Dance 'kept me going' during cancer treatment

The organiser of a South Asian dance festival said she realised during her cancer treatment that dance was her "calling".

Krishna Zivraj-Nair, 46, is the artistic director for Sanskruti, a dance school based in Cambridge, which is holding a festival on Sunday.

The event aims to encourage people to try out different types of genres, including Bollywood, hip hop, Sri Lankan folk and Latin ballroom dancing.

Ms Zivraj-Nair, a trained research scientist, said she wanted to share her love of dance with others which she said was "keeping me fit and feeling good".

She was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer six years ago.

"I went through all my treatment, it was chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgeries.

"That was my calling when I realised that it was dance that kept me going".

Ms Zivraj-Nair said the cancer returned last year but she remained determined to keep on dancing.

"While undergoing treatment once again it's that movement … that brings me a lot of joy.

"I want to share that with anyone and everyone who would want to join me in that journey."

The festival begins at 11:00 BST at Cambridge Junction, with dance workshops aimed at introducing people to dance and new styles they might not have tried before.

There will be careers sessions for people working in the arts sector and crafting for children run by the Cambridge artist Tonka Uzu.

Ms Zivraj-Nair said the workshops were for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

"You can move in whichever way you want and that's good for you - that's good for your wellbeing, that's good for your health."

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