Online registrations are invited for the Jokering Justice 6-day workshop organized by the Sambhaavnaa Institute of Public Policy and Politics. Check other details below!
About Sambhaavnaa Institute
Sambhaavnaa Institute, nestled in a small village called Kandwari, in the lap of the mighty Dhauladhar mountain ranges in Himachal Pradesh, is an alternative learning and living space for those concerned with social and political change. Founded under the aegis of the Kumud Bhushan Education Society in 2004 Sambhaavnaa’s main mission has been to nurture value-based leadership by encouraging individuals, especially the youth; to discuss and develop a critical perspective on the ideals and ideas that define a just society.
Theatre of the Oppressed and the Culture
Theatre of the Oppressed (TOTO) is a praxis based on the political views of equality and democratic processes. Across the world, different movements, communities and organisations have used it to initiate socio-cultural shifts. Real, vital and inclusionary dialogues are crucial aspects of enduring democracies, in present and in future too. TOTO, both as an approach and a technique, facilitates a shift in behaviour and perception of individuals and collectives, enabling greater ownership and a hands-on approach to validate and support diverse dialogues.
The Theatre of the Oppressed practice deeply respects the intellectual faculty of people and therefore has the potential to portray oppression and change the story. This form of theatre focuses not just on acting, but also on action. It deliberates on the reflection of realities and can be a rehearsal for future action. Jokering is the art of facilitating the TO experience. In rehearsals and workshops, the Joker guides actors through games and exercises to investigate shared experiences of oppression. During performances, the joker attempts to establish dialogue between the actors and spectators.
Objectives of this Workshop
This workshop, which is the first and introductory level, is a 6-day workshop. It is an introduction to this amorphous framework and possible ways to implement TOTO in various fields. This workshop will focus on a participatory process which offers people the possibility of identifying issues, articulating them in the form of short plays and creating a structure in which an active dialogue between the actors and the spectators is instigated in order to try and change the story. The work that we will do during these 6 days will be experiential, with a summary and debrief of the techniques involved:
- Space to connect within – understanding the connectedness between our body and the mind, and between human beings and everything in the world around them.
- Analyse the intersectionality of oppressions and confront the hierarchies, violence and injustices within ourselves, and our collective lives through personal sharing and listening sessions.
- Script forum and facilitation – principles of joking and utilising these in different fields (e.g. facilitating large heterogeneous groups).
- Develop trust in the power of the oppressed and find means and tools to harness the same.
- Build an effective culture of dialogue for sustainable change.
About the Longer Program
They are organizing an intensive TOTO program with three modules, which is designed as a funnel – spread across 10 months with exit possible at every level but entry possible only at the foundation level for freshers and at intermediary for those with experience. This entails both on-site workshops and action projects led by participants.
- The three workshops will be placed within an interval of a few months and be spread over through 2023.
- There will be three levels: Foundation > Intermediary > Intense.
- The resource persons, along with Sambhaavnaa Institute, want to create a space and community for individuals planning to engage in TOTO methods and practices in their respective fields. This could be any arena of social development and education among other spaces. The idea is to create Agents of Change who would become TOTO practitioners in the future for issues related to justice, equality and transformation.
- The level of information, practice methods and intensity for the workshops would step up with every level of the workshop in this sequence: Foundation > Intermediary > Intense.
- On completion of the Foundation level, participants are expected to engage with TOTO in some way, in their respective professional spaces. This will be imperative, to be able to apply for the Intermediary level. The idea is to create a timeline where training and on-field practice run simultaneously.
- The second round will take place later in the year, after a gap of 2-3 months. We would mostly like to have the same participants who participated in the first round of workshops.
- This workshop will involve advanced training in TOTO and also involve work with the communities on the ground. In the third round, there shall be a training component at the Sambhaavnaa campus and a longer component of working with the communities. They’ll discuss the particularities of these workshops in detail when we meet during the first round. Details would be finalized collectively.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is for change-makers, social work practitioners, activists, people associated with people’s movements, theatre artists who work on aspects of social change and young artists exploring to develop techniques for social change.
This workshop is ideal for those who want to begin using Theatre for social change processes.
About the facilitators
Jaya Iyer
Jaya Iyer has been associated with various aspects of social development for over three decades. An awardee of many prestigious fellowships, Jaya is also a recipient of the UNESCO Aschberg Bursary to study the Theatre of the Oppressed with Augusto Boal. As a theatre professional, she has developed and staged over 20 major productions and around 1000 Studio,
Street and Community Performances. Her productions have won the prestigious Sahitya Kala Parishad “Best Play of the Year”, and have been showcased in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Urdu Theatre Festival, Sriramsummer Festival, theatre for Truth Festival etc. She has travelled extensively with her performances and as a trainer across India and the world.
Jaya was CEO of Pravah and led the process of setting up the National Centre for Children and Youth in the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. She has been a guest faculty in Bachelor of Elementary Education, TIE, National Museum Institute and Disom School of Leadership. Jaya has designed and led various public campaigns around Seeds-sovereignty, Child Rights, Gender-based violence, Anti-plastic movements and Proactive Peacebuilding.
Zubair Idrisi
Zubair Idrisi has been a theatre practitioner for more than fifteen years. His area of interest lies in working around the transformative power of Theatre in influencing social change. Zubair specialises in theatre-based training and facilitation of workshops at individual, community and organizational levels. He has extensive experience in project design and coordination with a focus on youth and gender-oriented programs, in different regions of the country. He has designed and executed various social campaigns as well, each addressing a specific cause or an issue. His work with Pradan between 2017 and 2019 involved campaigns around gender-based violence, PDS distribution and the right to vote.
Zubair has worked with multiple non-government, government and private organisations, along with students and teachers belonging to educational institutions as well. These include UNICEF, Greenpeace, JAGORI, Sangat, PCI, and Teen Murti Bhawan, Nehru Learning Centre for Children and Youth and the Government of India headquarters in New Delhi.
We will also be having an additional resource person who has gone through this process earlier.
Dates and Venue
5 to 10 March 2024, Sambhaavnaa Institute, VPO Kandbari, Tehsil Palampur, District Kangra, PIN 176061, Himachal Pradesh.
Participant Contribution
Participants will contribute an amount of Rs. 6000/- towards workshop expenses, inclusive of all on-site workshop costs: boarding, lodging, and all the materials used in the workshop. Travel of participants will have to be borne by the organisation/the participants.
Do not let money be an impediment to your application. Need-based fee waivers are available. They have a limited number of scholarships so please apply for a fee waiver if you really need it. Do remember that there may be others who need it more than you. Fee waivers will be offered to people from marginalized groups and non-funded social, political or student movements.
How to Apply?
Interested candidates can directly apply through this link.
How to Reach?
Click here for the exact location and direction details!
Contact Details
WhatsApp or call: 889 422 7954 (between 10 am to 5 pm), and e-mail: programs[at]sambhaavnaa[dot]org
