Dancing for Health
The mission of Surati for Performing Arts (FPA) is to create and present performing arts and cultural experiences that are rooted in Indian culture, and convey the universal message of equality, inclusion, and unity in diversity. Through staged productions, arts-in-education, cultural festivals, interactive workshops, community outreach, and online events, Surati FPA serves over 50,000 participants and viewers annually.
Since 2002, Surati for Performing Arts has performed at such institutions as the Kennedy, Lincoln, and Alaska Centers for Performing Arts, the Library of Congress, the United Nations, and the Indian Consulate NY. They strive for artistic excellence and work with quality artists, administrators, and technicians who are culturally and ethnically diverse, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, as well as individuals with learning and physical disabilities. Surati FPA brings its programming to the underserved, including senior citizens and low-income communities, runs programs for youth and children, and provides performing arts scholarships.
HealthierJC + Surati For Performing Arts
believes that Building a Culture of Health means building a sustainable, healthy life through dance, music, and yoga. They seek to educate communities about the benefits of these art forms as daily life practices to manage chronic illnesses like obesity, depression, anxiety, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Like Surati FPA, the Partnership for a HealthierJC believes in proactively reducing health disparities and improving health equity. HealthierJC collaborated with Surati FPA in researching academic and medical perspectives on how dance, music, and yoga enhance the health of mind, body, and spirit. These insights were shared with several dance and yoga instructors from different disciplines who explored how to more effectively plan and execute health-driven dance and yoga programs, including outdoor dance + music + nature experiences.
How was the Mini-Grant Used?
To conduct yoga sessions specifically designed to benefit overall health and wellness, the mini-grant allowed Surati FPA to develop new yoga courses to accomplish these goals. A certified yoga instructor and visual artist were hired, who brought in new ideas on how to build and sustain interest by providing simple yet effective exercise routines, or “Asanas”.
Surati FPA then used the HealthierJC funding to conduct multiple yoga sessions based on the Asana format for the community in their Newark Avenue studio. The sessions illustrated the advantages of engaging in Indian classical dance forms, including Bharatnatyam, with an emphasis on the development and maintenance of healthy habits, the enhancement of flexibility, motion, digestion, attention, and focus through the practices of dance. Targeting the younger demographic, the Bollywood dance sessions illustrated that maintaining one’s health can also be enjoyable. A variety of routines, such as cardio and Zumba, were incorporated into the sessions to improve lung function, heart rate, and calorie expenditure.
Jersey City participants in these Bharatnatyam and Bollywood dance sessions included minorities, women, seniors, low-income individuals, youth, and children in Ward C.
Making a Difference…
“As we reflect on the journey, we can see how these activities have made a positive impact on our community.
We’ve learned the importance of taking care of ourselves and each other.”
— Mahapasweta Roy, Production
Mahapasweta said that Surati FPA’s HealthierJC initiative aimed to make Jersey City healthier and more united by introducing yoga, Indian classical, Bollywood and Bhangra dance to its youth and children, taking a further step toward serving the underprivileged and underserved.
“These activities weren’t just about exercise; they were about overall well-being, coming together as a community,” she said. “Through yoga, we learned to relax and appreciate our bodies and minds, finding inner peace amid life’s hectic pace. With Indian classical, Bhangra and Bollywood dance, we celebrated our cultural diversity and shared the joys of movement. These sessions not only improved physical and mental health but also fostered a sense of belonging and support among participants.”
Said Rimli Roy, the founder of Surati For Performing Arts: “Moving forward, Surati plans to continue to prioritize health and unity, knowing that together, we can create a brighter future for Jersey City. It was an amazing opportunity for Jersey City residents and youth to experience the benefits of music and dance. It was therapeutic and uplifting.”
For more information about Surati For Performing Arts, visit their website at https://suratiinc.com/srurati-studios.html