Live. Move. Discover.
A short drive from the bustle of Bangalore lies Nrityagram, home to a community of dancers devoted to the pursuit of their art. The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble has performed across the world, earning international acclaim and numerous awards.
“The only proper response to dancers this amazing is worship.”
The New York Times
But what is daily life like in this remarkable place?
Every year, a small group of children get the opportunity to find out by enrolling in Nrityagram’s Summer Fun for Kids. For a few special days, they experience life at Nrityagram through dance, theatre, storytelling, games, nature walks, and shared community activities.
Summer Fun for Kids is a unique short-term residential camp that offers participants a glimpse into the Nrityagram philosophy - where learning is not confined to a classroom, but lived as a way of life. Away from television screens and video games, and surrounded by flowering trees, birds, and open spaces, children experience a rhythm of living where everyone learns to care for themselves, their surroundings, and their shared home.
The camp also introduces children to the spirit of the guru-shishya parampara that guides learning at Nrityagram. Participants follow a five-hour daily learning schedule that includes dance and theatre sessions, along with yoga, body conditioning, and creative art activities. They also take part in simple everyday tasks such as cooking, gardening, and caring for the campus - becoming part of the community for the duration of the camp. Many children (and their parents) later describe the experience as truly life-changing.
Dance and theatre have always been the core elements of the camp. This year, we are excited to introduce a new addition: Aerial Silks. In these sessions, participants explore movement on suspended silks, discovering the joy of moving through the air while developing strength, balance, coordination, and confidence.
The camp will be led by a team of experienced artistes and educators. Nivedita Paul, a Nrityagram dancer and educator, will guide the Odissi dance sessions. Nandakishore K.R., a theatre practitioner and long-time collaborator of Nrityagram, will lead movement and theatre classes. Shruti Jasani, Nrityagram student and founder of The Wooden Stage in Mumbai, will lead sessions in Aerial Silks and Body Conditioning.
Throughout the camp, participants will live together on the Nrityagram campus, sharing the rhythms of village life while learning, creating, and discovering new possibilities through movement, creativity, and imagination.
Nrityagram Arts in Education Programme
Rooted in the Nrityagram philosophy of learning as a way of life, this programme introduces children to classical dance while nurturing creativity, discipline, and self-confidence.
Nrityagram’s Outreach Programme, held every Sunday, was initiated in 1990 by founder Protima Gauri as part of Project Nrityagyān (Dance Education). The programme was envisioned not only as a way to introduce children to classical dance, but also as a means of nurturing personal growth - cultivating discipline, self-confidence, creativity, and a commitment to excellence.
Over the years, Nrityagram’s dancers have developed a teaching approach that is rigorous yet joyful. Classes are energetic, engaging, and grounded in the high standards required to learn classical dance. At the same time, they are designed to create an environment where children feel supported, encouraged, and inspired to grow.
A spirit of trust lies at the heart of this approach. Students receive honest feedback while learning to value their own progress, celebrate small achievements, and work steadily toward new challenges. The classroom becomes a space of respect and collaboration, where teachers and students share a commitment to learning.
Nrityagram’s Summer Fun for Kids builds on this philosophy. As a residential and multidisciplinary camp, it deepens the experience by immersing participants in a creative community. Through dance, theatre, movement, and shared daily activities, the camp encourages self-confidence, teamwork, imagination, physical coordination, musical awareness, and free, joyful expression.
Meet the Camp Mentors
Artistes and educators guiding creativity, movement, and discovery.
This year’s Summer Camp is led by a team of experienced educators and performers from the worlds of dance, theatre, and movement, who bring creativity, discipline, and joyful exploration to young learners.
Nivedita Paul
Nivedita Paul is an educator and researcher committed to children’s wellbeing, learning, and creative development. She is the founder of Pen Pencil Paper and More , an EdTech and empowerment initiative, and has held several leadership and teaching roles in education, including Founding Principal at Ramakrishna Mission School in Kozhikode, Homeroom Tutor at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad, and Teach for India Fellow in Mumbai.
Nivedita began her training in Odissi after attending a Summer Workshop at Nrityagram in 2018. She has since continued her studies through online classes with Surupa Sen and since 2022, as a Day Scholar under the guidance of Pavithra Reddy.
She teaches the youngest students in Nrityagram’s outreach programme, bringing together her experience as an educator and her love for dance to introduce children to the beauty and joy of Odissi.
Nandakishore K.R.
Nandakishore K.R. is a theatre practitioner, lighting designer, mime artist, and movement designer with over three decades of experience in Indian theatre. He has collaborated with many of the country’s most distinguished theatre directors, including B.V. Karanth, Ebrahim Alkazi, Bansi Kaul, Ramgopal Bajaj, C. Basavalingaiah, V. Ramamurthy, and Habib Tanvir.
