Wandsworth Town Library London, 2019
Wandsworth Town Library
London, 2019
Amidst the hustle and bustle of Wandsworth, the town library extended an invitation to Desiree Bashi, an author, illustrator and dancer, to impart her knowledge through a series of workshops for the local schools. Among the schools was St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School in Putney, where Y3,4,5,6 children eagerly attended a creative workshop led by Desiree Bashi herself.
During the workshop, Desiree taught the children a classical Indian dance piece, including hand gestures known as mudras and facial expressions to convey emotions. The children were wholly invested in the creative process, and this allowed them to perform a short dance piece to a music track. As they explored the world of classical Indian dance, they were introduced to performance costumes, jewellery, headgear and musical instruments, which they had never seen before. These cultural objects sparked inspiration in the children’s storytelling.
As the workshop drew to a close, the children were thrilled to have the chance to purchase a signed copy of Desiree Bashi’s latest book, “Dancing with your Eyes,” a stunning publication that explores the classical Indian dance form Odissi.
