To celebrate the inclusion of Garba dance in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Bhavan in collaboration with SSGD Europe are bringing to you an Indian folk-dance course with the world’s biggest Garba school! Affiliated with UNESCO and the World Dance Council. This Grade 1 6-week term forms part of our structured and certified syllabus. The classes will be focussing on exploring movement vocabulary and technique, understanding rhythm of Garba music, body and spatial awareness, and building confidence. This is a great way to improve your balance and coordination whilst getting a full body workout! The sessions will explore movements and technique from SSGD’s core dance syllabus and grades. No previous dancing skills or knowledge of Garba dance is necessary. 6 sessions: Every Thursday, starting 8th February 2024 General Level – Open to all 7:00 – 8:30pm What is Garba? Garba is a traditional form of Indian folk dance, consisting of claps, clicks, bends and spins. It is a dance of celebration, usually performed during the Hindu festival of Navratri, and amongst other joyous occasions. What are the benefits of attending? Our Garba classes are open to people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. Participants attending will enjoy fun and energetic sessions, whilst developing their movements and boosting confidence. About the Sonis School of Garba Dance: Jigar Soni started teaching authentic Garba in 1998, along with brother Suhrad Soni with the vision of preserving and promoting the traditional form of this beautiful folk dance from Gujarat. Being hugely popular in India over the last 25 years, SSGD have recently become more of a global platform as the largest Authentic Garba School, having a presence within 48 cities in 23 countries worldwide and almost 2000 students learning from them every year. They have been awarded by numerous organisations including the UK government, where Jigar and Suhrad Soni received an award from the House of Commons for their significant contribution towards promoting Indian culture globally. Jigar Soni is also the producer and choreographer of Falguni Pathak’s Garba anthem ‘Radha Ne Shyam,’ and choreographer of Falguni Pathak’s latest anthem ‘Vasaladi.’ Certified by UNESCO, the brothers are affiliated to the International Dance Council, which has enabled them to not only produce a certified syllabus for their Garba School but also present both dance and seminars at industry and private organisations. £60 per term for 6 sessions. Each session is 1.5 hours. Any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail [email protected]