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