They sculpted the face of Tagore, crafted cranes from origami sheets, and created music using paper, broomsticks, and even slippers. Children attended a summer camp at the National Mime Institute in CK Block for just about a week but left having dipped their feet in a wide range of activities and had a whole lot of fun.
Sounak Banerjee, a Class VIII student, joked he was a veteran musician, having played the tabla on tables and diaries all his life. “Today I played a rice container,” he said, amused. “I never thought this could be an instrument, but it makes beautiful rhythms.” This was at a workshop on unconventional music.
A sculpture of Tagore, crafted by a student. The Telegraph
Samodarshi Paik beat a paint container like a drum, and Nidha Das lightly struck a glass with a spoon. Others chipped in with broomsticks, sandpaper, and by slapping their thighs, bellies, and even breathing loudly.
“Ask kids to narrate how they spent their day, and they won’t be interested to answer, but ask them to answer through a rhythm and see how much fun they’ll have using different instruments and tempos,” said Nilansuk Datta, who conducted the workshop.
Datta is a classical musician and a psychologist specialising in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. “I have combined both my interests and developed this module to help children. Music improves cognitive functioning. A melody instrument takes time to learn, but everyone has exposure to some percussion – be it table tops or glasses,” he said.
Move & mould
CL Block-based sculptor Gautam Pal taught them too. “Some kids were new to the discipline, but some remembered the basics from this same workshop last year,” he said. “It’s enjoyable teaching from scratch as the kids have an originality that sometimes erodes in veteran artistes.”
Pal demonstrated how to sculpt a face, and the kids followed suit. Some made dacoits with long twirling moustaches. Sourhid Bose made Tagore’s face. “I loved clay modelling and I think I’ve learnt enough to try it at home. There will be a lot of mud in monsoon, and I can use it to sculpt at home,” said the Class IV boy.
At the end of the camp, students performed stage events for an audience, and their sculptures and other off-stage creations were put on display.
Prasenjit Biswas led students in the dance workshop. “They performed to the song Galti se mistake. “Fields and open spaces are reducing for kids to play in, so indoor activities like dance are a good alternative,” said Biswas, a theatre actor and western dancer. “Dance connects the mind, body, and soul, and placing one step after another is like rhythmic math.”
Suroj Biswas taught theatre and Subir Mistry mime. The chosen story for mime was that of a parrot in a school, proposed by Deba Pradhan, a boy of about five, who lives in the under-construction building next door.
“We had a scheme whereby for every child who paid the fees for this workshop, we would induct a needy child free of cost,” said Madhurima Goswami. The child barely spoke, only giggled, but enacted his silent role dutifully. In the music workshop, his job was clapping his hands while wearing slippers on them, a task that amused him thoroughly too.
Madhurima conducted the singing workshop. “I myself have been joining this summer camp since I was five, and there was a song we were taught back then Sishu natyer purano bashor. That song has become a sort of anthem for us, and I taught the current batch the same,” she said.
