Close on the heels of Friendship Day, Vaidehi Somani joins hands with the students from the Academy of the Arts at Salaam Bombay Foundation to present her first on-stage experimental pop-up dance production ‘Mannsafar.’ This eloquently designed performance will bring together dance and theatre in support of Arts Education for underprivileged adolescents from the urban slums of Mumbai. The show will take place at the iconic Royal Opera House on August 4, 2022, from 7 p.m. onwards.
A student of Sherborne Girls’ School (UK), 15-year-old, Vaidehi has always had a passion for dance and theatre. During her summer vacations in India, she would accompany her elder sister Mrinalini, who conceptualised and helmed the Foundation’s charity concert ‘WE’, and perform alongside the students from the Academy of Arts. Though coming from different worlds, they formed a bond through their collective love and passion for the arts.
Excited to work with the Salaam Bombay Foundation students yet again, Vaidehi says, “Art in itself is fluid but one requires self-discipline to become a good artist. Sometimes I feel people think living a structured and disciplined life is limiting but I think it’s liberating. In school you are forced to follow rules but while following your passion you must discipline your own self. When I dance, I know to be a good dancer I must train my mind and body to perform. It requires rigorous training from a young age and self-discipline but it’s also liberating because it is my choice to follow my passion.
With Mannsafar, I bring to you a show like no other. Part dance, part theatre, and part found footage, you are invited into the chaotic but fascinating world of Gen-Z. Mrinalini, helped me conceptualise the idea and I am so proud to present it with my friends from the Academy of Arts at Salaam Bombay Foundation. I hope you enjoy the show!”
With dance performances choreographed by the exceptionally talented Norden Sherpa, ‘Mannsafar’ promises to be an evening to remember – combining riveting dance and theatrical performances. The hour-long show will give a glimpse into the lives of four urban youngsters as they navigate the many challenges adulting presents. The story revolves around strangers who hop onto a train compartment and, as fate would have it, end up connecting the dots to the missing pieces within themselves through each other.
Komal Tanawade, a student of the the Academy of the Arts at Salaam Bombay Foundation and fellow Mannsafar performer expressed her excitement and said, “I have always loved dance and hope to pursue it as a career after completing my education. Opportunities to showcase one’s talent hardly come by on such prestigious platforms. I am so glad to be part of this incredible journey which I know will help me down the line as well.”
Nandina Ramchandran, CEO – Salaam Bombay Foundation, spoke about the initiative and said, “Mannsafar is a brilliant and thoughtfully curated concept combining dance and theatre in a perfect symphony. It is a joy to see exceptional talent stemming from the hard work put in by Vaidehi and the students coming alive on stage. We are proud to be able to power initiatives like Mannsafar that bring children belonging to two entirely different worlds together for a cause. At Salaam Bombay Foundation, we don’t just teach our students creative skills, but we also prepare them with life skills such as self-discipline, leadership, and team building that help them stand out as they build their careers.”
Students from Salaam Bombay Foundation are typically between the ages of 11 to 17, live in Mumbai’s over crowded slums, have multiple responsibilities and live a highly pressured, stressful childhood. They often find themselves forced out of the school as soon as they are deemed capable of contributing to their meagre family incomes. Most become trapped in unskilled, low paying jobs with few prospects for growth. This also deters their ability to stay in school, complete their education and contribute to the organised work force.
Given these ground realities, The Salaam Bombay Academy of the Arts is a refuge for children whose lives are bereft of opportunities and facilities, of creative spaces and personal attention. The Academy addresses the lack of life skills by bringing world-class training in dance, music and theatre to children in government schools. It plays a pivotal role in identifying latent talent and giving underprivileged adolescents the opportunity to pursue sustainable careers in the creative fields.
Having trained over 9000 children in the Arts, Salaam Bombay Foundation is an NGO that helps the most vulnerable of India’s children stay in school. Our initiatives give them something they rarely have – hope. Research shows that 9 out of 10 children enrolled with Salaam Bombay Foundation stay in school.
