Sangeeta, India

Sangeeta was surrounded by the beauty of dance since she was four years old. Her family had a deep connection to dance and music and encouraged her to do competitions all over India. “Dance is my first love. It has so many contributions in my life. So I don’t want to lose that identity.”

Another love in drew her to Sri Lanka and on to immigrate to Australia in 2017. “For the first few years, only my husband was the bread earner. I think he had faced many challenges and he kept me free from all those difficulties.” Like many newly arrived migrants, Sangeeta couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness wash over her as she fell pregnant. However, it was the universal language of dance that connected her to the community she was seeking.

“A place that is unknown to me suddenly became people beside me now. I know each and everybody in this community, so it is only because of SMRC”.

She needed something to spark her happiness again and dance was that outlet. “I know the name SMRC reflects that they are an organisation for the improvement of refugee and migrant lives. I feel like I’m the best example of this I think because I have no PR (permanent residence) or citizenship. What exactly is SMRC doing? I’m a life example.” Whilst currently on her student visa studying a Bachelor of Nursing, Sangeeta reflects on her motto in life, “Now as a mother of two, I want to build my life to feed them because they deserve a good life.” Sangeeta is passionate about sharing her Indian culture through the universal expression of dance; “Everybody can understand the feeling … everybody has their own story.”