Training · Physical theatre · Ensemble

Workshops and Training Projects

AANK_A Creative Line organises theatre workshops and performance-training projects for children, students, emerging performers and professional theatre practitioners. These programmes focus on acting, physical theatre, movement, rhythm, voice, improvisation, body awareness, ensemble practice and collaborative performance-making.

Through practical exercises and creative exploration, participants learn to use the body, voice, space, objects and imagination as instruments of theatrical expression. The workshops encourage confidence, discipline, cultural exchange and collective learning. Several of these initiatives have developed beyond short-term training and have led to complete performances, collaborative productions and presentations at national and international theatre festivals.

Workshops on this page

Coming up: BBITF 2026 Physical Theatre Workshop, 26–28 October

2026

Dates
26 August 2026

Venue
Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, High Commission of India, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Organised as part of
12th Colombo International Theatre Festival (CITF) 2026

Facilitator
Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami

Assistants
Mallika Kalita, Malaya Baruah, Brishtirani Hazarika

Yoga Body Flow · Colombo, 2026

Yoga Body Flow

Yoga and Physical Training for Performers

Yoga Body Flow introduced yoga as a training system for performers at the 12th Colombo International Theatre Festival. It treated yogic practice as preparation for the stage: a way of building breath control, alignment, balance, flexibility and concentration, and of carrying these qualities into movement in space.

The session moved from breathing practices (pranayama) and centring, through standing, balancing and stretching postures adapted for actors, to continuous sequences that linked one posture to the next with control and rhythm. It closed with stillness and relaxation, treating the ability to hold and release energy as a core skill of the solo performer.

The workshop drew on the training behind AANK_A Creative Line’s own productions. The three assistants were performers and technicians of The Body as Border and The Moonlight of the Island, so participants could see the method in the studio and its result on stage in the same festival.

Outcomes and continuing impact

A yoga-based training method for performers was shared with festival participants.
The link between training and performance was visible within a single festival, from the workshop to the two productions of AANK_A Creative Line.
Younger members of the team gained experience of assisting an international workshop.

2026

Dates
3–15 July 2026

Venue
Bodousa Senior Secondary School, Makum, Tinsukia, Assam

Organised by
Bodousa Foundation

In collaboration with
AANK_A Creative Line

Facilitator
Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami

Assistants
Brishtirani Hazarika, Mallika Kalita

Participants
62 students of Class IX

Final presentation
56 student participants, 15 July 2026

Embodied Stories · Makum, 2026

Embodied Stories

Physical Theatre Workshop and Performance Project

Embodied Stories was conceived as an intensive physical theatre workshop and performance project for Class IX students of Bodousa Senior Secondary School, Makum. The programme introduced students to performance through movement, rhythm, gesture, voice, breath, spatial awareness, improvisation and visual composition.

The workshop treated the body as the primary instrument of storytelling. Dialogue was used only where necessary. Students explored how stories could be communicated through physical action, ensemble rhythm, music, objects, stage images and the relationship between performers and space.

Each session combined physical preparation, technique exercises, improvisation, group work, rehearsal and discussion. The students worked with walking patterns, stillness, levels, tempo, body percussion, spatial awareness, character development, dramatic conflict and scene construction. They were encouraged to contribute ideas and understand the creative purpose of each movement, sound and stage image.

The programme was initially planned for 30 students, but the response was much larger than expected. Sixty-two students joined the process, making it a substantial school-based theatre initiative. The final presentation brought together four works: Iluti Hiluti, a site-specific performance by the students; Dapon, a musical play by the students; The Body as Border, a solo performance by Malaya Baruah; and The Moonlight of the Island, a solo performance by Brishtirani Hazarika.

Outcomes and continuing impact

The workshop developed body awareness, concentration, physical discipline, confidence, stage presence and ensemble coordination among the students.
It produced two student works, Iluti Hiluti and Dapon, and provided a public platform for two solo physical theatre productions.
The project created a continuing pathway from school-based training to festival performance. The Body as Border and The Moonlight of the Island were developed for presentation at the Colombo International Theatre Festival (CITF) 2026.
The project also created scope for continued theatre education at the school and for the future development of student performances for BCITF and other festival platforms.

