Tripura Kashyap pioneered Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) in India (1990) after training at the Hancock Centre for Creative Arts Therapies in Wisconsin, USA. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Psychology. She also received a degree in Bharatanatyam from Kalakshetra, Chennai and was a performing artist in the Chandralekha dance company for many years. She trained in Jazz, Ballet, Modern dance, Choreography and Dance theatre at the American Dance Festival, USA.

 

Tripura has worked as a Dance Movement therapist at Halfway homes, in Corporate settings, Educational centres, Treatment / Rehabilitation centres, Retirement homes and with individual clients for over three decades. She was the founder-director of Rainbow Inc (Hyderabad) and Apoorva Dance Theatre (Bengaluru) and worked collaboratively with filmmakers, visual artists and musicians on cross-art projects and performances. She was the projects coordinator for Bhoomika Dance Company (Delhi) and consultant for the ‘Dance-in-Education’ program at the Attakkalari Center for Movement Arts (Bengaluru). 

 

Tripura co-founded the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India (CMTAI). She has co-conceived the ‘Therapeutic Dance-in-Education’ program and teaches it too. She is also on the teaching faculty of Dance Movement Therapy Certificate, PG Diploma and M.A courses across India. She served as visiting faculty at the Psychology department, at Ashoka University, Christ University and M.A. Performance Studies at Ambedkar University, Delhi. She is currently an adjunct professor at the World University of Design in the performing arts department in Sonipat. She has presented her DMT work through talks, lecture demonstrations and workshops at several national and International conferences.

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Tripura has received fellowships from the Ashoka International Foundation, the Indian Ministry of Culture and a lifetime achievement award from Sancheti Healthcare Academy for her innovations in dance therapy. She has also received the International Lady Legend Award from the Saksham Society, Rajasthan. Tripura has authored ‘My Body, My Wisdom’ a book on dance therapy and ‘Contemporary Dance: Practices, Paradigms and Practitioners’ published by Penguin and Aayu Publications.