Meet the Team
Sitakumari – Director
Based in Scotland Sitakumari is a director of Heartstone and Allied Mouse Ltd. She is first and foremost a dancer and storyteller with a lifelong creative career. She was initiated into the oldest Indian classical dance style of Bharatanatyam by her mother Mangalam Iyer, a student of the famed Ram Gopal, among the first to showcase Indian classical dance in the west in the 1930s and known as ‘the Nijinsky if India’. Following her Arangetram (debut on-stage performance), Sitakumari performed widely across the UK and Europe as a classical dancer and then in her own contemporary style in which she still performs and teaches.
Together with writer and photographer Nick Sidle, she set up Natya Padam in the 1980’s funded by the Arts Council of Great Britain, an innovative company to produce performances and workshops.
This became Heartstone in the 1990 with the publishing of the book ‘The Hearstone Odyssey’, by the company she helped to found, Allied Mouse Ltd.
Her passion is to use the storytelling medium of dance, and in particular the mudra language of Indian Classical Dance, to bring people together across all nationalities, races, cultures and backgrounds and tell the stories people may not have heard or will not have heard well. She has set up a network of contacts across the world with people who bring stories to her for this purpose. The most important story in her portfolio is ‘ The Heartstone Odyssey’, and her aim is to give life to the character, Chandra, the heroine of the story.
Sitakumari is responsible for organising all Heartstone photo assignments, producing exhibition and performance events, setting up and running projects throughout the UK using Heartstone stories. Events have been staged at some of the UK,s most prestigious locations including London’s South Bank. She is also involved on a major collaborative project with Barrie Osborne, producer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, to help take ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ to the big and small screens together with other world-renowned actors and artists.
Nick Sidle
As a writer, Nick Sidle has worked professionally since 1984 producing short stories, material for the stage and commentaries on political, social, environmental and scientific subjects. These activities have in the main been linked to his career as a photographer and photojournalist, which has seen him cover documentary, environmental and social subjects with assignments in many countries, including work in Kosovo and Bosnia during the conflicts there and in Afghanistan immediately after the fall of the Taliban regime after the international response to 9/11. He is also known for his underwater images and coverage of military aviation. His work has received international recognition with exhibitions in some of the UK and Europe’s most prestigious and influential venues, including London’s Southbank Centre, the British Library and European Parliament.
‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ to date is his only full length book and despite being published by a new company operating outside the usual commercial networks has sold over 100,000 copies, has been read in many countries worldwide and has been reprinted 21 times. He first told the story on a three day train journey from Mumbai to Chennai in India. At the time, he said he would like the story to appear under a pen name if it was ever published and his fellow passengers, who were all from India who had heard the story, gave him the suggestion of Arvan Kumar, the identity ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ appeared with. The name is not strictly a regular Indian name although it clearly has Indian origins and is actually linked to a main episode in the story. Apart from this, the suggestion was also inspired by the very common experience for people with an Indian background in Europe around that time of finding they were expected to use an anglicised form of their name or simply replace at least their first name with an English one. It seemed appropriate for someone who had told this story to take up the invitation to redress the balance and move in the opposite direction.
Much of his experience as a photographer and photojournalist in the war-torn regions of the world and his social documentary work in the UK, especially London, has provided the background from which ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ has been inspired, why it is so visual and feels so real. The book has won the acclaim of UN Women for its portrayal of a strong female heroine, empowering for girls and young women worldwide, and has become the centre of a campaign to challenge prejudice and hate through literature whilst building a love of story and storytelling with children who have taken ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ characters to their hearts. The work has also won recognition in India having a forward by Ravi Shankar when he was one of the foremost Indian artists of his generation and has been commended by the Minister of Culture at the Indian High Commission leading to performance of sections of the book and exhibition of his photographs of some of the real locations in the story at the Nehru Centre, the home of the Indian Ministry of Culture in London
Nick Sidle is a holder of both UK and International Federation of Journalists Press cards.
Mariam Aiteouakrim
Mariam supports Heartstone’s Communications. She has been a part of the Heartstone team since 2010, being introduced to the organisation whilst a University student. Her particular area of talent and expertise is as a documentary film-maker. She has produced films to promote the work of Heartstone over this period and also broadcast live events, such as the Westminster Cathedral procession in 2019. She is also using her network of contacts to build the Heartstone world overseas.
Moving Lives Dance Theatre
Heartstone’s dance company, Moving Lives Dance Theatre, is based at Liverpool Hope University. It is led by Sitakumari and Angela Pierre Louis, Member of the Dance Team in the Performing Arts Department at Liverpool Hope University. Initiated by her predecessor, Dr Rachel Sweeney, head of the Department, in 2015, Angie now continues the programme of recruiting and training the most talented next generation dancers. All have a background in various dance styles and have successfully incorporated Indian Classical dance technique, as taught by Sitakumari, using both to create powerful dance-drama for the stage. The dancers have also gone out to schools and groups across the country to deliver workshops and to bring children and young people to Heartstone dance-drama performances for supporting roles when they are needed.