2025

Dates
4–6 September 2025

Time
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, two sessions each day

Venue
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Society, Guwahati, Assam

Organised as part of
Bhullung-Bhuthur International Theatre Festival (BBITF) 2025

Organised by
AANK_A Creative Line

In association with
Cultural Affairs Department and Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam

Participation
Six local performers, one participant from Bangladesh, one from Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, and members of the Sri Lankan delegation

Physical Theatre Workshop · BBITF 2025

Physical Theatre Workshop, BBITF 2025

Embodied Voices: The Craft of Physical Expression on Stage

The Physical Theatre Workshop at BBITF 2025 was a three-day international training programme designed to deepen the performer’s awareness of the body as a powerful medium of expression. The workshop focused on body awareness, physical presence, non-verbal communication, movement-based performance, embodied improvisation, expressive gesture, spatial dynamics and ensemble energy.

The six sessions introduced participants to devising theatre, movement without a fixed script, mask-based physical performance, dramatic bodily expression, aerial acrobatics and emotional embodiment. The different approaches helped participants understand how stories, emotions and relationships can be communicated beyond spoken language.

The participation of artists and facilitators from several countries created a vibrant intercultural learning environment. Through shared exercises and collaborative exploration, participants encountered different performance vocabularies and developed a deeper understanding of the body as a universal language of theatre.

Workshop faculty and sessions

4 September

We All Carry Stories: Devising Theatre Workshop

Andreea Tănase · Romania

4 September

The Body Unscripted: Freedom to Explore Movement Without Limits

Upeksha Lankathilaka · Sri Lanka

5 September

The Mask in the Actor’s Body Performance

Hafedh Khalifa · Tunisia

5 September

Dramatic Physical Theatre

Kim So-jung, Kang Joo-sung and Jang Se-hyun · South Korea

6 September

Contemporary Aerial Acrobatics

Iva Peter-Dragan, Ivana Bešker and Ana Bakšić · Croatia

6 September

Emotional Journey

Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami · India

Outcomes and continuing impact

The workshop enhanced participants’ skills in movement, gesture, improvisation, spatial awareness, ensemble creation and emotional expression.
It created an active platform for intercultural learning among theatre practitioners from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other participating countries.
Brishtirani Hazarika, one of the workshop participants, continued her physical theatre practice and later developed The Moonlight of the Island for the Colombo International Theatre Festival (CITF) 2026.
Her development from workshop participant to international festival performer demonstrates the value of sustained training, production support and continuing performance opportunities.

2024

Dates
3–7 September 2024

Time
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Venue
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Society, Guwahati, Assam

Format
Six workshop sessions

Organised as part of
Bhullung-Bhuthur International Theatre Festival (BBITF) 2024

Organised by
AANK_A Creative Line

Participants
11 theatre artists: eight from Sri Lanka and three from India

Physical Theatre Workshop · BBITF 2024

Physical Theatre Workshop, BBITF 2024

Embodied Expressions: Mastering the Art of Nonverbal Storytelling

The Physical Theatre Workshop at BBITF 2024 offered an immersive exploration of movement-based and non-verbal performance. The programme emphasised the expressive potential of the body in theatrical storytelling and introduced participants to body awareness, movement, rhythm, improvisation, gesture and the creative use of space.

Each session provided hands-on experience and encouraged participants to experiment with their physicality. Under the guidance of the facilitators, the artists explored how the body can replace words and communicate complex emotions, relationships and dramatic situations.

The workshop combined physical and mental preparation with discussions, demonstrations and practical exercises. It also served as a platform for cross-cultural exchange, allowing practitioners from India and Sri Lanka to work with facilitators from different countries and encounter both traditional and experimental approaches to performance.

Workshop faculty

Outcomes and continuing impact

Participants gained a deeper understanding of physical theatre as an expressive and universally accessible medium of storytelling.
The training strengthened their skills in body awareness, improvisation, gesture, movement, rhythm, spatial communication and non-verbal narrative.
The workshop encouraged Indian and Sri Lankan theatre practitioners to train together, share creative methods and build professional relationships.
It reinforced BBITF’s role as a platform not only for performance but also for international theatre training and artistic exchange.

