Building Resilience: A Covid fundraising benefit for dancers in India and Bangladesh

World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific (WDAAP) has arranged an online video fundraising benefit for emerging dancers and choreographers in India and Bangladesh.

WDAAP is an independent, non-profit, non-political organisation that serves as a primary voice for dance and dancers throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and encourages the exchange of ideas and the awareness of dance in all forms.

The one-hour benefit video features 'Chand: The Reflection of a Wish', a documentary on the process of the WDAAP Choreolab at Ocean Dance Festival in November 2019 in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, by Toronto-based artist Sashar Zarif and several short experimental videos made by the participants of the Choreolab, during virtual sessions with Sashar Zarif.

Dancers and choreographers in Bangladesh and India have undergone a particularly harsh struggle. The fundraising benefit intends to bring attention to their situation, and harness the network of dance lovers across the world to support their continued ability to survive and thrive in dance.

In preparation for this benefit, Sashar Zarif worked with a group of young people from the 2019 Choreolab in Bangladesh to create videos, featuring their perspectives, hopes, and dreams for the future.

Funds collected from the benefit will be distributed to emerging choreographers from India and Bangladesh, to be used as micro-grants to support local dance projects.

All donations will be collected by MyDance Alliance, the Malaysian country chapter of the WDAAP, and held in trust for the organisation. The Executive Committee of WDAAP will coordinate the mechanism and timeline for disbursing the funds, as well as monitoring the project outcomes.

Donations are currently open through PayPal and will close today. Visit this link to send your donation: http://www.wda-ap.org.