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Sohini Chakraborty: Founder of Sanved

Sohini Chakraborty, the Founder Director of Kolkata Sanved began the search for a synthesis of art and activism as a Masters student of Sociology at the University of Calcutta. Emerging from a rich background in performing arts, Sohini fused her years of training in BharatNatyam,Gaurio Nritya, Navanritya, Chhau, Candy, Contemporary Dance, Dance Theatre and Contact Improvisation, Dance Movement Therapy and theatre with her academic career of sociological research.

Sohini always had a rebellious streak. Sohini believes that her entire life has been a quest. It started with finding solace in dance. However, classical dance forms did not satisfy her and she looked for a dance form that would fulfill her desire to communicate difficult and contemporary issues with the audience. She found this form in the modern dance techniques of the Dancer's Guild.

Starting off another quest, Sohini found her true purpose during her studies in sociology when she read about the citizen sector movement and started volunteering with Sanlaap. Sohini experimented with her program, raising funds to sustain her experiment and received logistical support from Sanlaap and its staff.

As a Cultural Activist & Dance Movement Therapist, Sohini uses Dance Movement and cultural expression as an alternative tool for recovery, healing & psycho-social rehabilitation of survivors of violence and trafficking. This approach includes group facilitation, improvisation skills, right to education and developing interpersonal communication skills. She has been working nationally & internationally with several human rights organisations in South Asia.

Sohini Chakraborty has been rewarded the Ashoka Fellowship for being the pioneer in using Dance Movement Therapy with the marginalised population in South Asia. Her research projects include:

Research conducted on Society’s Attitude towards Prostitution (Sanlaap).
Survey research on Sexual Health of Women (Parivar Seva Sanstha).

She holds the Network Chair of Status & Welfare – World Dance Alliance, West Bengal chapter.

Sohini Chakraborty is presently associated with various organizations as a resource person. These include RAILWAY CHILDREN in West Bengal and Bihar, ANJALI, GD SARO and ACTION AID. She is also on the Advisory Board and Steering Committee of CORE, Manipur.

Sohini has been invited to attend conferences and seminars worldwide and has given presentations on various occasions. These include:

Presentation on ‘Dance in Empowerment’ at Rabindra Bharati University
‘Women as Leaders of Change’ at the Global Leadership Meet
Speaker on the International Panel on Dance Therapy at International Dance Therapy Conference, American Dance Therapy Association
Represented Kolkata Sanved at the GIFT – UNODC Conference
Regional High Level Consultation, Kathmandu
‘Dance Matters’ at Jadavpur University
International Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women & Girls, Kolkata – Bangladesh Exchange Program
World March for Women, Delhi

Sohini performed at the London House Of Commons/Wales; Taipei University; Asian Social Forum, Hyderabad/World Social Forum; SAMANVAYA (a platform for women cultural activist & performing artist); and for Dancers Guild and Rangakarmee.

1. Sohini, Can you tell us how Sanved was born and what motivated you to start Sanved?

Motivation

Sohini began her work as a volunteer in a city-based NGO, working with rescued child prostitutes. The services provided by NGOs and state-run homes for rescued children followed a stale routine of the usual counseling and vocational training in tailoring, block printing, knitting, and other manual skills. There are few innovations in the counseling techniques and in finding new income-generation options for the victims, thereby providing the girls with little opportunity to explore their innate talents and help them flower without denying their past.

Sohini began to experiment with new techniques that she introduced at several stages of the rehabilitation process. She perceived that healing is best achieved through expression that is physical, because the physical abuse suffered causes many girls to disassociate themselves from their bodies.

The program first helps children to come to terms with their past. Use of dance and cultural expression allowed child prostitutes to overcome or in some way move past the trauma and abuse of their early years. They are then able to negotiate for their rightful place in society and for their rights with the "external" audience. The aim is to provide a fresh approach to the existing rehabilitation programs and to negotiate opportunities for these children to integrate into mainstream society on an equal footing.

Thus Sohini helps girls who are child prostitutes to recover their self – confidence and lost stability in life. Through self-choreographed performances and presentations made at seminars, workshops and media events, these children shed their victim status and are able, as equals, to initiate and sustain dialogue with other children and adults in the mainstream society.

