"Autistic is Artistic" Phase 1: Planning

I. Summary

ANKH is the senior kathak group that is based under Encee Arts, Patidar House, Wembley. The philosophy behind ANKH is to explore new boundaries to express ideas and concepts that are relevant to the youth today. We create different dance concepts that are not only influenced by the Indian culture but also our upbringing in a British society.

By the end of this project, we hope to have raised an awareness of autism and show that it is something that should be openly talked about. We hope to provide more information of the help and support that families can get that are affected by autism. We want to raise money for the National Autistic Society (NAS) and exhibit the great work that they are doing.

We will run an exhibition that will run all day and finish with a dance performance. In the exhibition we hope to have organizations that are related to Autism and metal health issues to exhibit their organizations and offer information to the community. In the performance section we will use slides and resources relating to the autism to reflect the complexities of living with autism, along with dance pieces that will be choreographed to express the life through their eyes.

II. Introduction

Kathak is a classical dance form, which originated in Northern India. It shares many common features to Flamenco. Kathak weaves together intricate hand gestures and facial expressions, with rapid spins and rhythmic footwork as the foundation of the dance form.

ANKH is the senior kathak group that is based under Encee Arts, Patidar House, Wembley. Having learned Kathak from Gauri Sharma Tripathi for over 15 years, ANKH has become the resident dance group at Encee. The group consists of 10 girls that act as role models for the younger dancers also based at Encee. We put on projects such as Kathak Collective to provide a platform for all students to collaborate and perform.

The aim of ANKH is to disseminate the classical danced form of Kathak, while incorporating traditional and contemporary themes, theatrical elements, & innovative music and movements. Although we adhere to the traditional style of Kathak, we also build upon this platform by combining it with our creative energy to present a unique dance experience. It is our endeavor to continue to make strides forward in both areas of original expression and the preservation of an ancient art form.

It is based on this philosophy that we try to explore new boundaries to express ideas and concepts that are relevant to the youth today. We create different dance concepts that are not only influenced by the Indian culture but also our upbringing in a British society.

III. Goals/Objectives

• Raise awareness of Autism within Asian communities 
• Raise money for the NAS and exhibit the work they do
• Educate people of help and information that is available to them
• To use the classical Indian dance form of Kathak as a medium to portray the complexities and intricacies of living with Autism
  

IV. Procedures/Scope of Work

• Performance around the concept of Autism
• To have an exhibition within the same venue. We would like this exhibition to consist of photographs of children, adults and families who live with the condition, as well advertisements of several groups who provide information and educate individuals with autism. This will include groups such as the National Autistic Society (NAS) and Brent Outreach Autistic Team (BOAT).
• Have organizations exhibiting information
• To have a panel of talkers to talk about autism