MAITRI TOO 2.0 (2025)

Following a successful first year of the project in 2024, Maitri Too 2.0 shall provide South Asian dance workshops to 270 Year 4 and 5 pupils at four Primary Schools in Harrow.

Maitri Too’s main aim is to provide enhanced cultural engagement for Harrow pupils through South Asian dance workshops culminating.

The project will culminate in a bold, new and exciting co-created dance piece inspired by the themes of climate change, particularly on rainforests as decided with the schools based on the focus of their curricula. The themes of Akademi’s celebrated show Pravaas will also act as inspiration for the workshops, as it explores climate migration through South Asian dance. This piece will be performed by the pupils of all three schools on 17 and 18 June at the schools involved.

The workshops this time will also be accompanied by live music elements of South Asian instruments like the tabla (TBC).

Supported by

Akademi’s Maitri Too workshop in a school. Photo: Kavya Iyer

Dates

March – July 2025

Schools involved

St. Teresa’s Primary School
St. Bernadette’s Primary School
Kenmore Park Junior School
Welldon Park Academy

Artists

Dance: Manuela Benini
Dance: Jaina Modasia
Music: Archita Kumar
Poetry: Ambika Kucheria

Additional Aims of the project

To nurture community cohesion in Harrow and to increase the arts and culture offer to young people in the borough.
Build stronger school communities through giving equal priority to four primary schools and encouraging them to work together.
To enhance and create opportunities for cross curricular learning through the themes of climate migration and environment (an Akademi creative priority). The project will cultivate opportunities for different departments within all schools – including science, humanities and arts – to collaborate in a meaningful, cohesive way.
To support younger pupils to learn and create together through creative mediums such as dance, music and poetry.
To provide opportunity for South Asian dance artists to develop their skills as community practitioners.
To create a project that can be replicated across new schools.

“Year 4 are really enjoying our dance lessons. The teachers are kind, positive and have many ideas and suggestions on how to improve the children’s routines. The teachers listen to the children’s ideas, and use these ideas to make the lessons the best that they can. The teachers also are very flexible and happy to fit the lesson timings around break times etc. The children in my class note that the teachers always have a positive attitude, always make sure that everyone is comfortable with what they are doing, give the children options and make sure that nobody is left out.”
Year 4 teacher at St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School and Nursery, harrow