My name is Olivia Murphy-Herdman. I am current member of the Moving Lives Dance Theatre. Dance has always been a passion of mine ever since the age of 2 when I started dancing and I haven’t stopped yet! I am currently 18 years old attending Liverpool Hope University in the hope of becoming a teacher. Being a part of Moving Lives Dance Theatre has been an amazing opportunity for me, being able to dance to make a positive difference is something I am honoured to be a part of. I believe this incredible project is something everyone should engage in, it teaches excellent morals and spreads important messages, while allowing you to have fun while doing so!
My name is Trisha and I am a dancer, teacher and choreographer from Singapore and current member of Moving Lives Dance Theatre. I started dancing at the age of 7, learning both Ballet and Bharatanatyam in Primary School. After 3 years I decided to focus solely on Ballet and at the age of 10, I had already decided that I wanted to pursue dance. In Secondary School I had learned a mixture of Ballet, Contemporary dance and Chinese dance for five years. At 15, I had started learning Kandyan dance and Pahatha Rata dance under the Ruhunu Mathra Dance troupe from Bentota, Sri Lanka. I have learnt many of their repertoire and have performed them numerous times during various events in Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. At 18 I started choreographing and teaching Sri Lankan dance at the Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple under the Singapore Sinhala Buddhist Association. At 20, I started teaching Ballet at The Ballet and Music Company and Crestar School of Dance. At 22 I had completed her Diploma in Dance at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore. I am currently completing the final year of my Bachelor’s Degree with Honours at Liverpool Hope University, in Liverpool, where I am doing a double major in Dance and in Philosophy & Ethics. Upon Graduation, I plan to continue teaching dance, furthering my studies and eventually opening a dance school.
My name is Louise Riley, I am 19 and attend Liverpool Hope University doing dance and education with the aspiration to become a dance teacher. For years I have done dance and netball and would consider myself an athletic and hardworking person. I have backgrounds in ballet, tap, modern and contemporary dance and love to learn about new dance styles, working with the Moving Lives Dance Theatre has given me the opportunity to do so.
I
Heartstone Confederation of International Story Circles, CIC (HCISC)
In 2021, Story Circles around the UK and beyond came under the new umbrella identity of HCISC, forming a connected network and a step closer to the world described in ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’. Leading HCISC together with Sitakumari are Jerry Piper and Nila Joshi
Jerry Piper, Co-Director, HCISC – a long-term supporter of Heartstone, Jerry has had a long career in passenger transport in London, running bus and Underground rail services serving the most diverse communities in the UK. He has also served as a non-executive director in the housing sector, providing affordable housing and investing in disadvantaged communities in London and the Midlands. Throughout his life and professional career, Jerry has seen prejudice, hate, intolerance and inequality at work first- hand. He has led and taken part in many projects and initiatives, challenging harassment, confronting discrimination and promoting equality. One especially relevant example was the launch of a number of Heartstone’s “Chandra’s London” permanent photographic exhibitions at Transport for London tube and rail stations across London. Jerry is a strong believer in the business benefits of diversity at all levels of the workforce in all types of organisations. He firmly believes that young people are key to changing attitudes for the better and is a strong advocate and supporter of Heartstone’s philosophy and work.
Nila Joshi, Co-Director, HCISC – a long-term supporter of Heartstone, Nila is well known and highly regarded in Scotland for her interfaith work. She has supported all major Heartstone exhibition events being ‘front of house’ manager. She has expert knowledge on running Heartstone events whether large-scale or small, with schools and community groups and how to incorporate an interfaith angle.
The Heartstone Advisory Team
Dr David Rose – has known and supported Heartstone since its foundation in 1990 and its precursor, Natya-Padam, in the latter half of the 1980’s as a small arts/cultural organisation in London. He held a London B.D when he first started teaching Religious Education in ILEA secondary schools in 1971. He covered a range of different Faith traditions with the purpose of bringing an inclusive approach rather than one that ignored and excluded pupils for whom their faith, culture and personal identity were so different. 10 years later, he became linked with The Heartstone Odyssey (THSO) whilst working as Advisory Teacher for the ILEA assisting the implementation of its multi-faith RE syllabus for inner London schools in 1984. The approach adopted used a range of foci that permitted pupil reaction and response that was not prescriptive and limiting on the individual. The story medium, the Heartsone Odyssey with Chandra as the central figure, was essentially aimed at the primary/early secondary stage; with personal expression encouraged via questioning, discussion, performance, art and positive involvement in selected projects. The value of this multi-disciplinary approach became increasingly attractive to those practising teachers doing INSET.
By 1986 he was working at the Roehampton Institute of HE (one of the largest ITE Institutions in the UK at that stage) where he was in charge of the ITE degree course for Primary Education and believed strongly that alongside the developing National Curriculum at the time that students should be aware of the potential of combining inclusively a vital area of concern that the individual pupil might find difficult to articulate and express. He helped to bring the THSO project to Roehampton University (as it became) which was received positively by trainee teachers, both undergraduate and postgraduate.
