Diwali Workshops:
Dance and Drama
✓ Reception - Year 6
✓ Led by a professional dancer or actor
✓ Religious Education, World Around Us
✓ Free teacher resources
✓ Delivered in your school hall
Step into the Diwali story through dance and drama
Discover Diwali with a dance or drama workshop exploring the Ramayana story. Perfect for the festival's celebrations which take place 29 October to 3 November this year.
The Ramayana is the most well known story told during Diwali celebrations. The great Hindu epic story about prince Rama and his wife Sita has been shared orally and through dance for centuries.
In our Diwali workshops for Reception to Year 6, children use their imaginations to physically retell the epic tale, from making the sounds and shapes of the forest, to lighting the lamps that guide Rama and Sita home. Led by a professional actor or dancer, children work together and have fun, whilst improving both their cultural understanding and confidence in creative expression.
Workshop created by: Sita Thomas
Music by: Danyal Dhondy
Watch us in action!
Get a flavour of the West End in Schools experience with our new workshop highlights video.
Two energising Diwali workshops - which should you choose?
You don’t need to decide before enquiring, we can help you make the best choice for your school.
Diwali Dance - a great use of your sports premium budget! Children vividly imagine, explore and retell the story through movement, creating a 2 minute dance which is performed at the end of the session.
New! Diwali Drama - children step into the world of The Ramayana, using soundscapes, storytelling and drama techniques to explore the characters and themes of the story.
We will send you a suggested timetable when you enquire and we can work with you to create a timetable that works for your school day.
The Ramayana Diwali Dance Workshop
- We work with classes from Reception to Year 6 for sessions between 35 and 50 minutes.
- Nursery classes can also have 30 minute 'taster' sessions.
- We can run up to seven 35 minute sessions per day. To work with fewer classes we can visit for just an afternoon or morning session. To work with more than seven classes we can visit across multiple days.
- Each individual session closes with a two-minute dance performance for the teacher.
- We work with classes from Reception to Year 6 for sessions between 35 and 90 minutes.
- Nursery classes can have 30 minute 'taster' sessions.
- We can run up to six sessions per day. To work with fewer classes we can visit for just an afternoon or morning session. To work with more than seven classes we can visit across multiple days.
- To develop an understanding of the most well known story behind Diwali by recreating the narrative from start to finish.
- To gain confidence in creative expression, and explore how physical vocabulary can express emotion.
- To develop creative ownership and the imagination by working alongside a professional actor or dancer.
- To improve cultural understanding by exploring this important literary work.
When you book you will receive a link to a full pack of supporting teacher resources that can be used before or after the workshop. Take a look at a preview of that resource or head to our blog for more ideas for using dance and drama in the primary classroom.
