Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy
Contemporary Dance Artist
Choreographer
Performer
Educator
Eco monk
Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy is a contemporary, dancer, choreographer and teacher from India With a postgraduate diploma in choreography from S.E.A.D in Austria. He has trained, worked and presented dance works in India and Europe.
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As a performer
Deepak has worked in India, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, and the UK. Danced in works choreographed by Jeremy Nelson, Samir Akika, Navtej Johar, Sudehas Adhana, Mandeep Raikhy Abhilash Ningappa, Jayachandran Palazhy, Liz King, Preethi Athreya etc and toured in India, Japan and Europe.
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As a choreographer
Deepak has works created for proscenium, street performance and site-specific, He has won the Prakriti Excellence in Contemporary Dance Awards 2012. Created dance works with dancers from Kashmir, Delhi, Bangalore and Europe, Commissioned work including Serendipity Art Festival in 2018, Youth Festival Delhi in 2017, and Park Festival in 2013. Was part of the creative team for street art projects like AREA 2010 in different cities in Europe and Freedom City 2017 in Newcastle U.K. In 2017 Deepak was Empanelled into ICCR for his work in the field of dance
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As a teacher
Deepak has been a guest faculty for art institutes like Attakkalari, Gati, Stem, Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company, and Dance Worx. Rangayana and Motley theatre group in India. SEAD in Europe. He has been mentoring creators and dancers as part of the KHA Foundation, Play Practice, Drishtikon Dance Foundation and Gati dance residencies. He is a visiting professor for dance in universities like Ashoka, SNU, and Ambedkar in New Delhi. Between 2002 and 2007 was part Education Outreach Program for schools in Bangalore led by Tripura Kashyap
As an art manager
Deepak has been rehearsal director at Attakklari, Aditi Mangaldas dance company. Project manager at Gati Dance, Play Practice and KHA Foundation. He also has experience in production and technical management for stage performances.
Fellowship (2022)
Artists in India were tagged as non-essential citizens. I have been looking to develop new skills. In this direction, I have been part of a fellowship and doing my work study at Bhoomi College ( https://bhoomicollege.org/fellowship-programmes ). As part of my studies, I have been going deeper into Pedagogy and looking at the idea of suitability with a holistic approach to life and art.
Present 2024​
Curriculum Virtue
Teaching/Facilitation
Title - Resting in Motion
Contemporary Dance and Composition Course Outline
Deepak has been developing pedagogy for contemporary dance since 2004. His training is informed by multiple sources of movement methodology, the core of the workshop is to find safe movement practice and to recognise the individuality of the dancer in the class.
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Overview
The class will be a combination of guided improvisation and set movement tasks, lessons will also involve some video presentation, reading and working on a presentation by the end of the semester. The course aims to give an overview of contemporary dance practices and an introduction to movement composition. Practical sessions encourage the students to reflect and explore the possibilities of movement. Emphasis is placed on breath, alignment, joint articulation, and the use of gravity and momentum to facilitate movement. Creative sessions allow students to explore creating short movement sketches which will demand them to think, question and investigate the body and its politics. Theory sessions will give students a brief about the history and development of modern and contemporary dance.