His Doctoral Studies in the 1990’s, concentrated on the social & cultural aspects of Religious Education legislation and its perception and impact on those involved within a multi-cultural society. He has been a member of the SHAP Working Party on world religions in Education for more than 20 years, working to encourage both inter-faith as well as mutual understanding of diversity and integration within society both locally and nationally. He was a member of the Wandsworth SACRE for 18 years as well as Vice-Chair of Governors at a local primary school;
John Niblock – served as a constable with Merseyside Police for just over 26 years. Most of his service was spent in Liverpool South area and his last six years worked as a dedicated school liaison officer in Liverpool south with responsibility for 32 schools. He worked with primary and secondary school pupils right up to upper sixth year. Based in the cop shop on Granby Street in the middle of Toxteth, John worked in inner city schools in some of the most disadvantaged areas and also the private, grammar, church schools in his area. He took the lead for the Heartstone project when it was first instroduced to the City in 2000. This lead to him being invited to visit numerous parts of England introducing Heartstone to schools, community groups, other police forces and education authorities with the support of Merseyside Police. John retired from the police in August 2003 but continues to work with Heartstone to provide advice and training;
Nina Rahel – has supported Heartstone projects since its earliest days, Equality and Diversity Officer for University of the Arts London, formerly Lead Officer for the Project to build bridges with and between faith communities for Camden Council. Nina began this work in September 2001, days before the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Nina rose to the challenges of this context with local council, faith and community leaders and contributed to more cohesive and engaged communities in Camden. Nina has lifelong experience in initiating and running projects tackling racism and all forms of discrimination with community groups, local government and currently in higher education;
Katie Heron – former secondary school teacher in Preston part of the initial DFE 2000 project, commended for her role which led to her school being named as a ‘model’ project for Heartstone and providing content for the first generation of the Heartstone schools pack. She successfully initiated new projects in the areas she moved to and has since been involved in providing training and input for all Heartstone projects;
Karen Baldry – former primary school teacher, part of the initial DFE 2000 project, commended for her role in the project and innovative creative concepts using the Heartstone Odyssey, subsequently undertaking training sessions for Heartstone with primary schools, secondary schools and community groups across the UK. She also provided content for the first generation of the Heartstone schools pack;
Paul Britner – primary school teacher in Oldham, Paul started his first Story Circle in 2015/16 and was invited to present his outstanding results at the House of Commons event in 2016. His work with the children was exemplary and he continues to provide an excellent model for all new Story Circles taking shape across the UK;
Joolz Christie – set up and led the first library-based Heartstone Story Circle at Dingwall Library in Highland funded by Dame Judi Dench. Joolz now advises other areas on setting up Story Circles in libraries. Here is what she said:
‘Firmly believing that libraries still offer many unexplored opportunities, and having worked in Dingwall School and Community library for several years, I leapt at the chance to become involved in something really important and worthwhile, working with young people in the fantastic setting that the library has to offer. Intolerance, prejudice and inequality are issues which I feel strongly about, and this project gets to the heart of these in a way that is readily accessible to young minds. I’m mindful of the speech from the late Jo Cox “We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us” which reflects my personal feelings and, in my opinion, succinctly sums up the project. During the library’s weekly story circles, we have read from the book, summarised and analysed chapters read at home and discussed relevant news items in the media. Exhibition material was designed and created, culminating in a magnificent display in Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. I look forward to seeing how the project develops and evolves in the future and helping new libraries take on this powerful project.’;
Shagufta Nasar – presently working as a primary teacher in East Renfrewshire. In 2019, she joined the Diversity working party set up by her school because it was an area she had a personal interest in. She was then invited by her authority to share some theory and research in how she embeds diversity in her daily teaching practice. In 2020, she began delivering The Heartstone Project which has allowed her to further implement her research to deliver an innovative program which addresses difficult issues such as intolerance, racism and prejudice and how the heroine of the book overcomes them. The project has allowed the pupils to become better communicators and increase their understanding of different cultures and values. Pupils have developed respect for others and an understanding of diversity. She looks forward to continuing her journey with The Heartstone Project, to being a member of the Advisory Team and assisting anyone for whom her experience will be valuable;
Lorna John is a Head of Religious Education in a Secondary School in Croydon who ran a successful Story Circle programme with two Year 7 classes. The engagement from the first day was refreshing – students read confidently and envisaged new ways of collaborating by discussing our shared heritage. They were able to develop problem solving by exploring discrimination and identity.
The support given to teachers new to the project was exemplary and on a personal note, each of the meetings had something valuable to take away and enrich further planning. A particular highlight was the ‘Faces of Kabul’ presentation.
The activities and themes for discussion, reflection and debate were entirely student led and two lessons were never the same.
The Academy proudly displayed its work at the Arts Showcase held annually within the school and then at the Town Hall. The understanding and efforts fed into a pioneering “Culture Day” held towards the end of the Academic Year. The school has since forged links with community groups, local activists and members of the policing team who, as a result, all visited the school to support groups, run workshops and deliver assemblies on themes on tolerance, diversity and equality.
Lorna has also advised other schools within the borough about methods and approaches that have worked in her school.
The Academy was proud to receive an award at the first Heartstone Odyssey Book Festival for its outstanding exhibition contribution, the award was kindly donated by Timpsons.