Birth of Kolkata Sanved

In 1998 Sohini developed a pilot project called ‘Rangeen Sapnay’ (Colorful Dreams), which stitched together techniques like self-expression through art and dance, group interactions, role play and right to education. This project was implemented during 1999 -2000 with support from the Government. During the course of the project, Sohini worked with more than 120 children from 4 red-light areas in Calcutta and 2 shelter homes of a city-based NGO. Children between 6 and 14 years of age participated in these weekly sessions. This pilot project was a great success in the field and the participating children demanded continuation of the project.

This experiment yielded results proving that body movements / dance, when used sensitively, can become a powerful tool of psycho-social rehabilitation. It was perceived that once the victim has made peace with his / her violated soul, he / she is ready to voice his / her concerns through dance.

This marked the birth of Sanved in 2000, which started as a semiautonomous program within a city-based NGO. Initially, Sanved worked with a group of 25 to 30 children, including HIV- positive children, rescued child prostitutes, trafficked children and adolescent mothers.

“What I fight for is not just to teach them dance, but make them strong individuals in society with dignity and self-respect.” - Sohini

Sohini's techniques help the children become comfortable with themselves, come to terms with their sexually violent past and gain maturity and self-confidence. She equips citizen groups and state-run institutions with her techniques and these groups in turn, play a significant role in counseling and rehabilitation sessions with the children. Finally the success of Sohini’s work led to the official launch of Kolkata Sanved as an independent autonomous organization in April 29^th 2004.

The children themselves ultimately become advocates for their cause; for example, some of the older students in Sohini's group Sanved, have matured into trainers and peer educators. Kolkata Sanved became a platform for these girls to showcase their cause and interact with society at large – those outside the welfare community. Sanved members have since then participated and presented papers at national and international events and have staged performances featuring various social issues at gatherings like the Asian Social Forum.

2. Can you tell us more about Sanved and its vision?

Vision of Kolkata Sanved

Kolkata Sanved pioneered the use of dance movement as an alternative approach to recovery, healing and psychosocial rehabilitation of the survivors of violence and trafficking. It began as an experiment, growing into a movement for the establishment of dance therapy as an alternate psychotherapeutic form that is now being adopted by over 30 partner organizations in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Kolkata Sanved has directly worked with 2500 individuals and indirectly impacted over 5000 people through its programs. It is working towards establishing itself as a Center of Excellence for Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) in South Asia.

Population reached by Kolkata Sanved’s Dance Movement Therapy Process:

Survivors of violence, sexual abuse trafficking in Govt. & NGO shelter homes (children, women)
Population living in red-light areas (children & youth)
Population living in remote rural areas (children & youth)
Population living in slums & railway platforms (children, boys & youth)
People living with HIV/AIDS
Inmates of mental health institutions
Underprivileged population living in communities (children and youth)
Mainstream school children
Domestic workers
Survivors of domestic violence

Our curriculum ‘Sampoornata’ (Fulfilment):

Use of dance and movement to equip women with the life skills to combat oppression.
Develop means of creative and expressive communication.
‘Incubating’ new social roles in a community that provides them with validation and support.
Being an “uncontroversial” form, dance movement therapy makes it easy to convey messages to the masses.
It helps individuals create new lives for themselves.

Activities of Kolkata Sanved:

Counseling - Kolkata Sanved has developed specialized techniques that establish dance and movement as alternative form to traditional counseling. Our program encourages peer bonding, mutual support and growth (physical, emotional and social). Dance Movement Therapy creates a holistic alternative by building positive attitudes and a positive body image among participants of its program. The ‘Sampoornata’ curriculum is being used by DMT trainers as a counseling tool.

Capacity Building – Through a continuous process of capacity building that includes workshops and training programs by world renowned dance therapists, individual participants of regular DMT sessions at various institutions are identified for further training to become dance movement therapists.Dance Movement Therapists (DMT) of Kolkata Sanvedhas transformed their lives through these trainings and is currently working as therapists themselves. They hold professional paid positions in our organization.

