Why Dance as a Cause?

Dance-based education does not only teach dance to students but also imparts important life skills in them like-

1. Leadership and teamwork - Dancing on a stage is not just a performance that can be done solo without any support. We need a leader in the team to guide the group and take decisions that promote team support and help them achieve a common goal.
2. Creativity - Dancing involves a lot of creativity. We can teach our students skills and train them in dance, but without nurturing their creativity and giving them the space to express themselves honestly without any judgment, reinforces the creative side of our students.
3. Discipline and learning - To develop any skill and learn something new, discipline is important. Similarly, dance-based education makes our students disciplined and resilient towards tough times, where their focus is not shifted from improving their lives.
4. Accountability and responsibility - Dancing is a highly competitive field, without hard work and dedication, it is not possible to become a skilled and trained dancer.
   Thus, dance-based education helps our students become hardworking in life and be determined to be better/ best in the field.
5. Flexibility - Not just in body movements, but imagine asking a dancer what their strength is and them not being able to perform out of their comfort zones.
   Flexibility is important in dance, to learn both one's style and be open to learning another style's as well.
6. Self-confidence - Performing in front of a large audience or no audience at all, needs self-confidence and presence of mind. As dancers, our students are aware of their skills and acknowledge their strengths.
   Self-confidence is not built in one day but nurtured with positive affirmations, validations, and assessments from teachers or peers.
   Thus, also helping dancers be open to suggestions and positive feedback.
7. Respect - Dancers do not just learn to respect themselves but others in the field who work equally hard like them. Our students know their economic status has nothing to do with the respect they get from others.
   They equally deserve respect as any other person in society.
8. Body awareness - Dance involves body movements, without awareness of how our body moves, feels, and works, performance is incomplete. Body awareness helps in techniques that facilitate their participation in dance.
9. Holistic Development - Dance allows us to express our emotions, speak our truth and create awareness of difficult issues in society in the form of a language that is easy to understand to everyone irrespective of their educational background. When children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who earlier had no space to express themselves get an opportunity to change their life through dance— They change their life. Not only does their physical health improve, but their mental health also improves, as they start following their true calling instead of trying to fit into something else. They have the willpower to rise like phoenixes from their harsh realities.

Through the group-based learning program, children residing in economically weaker communities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad are motivated to take control of their narrative by confidently showcasing their talents to the world and nurturing their emotional, personal, and professional skills with dance education.