At the Kanda workshops, kids aged between three and six, move like their favourite animal, enact stories, play with colours and simply have a blast
At the Kanda workshops, kids aged between three and six, move like their favourite animal, enact stories, play with colours and simply have a blast
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Mirra Arun first 'felt the moves' when she was pregnant with her now two-year-old son. And that's when she began this 'work in progress' with her then unborn child. She experimented with the kicks and the rolls of the foetus.
Veena Basavarajaiah joined in this experiment later because she loves working with children. And together they are taking Kanda (baby, in Kannada), to another level. Through short workshops with children aged between three and six, they explore different aspects of the relationship between two individuals, between individuals and space, individuals and the body, and the uniqueness of it all.
Poetry in motion
"Every time we work with children, we grow as dancers, and as teachers," says Veena.
"Children are a constant source of inspiration and give a lot of happiness. In fact, we are only their facilitators," adds Mirra.
At the current workshop, comprising eight classes, Mirra and Veena are helping to bring out the children's creativity in their individual movements. They began the first session by asking each child to choose their favourite animal. Then each had to 'move' like the animal does-whether it was the stealthy walk of the cat or tiger, the slithering of a snake or the pottering of a penguin.
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Facilitators: Mirra Arun and Veena Basavarajaiah are trained dancers |
He used water as the primary element to enhance focus and enable the children to connect with each other by exchanging their cups of water and building bridges. "They are more in the fundamental than the expressive stage, so I kept it rather basic," he explains.
In the story telling session by Ranjan Kamath, theatre person and activist, the children had to tell their own stories and enact them.
"In each session they are living the experience," says Veena. "We aren't following a curriculum here, because after eight minutes, forget eight sessions, what these kids do is unique."
Time to dance
The workshops will culminate in a performance by the children where they will be given a free hand to play with colours and use the space to express themselves, as they like it, without being bound by choreographed moves.
Power-packed partnership
Mirra, a professional dancer andu00a0u00a0 choreographer trained in yoga andu00a0contemporary dance, has been teaching children through a series of workshops for the past six years in schools. Veena is a Bharatnatyam dancer and is leaning kalari payattu, contemporary dance and ballet. They both have international exposure and love working with kids.
Be there!
Kanda, the performance, is at Shanthi Gallery, Shantinagar (next to Yellama Dasappa Hospital) on February 1, 6.30-8.00pm
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