On January 26, 28 & 29, Shrina Patel will be leading a Garba class, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am (MST), via Zoom!
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84400494584
Class Description:
Shrina brings yoga and dance in one. Each class will begin with yoga postures and mudras dedicated to connect with the earth, the elements, and to the body. The class Garba focuses on followed by foundational movements of Garba.
What to bring
A big, flowy skirt is recommended though you can wear something that grounds you and makes you feel feminine. Have some water on hand and a good amount of space around you. Lastly, a journal and something to write with.
Who can take this class?
Everyone and Anyone.
This dance is a celebration of life and fosters positivity within the community. In my culture, Garba is taught at a young age to daughters and sons alike. During Navratri, you can witness grandparents dancing alongside their grandchildren. Our class will include jumping and twirling, if you do have injuries, please inform me prior to the class so I can have modifications on hand.
History
Garba is the traditional folk dance from Gujarat, India. The dance is typically performed during the nine nights of Navratri, which are dedicated to the Goddess Durga and her many forms. Garba symbolizes the womb and the dancer represents the light or soul. Navratri celebrates the divine feminine energy, known as Shakti, through elaborate movement of the body.
Dancers move clockwise in a large circle with fancy footwork, twirling, clapping, snapping and a full range of the body.
About Shrina Patel
Shrina Patel is a performer, actor, yoga teacher, choreographer and the artistic director and founder of Shaktiflow. Her focus is choreographing movements that tell stories of gender and social inequality. The intention is to provoke conversations of the traditional social norms which society holds for the individual, based on their gender, race, and ethnicity. Her vision is aligned with that of Shaktiflow’s which is to dedicate the intention to empower individuals through movement–stories told through dance. Each gesture has a meaning and with them the power to facilitate ideas of harmony, unity, equality, and change. The vision is to instill a new perception of mindfulness that will unite us in a collective whole.
Shrina is known for Sacred Spaces (2019). The first show Shrina directed and produced focused on and discussed consent, the creation of safe spaces in our community, and gender inequality. Shrina curated this show with a focus on local Edmonton artists, BIPOC and queer makers. In 2020, Shrina choreographed and produced Liones, a show for SkirtsAFire with six local performers. This show focused on the journey of a woman breaking away from social norms and forging her own identity and discussed connection with the Earth, motherhood, society, and sisterhood. During the pandemic, Shrina collaborated with local artist Erin Gruber to explore movement through the digital lens in Iterate. Shrina brought her training of bharatanatyam and hip hop to fuse a performance of two worlds coming together, as Erin G. filmed and propelled the movement into the digital sphere. This performance was curated by Mile Zero Dance in 2020.