An active member of the Kannada amateur theatre movement, he has also worked with artistes such as Shankar Nag, Prema Karanth, B. Jayashree, and Suresh Anagalli. His work spans lighting design, directing children’s theatre, visual art collaborations, and film and television, where he has worked as a director, art director, scriptwriter, and producer.
Associated with Nrityagram since its inception, Nandakishore brings his rich experience in theatre, movement, and storytelling to creative work with young performers.
Shruti Jasani
Shruti Jasani is a performer and movement teacher whose work spans contemporary dance, ballet, theatre, and aerial arts. She studied contemporary dance and ballet at New York University and has been affiliated with Trinity College London since 2005, where she specialised in the Performing Arts syllabus, completing professional examinations and teaching dance and drama.
She has also trained at Aerial Arts New York and with Womack and Bowman, and is the co-founder of The Wooden Stage, a studio where she teaches aerial arts to both children and adults. In addition to teaching, Shruti has performed widely in theatre and public events, including appearances at TEDx and TiEcon, and currently plays Kaa the python in the musical production The Jungle Book – Part 2.
Shruti first came to Nrityagram for a Summer Workshop in 2022 and continues Odissi training through bi-weekly online classes and short-term residential workshops.
At the Summer Camp, Shruti will lead sessions in Aerial Silk Movement and Body Conditioning, inviting young participants to experience strength, balance, and imagination in motion.
What Children Experience
At Nrityagram, learning happens not only in the studio but throughout daily life. Participants experience a balance of creative exploration, physical activity, and shared community living.
The programme includes:
- Odissi Dance
- Movement and Theatre
- Aerial Silks
- Yoga and Body Conditioning
- Art and Creative Activities
- Nature Walks and Storytelling
- Simple Community Activities such as gardening and caring for shared spaces
Together, these experiences nurture creativity, confidence, teamwork, physical coordination, and joyful self-expression.
A Day at Camp
Each day at Nrityagram follows a gentle rhythm that balances learning, creativity, and play.
Participants spend around five hours in guided sessions, divided between dance, theatre, and aerial work, along with yoga and body conditioning. The rest of the day includes nature walks, creative activities, storytelling, and time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Nrityagram campus.
In addition to engaging in dance, theatre, and aerial silks, camp participants will also be introduced to bird watching and environmental awareness in what is today Bangalore’s only remaining grassland ecosystem at Hessaraghatta.
Children also participate in simple everyday activities such as gardening and caring for shared spaces, becoming part of the Nrityagram community during their stay.
Life at Nrityagram
During the camp, participants live together on the campus, surrounded by flowering trees, birds, and open spaces. In this environment - free from screens and everyday distractions - children experience a mindful way of living where creativity, discipline, and community go hand in hand.
The participants will stay in our artistes residence, Kula, which has 8 rooms (2-3 beds per room) with ensuite bathrooms, a common kitchenette (for refreshments and snacks) and a courtyard.
All the teachers and students of Nrityagram live within the campus in houses and rooms near Kula and camp participants will be supervised by an adult at all times. All meals and refreshments will be in the common dining area and are primarily vegetarian.
Why Parents Love This Camp
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Unique Creative Environment
Children spend their days immersed in dance, theatre, and movement within the inspiring surroundings of Nrityagram. -
Confidence and Self-Expression
Through performance-based learning and creative exploration, children develop confidence, communication skills, and a sense of self. -
Learning Through Community Living
Living together on campus helps children experience cooperation, responsibility, and respect for shared spaces. -
Connection with Nature
Surrounded by trees, birds, and open spaces, participants spend time outdoors and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world. -
Joyful Discipline
Children experience the balance of structure and play that lies at the heart of the Nrityagram philosophy of learning.
Practical Details
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- Arrival Date: 28th April 2026, 3 - 5pm
- Departure Date: 3rd May 2026, 3 - 5pm
- The start date is non-negotiable.
- Age: 7 - 12 years
- Location: Nrityagram
- Residential: Yes
- Number of Participants: Limited places available
- Fee: ₹20,000 + ₹300 Convenience Fee (Subject to change.)
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Enrolment & Payment Terms
- We accept students on a first-come first-served basis, and due to the high level of interest and limited space, we suggest that you sign up immediately to secure a place.
- The full tuition fee must be paid in advance to reserve a place in the Camp. This amount is non-refundable unless we cancel the Camp.
- Upon receipt of the tuition fee, you will receive a confirmation of payment. Please check your Spam Folder in case it ends up there.
- Registration: To complete registration, we will provide a link to the registration form that will need to be completed prior to the start of the Camp.
- Preparing for the Camp: By the second week of April, we will provide detailed information including guidelines, packing list, daily class schedule, etc.
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If you have questions or concerns, please email us your phone number and we will return your call.
Email: pavithra@nrityagram.org - How to get to Nrityagram: Directions