2023

Dates
6–10 October 2023

Time
2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Venue
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Society, Guwahati, Assam

Organised as part of
Bhullung-Bhuthur International Theatre Festival (BBITF) 2023

Organised by
AANK_A Creative Line

In collaboration with
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Society, Government of Assam

Facilitator
M. Safeer, Inter Act Art, Sri Lanka

Assisted by
Team members of Inter Act Art, Sri Lanka

Participants
23 theatre practitioners from different parts of Assam

Advanced Physical Theatre Workshop · BBITF 2023

Advanced Physical Theatre Workshop, BBITF 2023

How to Use the Body and Rhythm of the Body as an Actor for Acting

The Advanced Physical Theatre Workshop at BBITF 2023 explored the relationship between the actor’s body, rhythm and theatrical expression. The training was based on the understanding that movement, rhythm, dance and physical action can communicate across linguistic boundaries.

The sessions included warm-up and ice-breaking exercises, breathing techniques, concentration practices, trust-building activities, visual sessions, improvisation and movement-based communication. Participants worked on adaptability, creativity, focus, physical coordination and ensemble connection.

The workshop also introduced participants to the idea of movement theatre as a non-verbal form that uses physical movement, rhythm, dance and expression to communicate with audiences from different linguistic backgrounds. An informal presentation of Arya, a Sinhala creative interpretation of Western classical opera, added a performative dimension to the programme.

Outcomes and continuing impact

The workshop helped participants develop body awareness, rhythm, concentration, physical coordination, improvisation and ensemble discipline.
It offered participants an in-depth understanding of physical theatre and the use of the body as an actor’s primary instrument.
Jahnabi Borah, a participant in the 2023 workshop, later became the performer of the Assamese physical monodrama Swings of Love.
Swings of Love was subsequently presented at the Bhullung-Bhuthur International Theatre Festival, the Colombo International Theatre Festival 2025 and the 2026 Seoul International Monodrama Festival.
This progression from workshop participation to international festival performance demonstrates how sustained training and production opportunities can support the long-term artistic development of emerging performers.

2019

Dates
17–18 February 2019

Organised by
AANK_A Creative Line

In collaboration with
Xpressions, the Drama Society of IIT Guwahati

Facilitator
Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami, Artistic Director, AANK_A Creative Line

Abhinay Acting Workshop · 2019

Abhinay Acting Workshop

Abhinay was a two-day acting workshop organised by AANK_A Creative Line in collaboration with Xpressions, the Drama Society of IIT Guwahati. The programme created a platform for budding actors and theatre enthusiasts to develop their acting skills, understand the intricacies of the craft and explore the art of emotive storytelling.

Through a series of practical activities, participants explored body language, voice modulation, character analysis and improvisation. Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami guided the participants through the sessions and helped them connect physical and vocal expression with character and dramatic situation.

The collaboration between AANK_A Creative Line and Xpressions reflected a shared commitment to artistic growth, creative expression and theatre education for young participants.

Outcomes and continuing impact

Participants left with a stronger foundation in acting and a clearer understanding of body language, voice, character and improvisation.
The workshop encouraged confidence, creativity, collaboration and a deeper appreciation of theatre.
It strengthened the relationship between AANK_A Creative Line and the student theatre community of IIT Guwahati.
The programme contributed to AANK_A Creative Line’s continuing effort to create accessible training opportunities for young and emerging theatre practitioners.

Overall outcomes of the workshop programmes

The workshops and training projects organised by AANK_A Creative Line have developed beyond short-term learning programmes. They have created pathways through which participants can move from basic exercises and creative exploration to complete productions, public presentations and international festival participation.

The continuing journeys of Jahnabi Borah and Brishtirani Hazarika demonstrate this training-to-performance model. Jahnabi Borah developed from a participant in the 2023 Advanced Physical Theatre Workshop into the performer of Swings of Love, which reached BBITF, CITF 2025 and the 2026 Seoul International Monodrama Festival. Brishtirani Hazarika continued her physical theatre practice after the BBITF 2025 workshop and developed The Moonlight of the Island for CITF 2026.

The school-based Embodied Stories project also shows how theatre training can generate new work. Iluti Hiluti, Dapon, The Body as Border and The Moonlight of the Island emerged through a process that combined training, collaborative creation and performance development.

Through these initiatives, AANK_A Creative Line seeks to identify new performers, strengthen their artistic abilities, support original performance-making and connect local theatre practice with national and international platforms.

Workshop photo gallery

Photographs from the workshops and training projects organised by AANK_A Creative Line and its collaborating institutions: acting sessions, physical exercises, improvisations, ensemble work, interactions with faculty, rehearsals and final presentations, from 2019 to 2026.