This Organisation Is Showing How Dance Can Help Break The Shackles Of Poverty

“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.” -Rumi

Many organisations across the country are working towards providing a better life to underprivileged kids by creating access to education and food. But how many organisations focus on arts, helping these kids to hone their talents?

Dance Out Of Poverty is an organisation that helps these kids elude the shackles of poverty through dance. Dance gives wings to their dreams and reinstates hopes in their lives.

What is DOOP?

Dance Out Of Poverty (DOOP), an initiative by Sinhayana Foundation, has proved that dancing can bring about positive change in society. Based out of Delhi, DOOP also has branches in Mumbai and, through dance, they are creating livelihood opportunities for underprivileged children.

DOOP believes in the principle, “If you have talent, We’ll nourish it”.

It was founded by Mansi Dhanak, Vinay Sharma and Raja Singh. Vinay exclusively manages the Delhi centre that also helps in uplifting and mentoring slum children from the capital city by giving them better livelihood opportunities, through the same model of intervention that is dance. For certain families, providing a basic education to their kids is a liability: they cannot even think of sending their children to dance classes in order to nourish their talents. DOOP gives the platform for these underprivileged children to showcase their talents and gives them the extra push needed to take it further.

For certain families, providing a basic education to their kids is a liability: they cannot even think of sending their children to dance classes in order to nourish their talents. DOOP gives the platform for these underprivileged children to showcase their talents and gives them the extra push needed to take it further.

When DOOP held auditions in Mumbai and Delhi, they were not only impressed by the turnout but also by the immense potential, these children had. DOOP provides the needed guidance to children, they are mentored by eminent choreographers.

When The Logical Indian spoke to Mansi Dhanak, one of the co-founders at DOOP, she said, “Dancing has helped these children to channelise their energy in something constructive. After months of rigorous training, one can notice a change in their confidence level and their attitude as well.”

Impact created by DOOP

“We have one student who was falling into the trap of drugs. He liked dancing but didn’t have the means to get professional training in dance. Nothing else would interest him. We began coaching him on regular basis. Today, he is completely clean and has stopped taking drugs whatsoever,” Mansi added. These children now have a new direction in life.

She also spoke about Varsha, another student of DOOP whose parents were not quite open to the idea of their kids taking part in activities like dance. But today, her grandmother is quite supportive of her choice, especially her grandmother. Her grandmother is happy with the positive impact dancing has created in Varsha’s life.

While talking about DOOP, how can we not talk about the mentors who toil day in and day out to shape the careers of these children? In this context, Mansi spoke about one of the mentors,' Mohit, “He is extremely satisfied with whatever he has been doing. He says, grooming and mentoring these children has been one of the most life altering decisions, he has taken so far.”

These children have been getting opportunities to work with Ranbir Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Katrina Kaif and many other eminent actors of Bollywood, most of whom, they idolise. Shaking a leg with these actors has been their long-standing dream. Apart from teaching them how to dance, this organisation is also looking towards providing them better education and groom them to bring them to a better life path, all together.

Challenges

“Initially, we had received quite a backlash. Convincing people about our model of intervention was a task. Convincing parents to send their children also was an uphill task as most of these children came from needy families and they needed an extra hand to support their families,” Mansi added. The children would often feel demotivated as well. Families weren’t supportive, but as more and more children started getting decent job opportunities, DOOP began gaining support from the families.

The Logical Indian community wholeheartedly applauds the efforts taken up by Mansi and her team in ensuring a better future for her team. She is an inspiration for all of us.

Click here to know more about the initiative