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Bollywood Summer V: dance to empower women in India

Bollywood Summer V: dance to empower women in India

The charity event raises funds for the Varanasi NGO.
The solidarity event raises funds for the Varanasi NGO.
What is life like for a young woman in India, when is she supposed to get married, what obstacles does she face if she wants to study or go out with her friends? Tumainitogether with several organisations from Madrid, is organising the festival Bollywood Summer V! The aim is to raise awareness of the situation of women in India through the colourful and energetic Bollywood dance. The festival will take place on Saturday 30 June at 7 p.m. in the theatre of the Círculo Catalán (Plaza de España, 6). All proceeds will go to an NGO which offers training, help and work to women at risk of social exclusion in Varanasi (India), through a fair trade clothing workshop. Tickets are on sale at bollywoodsummer.com.

The festival will take us to India without leaving Madrid. There live millions of women and girls who dream of being free, studying, travelling, having friends and doing simple things like walking or learning to dance. Their situation is not easy. But Indian dance, with its colourful rhythms full of joy, gives them the strength to carry on.

The Gulabi Gang have organised themselves to fight against violence and discrimination.
The Gulabi Gang have organised against violence and discrimination.

It's not easy being a woman in India

Bollywood Summer V focuses on the small and large obstacles that any girl or woman in India has to go through just because she is a girl or woman. According to UNICEF, there are 56% cases of early marriage in rural India and 29% in urban areas. Although dowry has been banned since 1961, the reality shows that it is still in the majority, says the Vicente Ferrer Foundation in another report. Amnesty International, for its part, recorded more than 338,000 crimes against women in 2016, including 110,000 cases of violence at the hands of husbands and family members. To these terrible situations we must add other small injustices such as: having to drop out of school, not being allowed to go out alone or that it is frowned upon for them to learn to dance or play football. 

However, there are thousands of courageous women who one day said enough is enough and decided to fight against injustice. This is the case of the Gulab GangThe women of saree rosa who have organised against violence and abuse against women. Or that of Anita Narrewho fought for something as simple as having a toilet at home. The festival gives them a voice and Bollywood rhythms convey a message of hope, strength and positivity.

 
The NGO in Varanasi provides training and employment for destitute women.
The Varanasi NGO offers training and employment to women without resources.

 Dancing for empowerment

Lhe full collection of Bollywood Summer V will go to a small NGO in Varanasi which is a partner of Tumaini which aims to empower women at risk of exclusion. Specifically, it offers training and I work in a fair trade workshop for low caste and poor women.. They make clothes and accessories that are sold in a shop in the tourist centre of the city. While they work, their sons and daughters attend a small school where they are taught yoga, maths, English and, of course, Bollywood! The project allows these women to have a decent job and economic independence.

Are you coming?

  • When? Saturday 30 June at 7 p.m.
  • Where? Teatro del Círculo Catalán, Plaza España 6, Metro: Pza España, Madrid.
  • How much? 6€ (the full proceeds will go to the Varanasi NGO through Tumaini
  • Buy your ticket now! bollywoodsummer.com

Bollywood Summer V uses Bollywood dance as an awareness-raising tool
The festival uses dance as an awareness-raising tool.

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Fair Trade, Events, India

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