Aaja Nachle is Auckland’s premier Indian dance school. We are a growing entity that contributes actively to our community. We are proud to remain true to our core values and pillars that define our school.
Our core values include culture, confidence, strong dance technique and to instil invaluable ‘life lessons’ through our dance lessons.
We genuinely believe that dance is a beautiful tool where students can learn skills that can be applied to our personal and professional lives. We also feel that dance, in the right environment can allow our youngsters to learn to become global citizens and community leaders.
Here are a few simple ways in which Aaja Nachle strengthens our community, through its dance classes.
Promote diversity
We love running dance classes in schools, workplaces and local events. With a busy private hire side to our dance school, we are never short of extra opportunities to conduct performances and lessons outside of our usual weekly dance classes. These are a mix of educational and fun. The participants often get to dress up in cultural outfits, try out some new dance moves and learn about the background of various dance forms and the meaning of the performance songs. By immersing our participants into the experience, they gain a 360-degree perspective with the hope that they can learn to appreciate and accept the diversity around them.
Our classes attract a wide range of ethnicities. Though we attract primarily 1st or 2nd-degree migrants from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal or Fiji, we also attract NZ Europeans, Pacific Islanders and Asians alike. We are proud to have classes that are open, inviting and inclusive to all. We feel this participation by a wide range of diverse ethnic groups is a testament to Aaja Nachle’s open and inclusive organisational culture and a celebration of Aotearoa’s growing multicultural communities.
Encourage leadership
We encourage leadership at all levels - from our students right through to our staff.
Our students are encouraged to partake as leaders from leading their classes to their peers in the wider community
We give young adults a platform as teachers. This is a special role in which they are asked to not only teach but inspire their students along their dance journeys. Our teachers commit to their role, often on top of their full-time jobs and act as mentors to their students while also teaching them weekly and performing alongside them.
We often hear our students telling us that they want to grow to be a teacher at Aaja Nachle. After watching and observing their own teachers work so closely with their communities and impart knowledge and wisdom through their dance lessons, it is no surprise to hear that they are moved by their teachers and want to follow in their footsteps! It’s especially heartwarming as we want to establish a community that nurtures itself and is empowers those at a grass roots level. Have you read about our Karishma Singh - once a student, now a much-loved tutor at our school?
Female empowerment
Though changing, there are most certainly strains of patriarchy that still run strong and are prominent in certain areas of our culture and traditions. Migrant girls can be expected to cover up, do as they are told and often told that dancing is not something ‘older girls do’. Dance, interestingly, can be viewed as a hobby that should not be pursued after ‘a female comes of age’. Unfortunately, the costumes and spotlight given to female dancers can be disapproved by some in our communities.
At Aaja Nachle, our dance stories explore female empowerment, patriarchy and other issues important to females through our storylines and themes. We love that we can use our choreography and art to spread messages of positivity, female empowerment and equality for all. Youth dancing along to the story of an empowered female or watching the tale unfold are taught subconsciously that we can be strong, confident females - with no one telling us what we can and cannot do but ourselves.
Are you coming to our dance drama Akira and the Bollywood gang this summer? The story explores a young migrant girl, trying to find her voice through dance!
Have you seen our Ted X Auckland talk on this topic? We love that we were able to share our message on such a prestigious platform!
Did you see our dance video on Arranged Marriages on TV3?
We are proud of our teachers (mostly female!) for remaining passionate dancers while studying or working full time. Leading by example helps us give more power to our message of female empowerment to not only our students but our audience and wider community.
Foster community spirit
We have entered into a new realm this year by expanding the range of free services we offer the community.
We are now collaborating with charities and local boards and groups to bring about cultural festivals and celebrations - Aaja Nachle style! We want to ensure the local businesses in the area are promoted, local communities have a voice and that our youth are given a platform to contribute actively to these events.
We hosted our first-ever, free Garba event this year. It was truly beautiful and very much appreciated by those that attended!
Are you attending our free Diwali events this Summer?
Cultural identity
Our top 5 tips for maintaining your cultural identity are below:
Stay in Touch With People From Back Home.
Join Local Clubs With Ties to Your Old Culture.
Maintain Cultural Traditions.
Share Your Culture With New Friends and Colleagues.
Volunteer for a Non-Profit Organization.
Cultural identity is important for people's sense of self and how they relate to others. As Indo-Kiwi’s or migrants, it’s easy to feel lost! Indian dance classes are a great way to remain in touch with your heritage while immersing yourself into kiwi life.
Anyone that attends Aaja Nachle quickly discovers it is so much more than a dance studio. The passion that flows through all the teachers and students is a contagious energy that inspires and empowers all members of the Aaja Nachle family to thrive and succeed, while having an awesome time and building new friendships along the way.
Aaja Nachle is a place to learn invaluable life lessons, through dance lessons.
Connect with us to connect to your community, your culture, and to yourself.