Who are we?
ABCD Bollywood is a social enterprise that is an initiative of Indian Support Centre (ISC). ISC works with victims of domestic violence to empower them and instill positive spirit and also develop programs for creating loving and peaceful families without violence.
ABCD stands for Any Body Can Dance. ABCD Bollywood uses Bollywood dancing to create happy workplaces while creating happy migrant communities.
ABCD Bollywood seeks to raise funds for developing
- Dance-based programs for building self confidence of the women from indian and other culturally and linguistically diverse communities who are shattered due to being victims domestic violence
- Programs that prevent domestic violence in CALD communities
The funds required for these programs will be generated from running fee-based Bollywood dance classes for local office-workers to help them connect with one another and boost their morale and productivity and creating happy workplaces.
Bhakti Devi is a committee member of Indian Support Centre and is the co-creator of ABCD Bollywood. Bhakti has tested the idea of using Bollywood dance classes as a means to reduce the feeling of isolation, stress and unhappiness at workplace. The dance classes that she conducted at her workplace were extremely popular within staff of non-indian as welll as indian background.
First Bollywood dance class at Bhakti Devi's workplace
Lunch time Bollywood dance class at Bhakti Devi's work preparing for a fund-raiser Bollywood Flash Mob performance
Bollywood dancing at Annual Awards function at Bhakti Devi's workplace with the CEO watching over gleefully - using the dance group as an example of teamwork
Why it Matters?
In Australia, one in three women suffers domestic violence at the hands of a close family member or partner. Research also indicates that women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds often don't open up about domestic violence issues as they are unaware of the support that is available or don't have confidence that the support system is geared to understand and is empathetic to their cultural issues and values.
Bollywood dance has the potential to create happy workplaces. Bollywood dance can also be used for channeling the negativity and lack of self confidence in the victims of domestic violence into positive spirit of empowerment.
On the other hand, in Australia unhappiness in workplace is costing the employers a total of $300-400 billion. Unhappiness results from staff feeling isolated and disengaged. This feeling of isolation turns into stress and unhappiness. Dancing activity has the potential to engage people in workplaces in a fun way while also building their morale and connecting them with one another. This has the potential to contribute to more engagement and feeling of connection amongst staff thus resulting in a happy workplace.
How will it Happen?
ABCD will run a 3-month pilot for the dance classes for local office workers by hiring a community hall in the Parramatta CBD for 2 days a week and four hours per day, hiring a dance teacher and marketing the classes through a website. The aim of the 3 month pilot will be to increase the uptake of the dance classes by 20 or more office workers per class then the revenue generated will be self supportive and any further increase in the uptake will provide surplus funds - 100% of which will be used for developing the programs that empower victims of domestic violence
How you can help?
Please help us by making this project a reality. Any donation from $20 onward will bring us few steps closer to making it real.