The Kahaani dance showcase has truly been so enriching and captivating and I’m very fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in the showcase this year – especially considering we finally got to interact with some of the individuals from the NGO the showcase supports, Voice of World.

Considering Kahaani has been an event I’ve participated in since the start of high school, the biggest learning outcome for me was LO4 (Commitment). From the beginning, I was able to show commitment in this event as I was constantly engaged in the rehearsals and I would ensure I was caught up by rehearsing in my personal time. That was almost like a mini goal I set for myself, and I adhered by that to demonstrate my commitment. Additionally, I also identified the relationship between LO4 and LO2 (Challenge), as I knew that inevitably, I’d have obstacles that I’d need to confront such as other commitments and I demonstrated my commitment to Kahaani and other activities to keep engaged with all of my commitments. From Kahaani, I truly believe I have improved in my personal management, as I have challenged myself to demonstrate commitment and perseverance and through that, I have automatically been able to more efficiently organise myself and my activities.

Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, this Kahaani was the first year I had the opportunity to interact with the NGO. It was rather eye-opening (LO6 – global value) as it allowed me to comprehend the extent to which we can bridge creativity and activity with global engagement and how effective it can truly be. The people from Voice of World showed us directly the impact UWC involvement had on their facilities, and personally, I found it reassuring that our commitment and hard work into the event was having a productive and measurable positive effect in their organisation. Additionally, with (LO7 – Ethics), I allowed myself to clarify the purpose of this dance showcase as although I was having fun, it was as important for me to fathom the cause that this was for. While celebrating art and activity, I also had to understand how the expression of such art would be suitable and appropriate for the context it was in.

On the whole, Kahaani 2019 was an experience that was full of learning and experiences that I will cherish forever. Here are some videos of our final performance.

 

Because we are quickly approaching the event, I’m starting to recognise the importance of LO6 (Global Value). Some of the representatives from Voice of World came to talk to our school about their NGO and the impact of UWC involvement, namely the impact of Kahaani. While they were giving their presentation, I encouraged myself to understand why I chose to participate in Kahaani. It enabled me to understand how we can link arts and activity with change making and allowed me to reflect on the importance of such correlations and how innovation can be channelled through many platforms to make a change. The predicament of the people at Voice of World is something us, UWC students, can help to alleviate. And by participating in Kahaani, we can express our passion and creativity to help improve the lives of many.

However, with that, LO7 (Ethics) can definitely be a determining factor as to whether our involvement has the intended impact. Although we’re all passionate about the cause, we must act cautiously and carefully because the issues Voice of World help to address may be sensitive and although it requires our involvement, it’s important that we act with consideration and thought. So although we are participating in dancing, which is very much part of Indian culture, our moral principles must help us dictate whether the kind of art we are engaging in is appropriate and appreciated. Personally, I believe that the Kahaani dance showcase collectively has done an excellent job with that, as everyone has adopted a degree of sensitivity to the issue at hand and all the dance pieces are creative and innovate. For example, music from our dance comes from movies with disabled people and that element was incorporated in our dance so while we are raising funds, we also raise awareness. Therefore, we use LO7 to develop our moral compass to encourage ourselves to think innovatively while still adopting a sensitive and considerate mindset.

With the final showcase quickly approaching, we will be having our long and full-length rehearsals very soon and therefore, I need to demonstrate more of LO4 (Commitment) to ensure I make the most of the experience.

Rehearsal:

Light plot rehearsal: