Want to learn Garba in an LGBTQ+ affirming space?! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Come along to our queer partner choreography class on Wednesday 25th October, where we'll be teaching you an energetic and beginner friendly routine to an iconic Bollywood Garba tune, from LGBTQ+ movie Maja Ma.
This is a collaboration class between Bollyqueer and Raimu Itfum.
- Bollyqueer is a beginners Bollywood dance class celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, aiming to break down gender norms in the Bollywood dance space. In a Bollyqueer class, there is no such thing as gendered choreography, and you are encouraged to dance in a way that makes you feel happiest💞. See more: Bollyqueer.com, or on Instagram @bollyqueer
- Raimu is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for creating work that questions stereotyping and the purpose of that for marginalised Global majority communities in which he sits as a Queer, Non-Binary, Neurodiverse and mixed heritage creative. His main artistic focus has been within theatre, film and audio work; predominantly as a writer, director, producer and performer.
- In 2021, he assistant choreographed for Anthony Van Last CBE for the feature film What's Love Got to do with it? starring Emma Thompson, Shazad Latif, Lily James and Shabana Azmi. In 2023, he Movement Directed for photographer Tami Aftab’s Port Magazine spread and Sold Out theatre show Brown Girls Noise written by Kaya Uppal and directed by Neetu Singh.
- He was a faculty member for Pineapple Dance Studios, Base Dance Studios and Danceworks London from 2017 to 2020 teaching Bollywood, Bhangra and Contemporary. He dance experience consists of styles such as: Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Street, Commercial, Wacking, Vogue (Old Way/ American Runway/ Butch Femme), Bollywood, Bhangra, Giddha and Garba.
- His Film & TV credits include: Aladdin, The Eternals, Queer Parivaar, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Housefull 3, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Levis, Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly- it takes two, Tui, Johnnie Walker, Ikea, Nio Cocktails, Hotel Chocolat, LFW ‘13 & ‘14, M&S, Oliver Awards '15, Rambert Dance- The Playground , Adidas, X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.
- His Theatre and Live Work credits include: National Connections '10, Fame- The Musical, The Tempest, Mother Courage & Her Children, ABBA, Shooting Truth, King Lear, Chicago, Tate Britain, V&A Museum, The Vaults, Tara Theatre, Kiln Theatre, Soho Theatre, Young Vic Theatre, National Theatre, The Biscuit Factory, Her Majesty's Theatre, Rose Theatre and Sadler's Wells. He has been featured in BBC News, Gay Times, London Live, Sky Arts and Huffington Post.
- Alongside that he hosts a weekly Life & Culture podcast called Chai with Rai with driving into the mindset and business of being a creative. The podcast is available on Spotify, iHeart Radio, Audible, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and all major podcast streaming platforms.
While this class will have some moments of partner work, it is totally okay to attend alone, as we can match you up with someone on the day, and one of us will be able to step in for anyone who does not have a partner. Also, it is definitely not a requirement for this to be a romantic partner, so please feel free to bring along a friend, your mum, aunt, neighbour, uber driver, anyone! 😁
If you are coming alone and would like to be matched with someone prior to the class and to connect with them in advance, send a dm to @bollyqueer or email vinay@bollyqueer.com 🫶
We are both very excited to be working together to bring you some queer garba magic, and can't wait to dance with you!
See you soon! ✨️
Note that a ticket is required for each person attending, so one general admission ticket will grant 1 person entry in to the class.
Allies are welcome!
Please DM for concession code for those on low income 🫶
Unfortunately unable to process refunds/cancellations within 48 hours of the class.