Theatre, Games, and Embodied Art Workshops
I do not run standard workshops. We use theatre games, bodywork, and art to act out the struggles we live, breaking down the hierarchies we carry. It is messy, real, and a starting point for the change we actually want to see.
Every day of our residency begins with body work. This video shows participants practicing "The Five Rites," a series of Tibetan exercises that help ground us and prepare our bodies to create better art and theatre.
A poster for my "Play Pause Praxis" workshop on gender equality at St. Joseph's College. This series uses game-based interventions to start conversations about complex social issues with students.
A whiteboard showing a tally of 102. This is from a game I facilitated to visualize data on gender-based violence. Making the numbers visible in this way is a simple but impactful artistic act.
Another data visualization from the gender equality workshop. Using games and art to explore difficult truths helps us engage with them in a new way, sparking debate and dialogue.
A poem I wrote reflecting on the Theatre of the Oppressed. It is a dynamic practice that teaches us about our roles as both the oppressed and the oppressor, and that liberation is always personal.
About Theatre, Games & Embodied Practice
Forget sitting still at an easel. In these sessions, we use Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to get physical and honest. You might be tallying real-world data on a whiteboard, engaging in Forum Play to enact conflict, or starting the day with Tibetan body work to ground yourself. It is not about perfect lines; it is about finding the voice you lost.
My practice starts with the belief that we hold our politics in our bodies. When we limit art to a canvas, we miss the systemic rot that affects our daily lives. That is why I move between the canvas, the stage, and the classroom.
We rely heavily on 'Theatre of the Oppressed'—a method that turns passive observers into active participants. We act out real-life power dynamics, swapping roles of the oppressor and the oppressed to understand the empathy gaps in our society. It gets uncomfortable, and that is by design.
For corporate teams and students, this looks like game-based interventions. We map out data on gender-based violence, visualize rape culture pyramids, or use simple board games to spark debates that do not happen in boardrooms. We strip away the polish and deal with the raw truth.
If you are looking for a team-building activity that actually builds team resilience or a workshop that helps students deconstruct patriarchy, this is it. We do not do ice-breakers for the sake of fun. We engage in deep work that stays with you long after the session ends.
Girija
I am just a middle-aged woman searching for answers on canvas and through theatre. My work is political, deeply personal, and rooted in the sisterhood I share with my collective, Haan Hum.
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