Empowerment - Kolkata Sanved’s therapeutic process provides a platform for participants to excel and recognize their own potentials. Through playful, creative and gentle movements participants reconnect and change their body image. More importantly, this transformed understanding of their body allows them to be empowered, enabling them to reclaim their rights in society.

Advocacy & Awareness Campaigns - Kolkata Sanved advocates the use of DMT through public meetings, conferences and performances in partnership with NGOs, corporate bodies, formal schools, community-based organizations and forums at the national and international level.Awareness and support on various social issues like human rights, HIV/AIDS, gender, health (including mental health), child rights etc. are generated through specially choreographed public performances by the Kolkata Sanved team. It has performed at events organized by the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society and the Beti Bachao Movement. Recently Kolkata Sanved organized a Roundtable Conference on “Using Dance and Movement Therapy in Working against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation” and was invited to speak at conferences organized by UNODC, Vital Voices and the American Dance Therapy Association.

3.. Can you explain what dance therapy is and how it helps mentally and physically tortured women?

Dance Movement Therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance through which a person can engage creatively in a process to further their emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration. Modern dance movements, movement analysis and the developing theories of psychotherapy coalesced to form the foundations for the emergence of the field dance therapy. It is founded on the principle that movement reflects an individual’s patterns of thinking and feeling. It is practiced as both individual and group therapy in health, education and social service settings and in private practice.

Dance Movement therapy can help participants shift to a more positive self image, less satisfying behaviors can be transformed to healthier expressions, social struggles can be worked through alternative movement outlets. Psycho-physical techniques can provide new hope and possibilities for people who suffer from the pain and hardship of life’s psychological and social problems.

Marian Chaice is the pioneer of Dance Movement Therapy. The other pioneers areBlanche Evan, Mary Whitehouse, Trudy Schoop and Rudolf Laban.

While working to rehabilitate the survivors of trafficking (mainly physically and mentally tortured women), much was learnt about the counseling process and the survivors’ approach to their own physical and mental selves.

In most situations it has been observed that the survivor find it difficult to express her trauma verbally in a formal counseling set-up. The fear that her ‘shameful’ past will be disclosed inhibits her from opening up in front of a stranger (the counselor). The interactive session in some way or the other forces the survivor to talk about her past which she may not want to share.

Under the spell of trauma caused by physical and mental torture, the survivor consider herself to be impure; she feels guilty about her own body, thus disassociating herself from her immediate surroundings and from society at large. Under these circumstances, it has been perceived that healing is best achieved through expression that is physical. Dance and movement enable the survivor to come to terms with her situation and her body on her own will and in her own suitable time. Thus gradually she is able to express her inner feelings, releasing her trauma. Finally she begins to gain back the lost respect for her mind and body which so far she considered to be polluted.

4. Who are the people who are instrumental in your success?

Our dance movement therapy trainers, who mainly come from the marginalized and underprivilaged section of our society, forms the basic foundation of our organisation. Through them we are able to reach out to the larger society as a whole.

In its endeavor to expand its work process which is a new concept altogether, Kolkata Sanved strives to establish networks with funding agencies, other NGOs, CBOs, the State Govt., the Corporates, Consulates and other Civil Society Organizations at the local, national and global level.

We receive funding from UNIFEM and Global Fund for Children (GFC). Our partner organization where DMT is implemented provides us with constant support and cooperation. Presently we are partnering with 28 organizations in India, Bangladesh and Nepal and 10 organizations are yet to join, who have requested us for our services.

The NGO sector is partnering with us in incorporating DMT in their psychotherapy in government - run mental hospitals.

West Bengal Govt. Dept. of Social Welfare is already using DMT therapy as a form of psychosocial intervention in their shelter homes.

Our other well-wishers include organizations like Max Mueller Bhavan, the US Consulate, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Department of Social Welfare and Department of Education, Govt. of West Bengal, Seagull Foundation, World Dance Alliance, Global Fund for Women and individual donors.

Kolkata Sanved also networks with key resource persons who act as friends of Kolkata Sanved and provide their knowledge and expertise through workshops and training sessions.

Volunteers and interns also render their service for the smooth functioning of the organization.

