Experience

East London Cares

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Community Arts & Wellbeing

  • May 2021 - Present



Rambert

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Inclusive Dance

  • Jan 2021 - Present



Akademi

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Inclusive Dance

  • Sep 2017 - Present

  Through Akademi I have worked on ‘Reach out and Reveal’, a project which bring dance to young SEN students, and ‘Dancewell’ which brings dance to older groups living with dementia. I devised and delivered dance sessions for both projects. Some sessions had the end goal of a public performance and other were simply for building the strength, coordination and enjoyment of our users. Each session is carefully planned with the needs and safety of the group in mind. Through Akademi I have worked on ‘Reach out and Reveal’, a project which bring dance to young SEN students, and ‘Dancewell’ which brings dance to older groups living with dementia. I devised and delivered dance sessions for both projects. Some sessions had the end goal of a public performance and other were simply for building the strength, coordination and enjoyment of our users. Each session is carefully planned with the needs and safety of the group in mind.



Self-employed

• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Inclusive Dance

  • Jun 2017 - Present

  Alongside working as a resident community dance artist for renowned companies like Rambert and Akademi, I have delivered one-off events at Accenture, Pineapple Dance studios, St Margaret’s House and East London Cares. I also run inclusive dance sessions independently for Parkinsons UK, Redbridge council's special educational needs (SEN) groups and other local groups. My goal to bring dance to the community is perfectly intertwined with my commercial dance practise as I continues to engage with more organisations and share the values that inclusive and holistic dance can bring to different communities.



PAGRAV DANCE COMPANY LIMITED

• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Dancer

  • Sep 2017 - Present

  https://www.pagravdance.com/ https://www.pagravdance.com/



The Bollywood Co.

• Entertainment Providers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Dancer

  • Sep 2014 - Present

  https://www.thebollywoodco.com/ https://www.thebollywoodco.com/



Union Chapel UK

• United Kingdom
• Entertainment Providers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Community Arts Producer (wellbeing)

  • Oct 2020 - May 2021

  During the pandemic of 2020, online arts access became a trend and focal point for community engagement which further excluded the groups that do not have easy access to virtual spaces. As a result, Priyanka led on a multi-pronged approach to the church’s outreach and curated an at-home arts resource pack (with arts, drama, dance, graffiti, music & cooking) that was sent out to refugee groups, women’s crisis centre’s, community centres working with older groups and families and Union Chapel’s in-house homelessness project. Priyanka worked with each of the artists to ensure the activities were accessible, and had an element of lifting wellbeing and inspiring creativity at home. Pre-recorded videos also created by the artists were shared to any groups that could access online creativity. Alongside this Priyanka worked with Katy Rubin and delivered a legislative theatre programme that trained community leaders in facilitation skills and challenged local policy makers on issues around housing, mental heal services & sexism at work.



Jacksons Lane

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Community Arts Manager

  • Sep 2017 - Mar 2020

  ‘Women Rise’ was a participatory arts project for women aged 55 years and over that built on new skills, confidence and a sense of community. The project aimed to introduce women to new creative activities and open up a safe space to have conversations around ageing, isolation, intimate relationships and more. Alongside the participatory workshops which ranged in activity from circus skills to yoga and drama, ‘Women Rise’ also toured an interactive community play which explored the subject of domestic abuse and raised awareness on the support for it locally. As the lead on this project, Priyanka devised the project layout, sourced and managed the artists that delivered the creative sessions, engaged with community groups, community leaders and the venues that were delivered to and in, built community partnerships and inspired the growth that made the project a success.



ASHIANA NETWORK

• United Kingdom
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Domestic Abuse Prevention Lead

  • Jan 2015 - Jan 2017

  I arranged, designed and facilitated two courses on domestic violence. One aimed at awareness and service support and the other on building the confidence of survivors. I co-designed and delivered professional training days to educate housing, police, school and council staff on best practice for dealing with culturally sensitive domestic violence issues such as forced marriage, honour-based violence and female genital mutilation. I built relationships with community spaces across East London schools, colleges, community groups and venues to ensure the wider community could engage in the sessions and trainings.



Beal High School

• United States
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Youth Mentor

  • Sep 2015 - Sep 2016

  I worked closely with five students, one of which had Asperger's syndrome, with the aim to explore the challenges they may be facing in their school and personal life and develop with them a useful way to navigate those challenges. This role strengthened the importance of using active listening techniques, emotional intelligence, and a person-centred approach when working with others. I worked closely with five students, one of which had Asperger's syndrome, with the aim to explore the challenges they may be facing in their school and personal life and develop with them a useful way to navigate those challenges. This role strengthened the importance of using active listening techniques, emotional intelligence, and a person-centred approach when working with others.