
Teaching
Conservatoires and higher education institutions are publicly recognising the institutional and structural racism enshrined in their structures and pedagogy, which has meant that privilege and inequality has gone unchecked for too long. The journey of dismantling old ways of thinking has only just begun. I offer my experience in the hope that contributions from practitioners like me can be impactful.
Photo by Emma Gossett on Unsplash
Workshops
I deliver workshops in diverse and unique settings and groups. From wellbeing groups for Asian elders, survivors of domestic violence to young people. My practice begins with encouraging people to share of themselves and create a circle of play, trust and listening. I often employ my languages (Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi) to ensure people feel heard and seen.