We also successfully interacted with the Honorable Minister of Education, Govt. of West Bengal regarding incorporating Dance Movement Therapy as a life-skill curriculum in Govt. Schools of Bengal.

Our major achievement this year has been to expand our work in the corporate sector. Our trainers have worked with a multi national company to train some of their staff using DMT.

As a part of media intervention, 8 news dailies have published articles on Kolkata Sanved’s work. These include Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times (2), The Telegraph, The Statesman, Simply Kolkata,Washingtonpost.com. and Indian Express.

As per the demand of people, talks with various universities are in progress to introduce the Dance Movement Therapy process of Kolkata Sanved as a certified course

5. Were there any stumbling blocks? How did you overcome them?

In striving towards its goal, Kolkata Sanved was confronted with many challenges. Some of the prime factors are given below.

Being a new concept and a time consuming process, dance movement therapy faced difficulty in its acceptance as an effective alternative tool for counseling by the society at large. However, we have been able to convince educational institutions, INGOs, NGOs and GOs about the therapeutic value of dance movement therapy and now a growing need is felt for our service. Mental health professionals, school teachers, other civil society organizations and corporate houses are inviting us to work as consultants. We have been successful in expanding our work nationwide and as a consequence many interns have expressed their willingness to volunteer in our organization.

Kolkata Sanved’s objective is not to make the participants in DMT classes “Star Dance Performers” as was perceived by the people generally. It helps each individual participant of its program to reclaim his/her body and life through a new found sense of freedom, peace and confidence.

One of our learning during this project period is the need for taking them through an academic course. Coming from the deprived and marginalized section of population, most of them did not get the opportunity to undergo formal training at schools, colleges or universities. Owing to lack of practice some feel shy and are unwilling to start with their education again. Hence even being skilled dance therapists, they are often not acknowledged by the mainstream society due to lack of formal academic background. As a Kolkata Sanved initiative we have already admitted some of the trainers in private institutions as a preparation for their board examinations. Volunteers and facilitators also use innovative ways to train them in formal education. We have also organized an academic course of 90 hours on " DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY: THEORY AND PRACTICE:” facilitated by Bonnie Bernstein (USA), M.Ed., MFT, ADTR, a professor who teaches at California Institute of Integral Studies in the US. The participants were awarded certificates as Dance Movement Therapy Trainers on completion of the course.

Another major challenge noticed is that after being employed as DMT trainers most of the survivors opined that they wanted to stay away from the shelter home set-up or their own homes in red-light areas (which are not quite safe).As the above mentioned population now wants to live a life of dignity and respect, they do not want their past to influence their future. Hence the practice of community living has been taken up as a possible option. Kolkata Sanved has temporarily managed accommodation for some trainers.

Financial supportis yet another prime area of concern for us. However with growing demand for our DMT process, we are able to meet certain amount of this crisis through local funds raised by our performances, workshops, seminars, individual donors, corporate and of course from our funding agencies.

6. How can today’s youth contribute to organization like Sanved?

I feel that the best possible way in which today’s youth can contribute for the well-being of the deprived and underprivileged section of society is by providing their time, energy and work for those who lack the opportunities which youth from the mainstream society avail of through organizations like Sanved and others. They can join as volunteers, interns, etc. rendering their personal skill and expertise to organizations who work for various social causes.

7. What is success to you?

Success to me is a relative term which varies according to situation and from person to person. As a stepping stone of success I feel first one need to retain a positive outlook about oneself. One should always focus on what can rather than what one cannot. Keeping the positive spirit alive within oneself always is a step ahead towards success. Secondly I believe that I must love the work that I do wholeheartedly and not do it under any pressure. This will involve my utmost dedication, perseverance and commitment towards my work. Rather than being worried about the results of my work, I should move ahead and always hope for betterment. Following the above guidelines I believe and have experienced that success will inevitably come my way, yielding positive results.

8.. Would you like to advice Sakhis who want to contribute to the society?

I believe Sakhis are doing a good job already. If Sakhis continue in their endeavor to focus and write on various social issues which affects our society on a regular basis, it will be very much beneficial for generating awareness among the people on a wider scale and also help the common man to understand social problems more clearly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Interviewed by Laxmi Khalap Bhatt, April 2009