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Washington: Sixteen
children from the slums of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, will tour the
United States from May 6 to June 16 to spread Mahatma Gandhi's
message of "Oneness" through a 90 minute dance-drama.
Called "Ekatva" (Oneness), the show sharing a "message of love,
inspiration, and a call to action: to push the world closer to
oneness and peace" will be staged in Chicago, Washington DC, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Austin, Atlanta and Montclair and
New Jersey.
"Ekatva" was inspired by a similar project called "Ekta" (Unity),
which was created in 2000 by Manav Sadhna, a nonprofit based at
the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram, and teachers from the Darpana Academy
of Performing Arts, the organisers said.
In keeping with the mission of Manav Sadhna, the children "will
not only perform in the US, but also work with other nonprofits,
serve the underprivileged in the area, help clean parts of the
city, work to connect different religions, and uplift the spirit
of humanity."
"It sounds like a large task for small people - but I have learned
every day in working with these children, that they are not
'small' in any way -they are capable of so much," said "Ekatva"
director Nimesh Patel, a Wharton Business School graduate and
former hip-hop artist.
Patel has become a full-time volunteer for the past two and half
years to lead these children and the vision of the "Ekatva"
experiment.
The performance is directed and choreographed by Mallika Sarabhai
and the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts.
A wide range of international organizations including Project
Ahimsa have contributed to supporting the "Ekatva" tour and
performance.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
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