Nirmal Jena teaching acting students at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Sydney
(Photo: Rudolf Rindler)
Sharing their Dance of Life with young people in hardship
Inviting young people (18+) to apply for the Odissi: Dance for Humanity program - if you are experiencing financial difficulties, passionate about learning Odissi and willing to commit to an intensive learning program over several years, contact us and tell us your story. Relevant organisations can also refer young people to the program.
Nirmal Jena and Chitrita Mukerjee are passionate about creativity, diversity, humanity and sustainability. After founding the Odissi Dance Company in Sydney, Australia to promote their unique Odissi Indian classical dance and music, they established the Arts and Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG), an Australian charity with full DGR status (https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?id=85661952414). ALEG’s core program is Odissi: Dance for Humanity.
It is a unique arts and life skills education program for young people experiencing financial distress and unable to access arts training. They will be professionally trained in Odissi Indian classical dance and music (vocal and drums) by Nirmal Jena, artistic director of the Odissi Dance Company and a founding director of ALEG. They will also receive training in life skills, managed by Chitrita Mukerjee, and this will include financial literacy, arts and event management (including sound, light, stage and set design), cross-cultural communication, marketing, sustainable living, resilience and leadership. The aim is for graduates to present, perform, teach, tour and form arts-based social enterprises and tourism hubs for the benefit of their local communities. They will be global ambassadors for ALEG’s core values of creativity, diversity, humanity and sustainability. Our practice and teaching of Odissi is not linked with any religion, only universal values.
Odissi Dance Company will support ALEG's Odissi: Dance for Humanity by offering free training to a few participants. The program will be scaled when more partners and resources are secured.
Donate to ALEG - Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 062-439, 10976519). All donations are tax deductible.
If there was ever a time when this was necessary, it is now, when the world is rife with uncertainty and chaos…Odissi: Dance for Humanity has much to offer in this period of collective reflection and search for new avenues of creative exploration that redefines creative practice in contemporary, intercultural and international ways. (Ausdance NSW)
In a time when diversity and intercultural connections within our communities are increasingly important, the support for this project will have far reaching effects on the performing arts industry and importantly the lives and potential of the young individuals engaged in this rigorous learning. (Gavin Robins, Head of Movement in Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art)
We commend Chitrita and Nirmal on founding the Arts and Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG) charity and its Odissi: Dance for Humanity program. They have invited us to be involved in the training elements of the program. We will support them all the way and particularly by mentoring and sharing our wisdom teachings with the young participants in the program who we understand will come from different areas in Australia and from India and who will be of financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Our teachings will help build their resilience and give them proven insights on how to live with respect, impact, community and integrity in a world that is hurting and urgently needs healing. (Gamilaroi Aboriginal Elder & Mentor)
Nirmal and Chitrita have dared to dream big. If they are supported and their dream turns to reality, the primary beneficiaries will be young people and young artists in Australia and in India, their families and communities. Each participant in their Odissi: Dance for Humanity program will come with their untold story of challenges and adversity. All the stories combined will surely compel many across Australia, India and other countries to support and sustain ALEG’s Odissi: Dance for Humanity, its purpose and social impact. (S Shakthidharan, Director, Kurinji)
Arts & Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG)
[email protected]
Inviting young people (18+) to apply for the Odissi: Dance for Humanity program - if you are experiencing financial difficulties, passionate about learning Odissi and willing to commit to an intensive learning program over several years, contact us and tell us your story. Relevant organisations can also refer young people to the program.
Nirmal Jena and Chitrita Mukerjee are passionate about creativity, diversity, humanity and sustainability. After founding the Odissi Dance Company in Sydney, Australia to promote their unique Odissi Indian classical dance and music, they established the Arts and Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG), an Australian charity with full DGR status (https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?id=85661952414). ALEG’s core program is Odissi: Dance for Humanity.
It is a unique arts and life skills education program for young people experiencing financial distress and unable to access arts training. They will be professionally trained in Odissi Indian classical dance and music (vocal and drums) by Nirmal Jena, artistic director of the Odissi Dance Company and a founding director of ALEG. They will also receive training in life skills, managed by Chitrita Mukerjee, and this will include financial literacy, arts and event management (including sound, light, stage and set design), cross-cultural communication, marketing, sustainable living, resilience and leadership. The aim is for graduates to present, perform, teach, tour and form arts-based social enterprises and tourism hubs for the benefit of their local communities. They will be global ambassadors for ALEG’s core values of creativity, diversity, humanity and sustainability. Our practice and teaching of Odissi is not linked with any religion, only universal values.
Odissi Dance Company will support ALEG's Odissi: Dance for Humanity by offering free training to a few participants. The program will be scaled when more partners and resources are secured.
Donate to ALEG - Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 062-439, 10976519). All donations are tax deductible.
If there was ever a time when this was necessary, it is now, when the world is rife with uncertainty and chaos…Odissi: Dance for Humanity has much to offer in this period of collective reflection and search for new avenues of creative exploration that redefines creative practice in contemporary, intercultural and international ways. (Ausdance NSW)
In a time when diversity and intercultural connections within our communities are increasingly important, the support for this project will have far reaching effects on the performing arts industry and importantly the lives and potential of the young individuals engaged in this rigorous learning. (Gavin Robins, Head of Movement in Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art)
We commend Chitrita and Nirmal on founding the Arts and Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG) charity and its Odissi: Dance for Humanity program. They have invited us to be involved in the training elements of the program. We will support them all the way and particularly by mentoring and sharing our wisdom teachings with the young participants in the program who we understand will come from different areas in Australia and from India and who will be of financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Our teachings will help build their resilience and give them proven insights on how to live with respect, impact, community and integrity in a world that is hurting and urgently needs healing. (Gamilaroi Aboriginal Elder & Mentor)
Nirmal and Chitrita have dared to dream big. If they are supported and their dream turns to reality, the primary beneficiaries will be young people and young artists in Australia and in India, their families and communities. Each participant in their Odissi: Dance for Humanity program will come with their untold story of challenges and adversity. All the stories combined will surely compel many across Australia, India and other countries to support and sustain ALEG’s Odissi: Dance for Humanity, its purpose and social impact. (S Shakthidharan, Director, Kurinji)
Arts & Life Education Gurukul Ltd (ALEG)
[email protected]
