A photography workshop took place from 23 July to 4 August 2004. Ms. Marinde Hurenkamp, a professional photographer from The Netherlands, volunteered to be the guest teacher of the course. In order to keep the expenses of the workshop as low as possible, but with the idea that every child should be able to handle its own camera, ten photo camera's of different sizes and makes were collected/borrowed from friends, family and colleagues in The Netherlands. Marinde managed to get a number of free film rolls and about forty use-and-throw cameras. The facilitator Hanne M. de Bruin negotiated with Kodak India to get concessionary rates for the development and printing of the film rolls at a Kodak lab in Chennai.

The photography workshop was not a technical one, though the children learned how to put in and take-out a film roll and how to handle a camera in general, in addition to becoming familiar with the concepts of negative film, development and printing of photos. The workshop enabled the children to look at their own environment and to visually record aspects of it through the medium of photography, which they normally see being used by others with them being the subject of the pictures. Looking through a frame, learning about colours, movement and composition were important elements of the course, which were picked up at an incredible speed by the students. At the end of the course their vocabulary appeared to have grown with a number of words ('focus', 'light', 'dark') which until then had no real meaning for them.

All students shot about one hundred photos divided over three different assignments: colour, differences, and a theme of their own choice. After each assignment the results were discussed in small groups. Every child had to select its six favourite photos (something most of them found very difficult), explain to the others why he/she liked these particular pictures and arrange them in a composition of their choice. The workshop progressed in phases. Whereas the assignment 'colour' got a lot of response—also in unexpected ways for what exactly is colour?—the second assignment was not really taken up by most students. Instead, having discovered the fact that their camera can record reality many of them started making photos of their friends and photos, which featured themselves in it (apparently taken by others). During the subsequent discussion some of these photos were termed 'photo album photo's - 'Nice and perfectly fine for your family album, but everybody can make them'. The guest teacher explained that an interesting photo tells a story: 'It should be your own story to make it your own photo; one which only you can make…..' For the third assignment the children went home for a long weekend. Every child carried a use and throw camera with twenty-seven pictures on it. During the preceding discussion all of them had indicated a theme of their choice, which they were to realise over a period of three days. The themes included: animals, gods, nature, professions such as that of dhobi, weaving or acting (usually the profession of one or both parents), children (including babies & siblings), family, food, games. In addition, the theme of 'colour' was carried right through the whole workshop as it was very visual and apparently easy to record and understand.

The staff of the Sangam, on its own request, also attended a one time session during which they learned to handle a camera and shot a full film roll.

In continuation of the earlier dance training by our volunteer, Ms. Bregje van de Ven, a follow-up contemporary dance workshop was organised on the specific request of the students. The workshop took place during the weekends (every Saturday and Sunday) over a period of four months. It was taught by one of the senior dancers of Attakkalari, a Bangalore-based organisation that promotes contemporary dance in India. The dance workshop included also martial arts-elements, as a number of students expressed special interest in these aspects of movement. The aims of the workshop were to make the students aware of their own body and its possibilities, to teach them how to use their bodies and protect them from injuries by working in a safe manner (techniques of falling, jumping, lifting, etc.), and to encourage collaboration by developing dance pieces in smaller and larger groups. Boys and girls participated on an equal basis and learned how to work together without feeling embarrassed.

In general, the contemporary dance workshop was a welcome addition to the movements that the students learn during the Kattaikkuttu theatre classes. Some of the dance movements have been used already in Kattaikkuttu performances and it is hoped that the combination of two different art forms will help to broaden the horizon of possibilities of the students. The students gave a final presentation of what they have learned during the contemporary dance workshop on November 21, 2004. The presentation was video-taped by Attakkalari so that it could be shown to the students of other schools, which have participated in Attakkalari's dance workshops for children.

Some of the guest-teachers of these workshops have worked on a voluntary basis. The School paid for their travel (only inside India) and the materials used in the workshops. We welcome proposals of enthusiastic professionals who would like to teach a workshop at the School (contact)