Pushing kids into dance, art and theatre workshops during summer vacations is still the done thing. But parents are now making a studied choice as focused and niche alternatives come up. Providing a new twist to theatre is Arti Bhandari, an art-based therapy practitioner who is taking the children at her theatre workshop through innovative process which teach much more than just stagecraft.
Through the two workshops — Playback Theatre and Theatre for Reflection — she is helping kids in the age group of 8 to 13 surmount their inner conflicts and fears. “Theatre is a very powerful medium for expression. I have developed techniques of applied theatre, process drama and theatre of the oppressed as it helps a person to come out of oppression of image. Like an obese child can learn how to cope with the shaming and bullying that happens to him,” says Bhandari.
Theatre of oppression is used throughout the world even on peace building missions. “We borrow tools from this, but uniqueness of this module lies in capturing real life situations to co-create plays,” she says. Based on the child’s experiences and knowledge, scripts are created and roles played which improves his perspective towards a real life situation, explains Bhandari.
The Playback theatre also makes the participants open up as they are required to share their experience on a given theme. “We give them a theme like achievement and success and ask them to share their stories. These form the script which is enacted by playback actors,” Bhandari” says and adds, “We work on the core as we address internal issues.”
Adding a deeper dimension to simple swirls through creative dance movements is Nikita Shah. At a regular dance workshop it is about style. “But I teach with movements with which we are born. This triggers questions and gets answers as it helps a child to integrate his body and mind,” says Shah.
This works in four ways as the child gets aware of his body, it improves focus and concentration and teaches methods of self control. “Our everyday life movements become the tool for expression, meditation, getting calm which all integrates the body with mind,” she says.
The module has worked well for 13-year-old Janeeka Kedar who says, “There are so many things we have to cope with like parents forcing their will on us, pressure of studies, fear of what people will say. But after attending Theatre of Reflection I realized that we should only believe in ourselves. I am more positive and confident now.”
Sarah Khandar, another 13-year-old, makes friends easily. This is a trait that her mother Manisha has fears about. “But having attended the Playback Theatre workshop she has learnt to understand people and is more confident now,” says the mother.
Even at the regular theatre workshops parents are looking beyond drama. “Children who are shy and introvert are brought for these workshops as parents too now feel that it will help them open up,” says Rupesh Pawar whose workshop started on May 15.
“The first lesson is exercise of movements, then speech improvisation and then a topic is given to develop through personal experience. These tools are being used for wider objectives and are adding a new perspective to drama,” says Pawar. Theatre helps a person to identify himself and his body and mind which is otherwise difficult to do in today’s hectic life, he says.
Karate practitioner Gagan Gajarlawar says that his observation power improved after attending a theatre workshop. “I can now understand the moves of my opponent. Also my body has become very flexible as movements is a very integral part of theatre.”
The dance academies too are now getting students who wish to dance to de-stress. “The morning sessions are now more meditative as its more of a workout then dance which leaves one feeling invigorated,” says Chetan Dashmukhe who runs the Genex dance academy.
“Parents now send their children as dancing helps in releasing a lot of latent energy and leaves a child with positive energy and calm for the rest of the day,” he says.