India and the Performing Arts: Exploring the rich heritage and paving the way forward through Cultural Collaborations. Priyanka Patel, 25 January 2015 I have been in UK for about 4 weeks now on an Arts Management fellowship. I have visited a lot of organisations and met more people than I can remember. I have noticed some remarkable work happening but none like what I witnessed at Devoted and Disgruntled. I proposed this session because I believe that we as societies sometimes refrain from meaningful ways of communicating, exchanging ideas and learning from each other. In spite of technology, pluralism and the world becoming a smaller place, remain a mere concept unless we interact with authenticity. I have been slightly disgruntled with the lack of eagerness in UK to learn about the Indian Arts or practices in India, and that's what brought me to this place. I was pleasantly reassured after engaging with the most wonderful people here that the possibilities, as we know, are immense. The outcomes of the session: 1. When there is an opportunity to travel and tour with shows, it is imperative to engage with the people there. Organise your own workshops if you have to, because that's probably how you will learn the most. Skill sharing rather than skill giving should be the focus! 2. The more we explore cultures, we realise that there are more things similar to us than differentiating us. (Dunking your cookie in the tea almost seems like a universal phenomenon!!) 3. As Theatre practitioners, what will be really interesting is taking a one text and exploring how it is interpreted by people from different parts of the world. Since the human elements most certainly transcend geographical boundaries, the result should be rather fascinating. 4. There may not be funding for exchanges between India and UK and that poses a bit of a problem. There are however funds for the practitioners in UK to take their work to India. That is a beginning point. 5. Theatre in different languages is often seen as an inhibiting factor in gathering audiences and hence one tends to limit the performances to certain communities. However, the success of Globe Shakespeare Festival has opened up opportunities. May be the audience is ready for different languages as long the performance speaks to them. It is perhaps time to challenge stereotypes and break the conventions. Way forward is full of hope and opportunities…It's about time we act on it! Performing arts is our language to relate to each other, understand our world, and celebrate differences! Tags: dance, exchange, Dance, collobarate, Arts, celebrate, talk, exchanges, Exchanges, Stereotypes, Theatre, music, THEATRE, Exchange, theatre, People, arts, Open, people, Cultural, cultural, communicate, performing, stereotypes, india, open, meet, Music