“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

All over the world, young girls are told to be “proper”, to sit like a lady, to walk like woman, to not behave roughly. However, the moment women are freed from all forms of bodily restriction is when they are asked to dance. So how better to facilitate a revolution than to bring it in through dance!

This was the idea behind the first “Dance for Revolution” organized jointly by SWAR, The Gender Cell of St. Xavier’s College, and Kolkata Sanved an NGO that works against gender based violence.

On the 18th of December 2014, over 800 students, young girls and boys alike, from all over the city joined the beat of the dhaak, lead by renowned percussionist Tanmoy Bose and female dhaakis and truly danced for revolution. Wonderful dancers from Kolkata Sanved and the Xaverian Academy of Dance and Music graced the stage followed by a theatrical performance by English Youth Theatre group, Shriek Of Silence. The youth was moved by the performance by none other than Eve Ensler herself, author of The Vagina Monologues and one of the pioneers of One Billion Rising Movement, globally. The youth of the city listened, understood and joined the movement.

This year, we have the pleasure to host Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, dancer, thespian and gender spokesperson at our very own college. Once again, the performers from last year will be joining us again to inspire the even more young people of our city. Additionally, we have two members, from SWAR itself who will be hand-picked to talk about the gender realities of our lives.

We look forward to another successful event where once more our auditorium will overflow with energy and we will succeed in our urge to break through and truly make our voices heard against gender based violence and discrimination.