Kolkata Sanved dancers perform at the Sadler’s Wells Connect Festival
Six dancers from Kolkata Sanved, a PHF India programme grantee, took part in ‘Transforming Steps’, a project aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking.
The ‘Transforming Steps’ project, which featured at the Sadler’s Wells Connect Festival on 22 March, is geared towards making people aware of the increase in human trafficking during major sporting events and coincides with the London Olympic Games in July. The performance took place at the Lilian Baylis Studio and was a joint production involving Kolkata Sanved, Sadler’s Wells, Jasmin Vardimon Company, the NSPCC and Living Lens.
Survivors of human trafficking in India often face mental health problems and experience difficulties in their re-integration into society. Kolkata Sanved uses choreography to help survivors to change their view of their future and control their own lives, often preparing participants for employment.
Founded in 2004, Kolkata Sanved believes that all individuals, from marginalised and mainstream populations, can live with dignity and self-respect. This basic sense of empowerment and integrity is encouraged through dance movement therapy.
In 2010/11, the PHF India programme awarded Kolkata Sanved a grant of £17,254 (Rs. 1,294,049) to support the use of dance therapy for rehabilitation in government shelter homes.