When celebrities speak about body confidence with their well-fitted clothes accentuating their seemingly flawless selves, it is difficult to take them very seriously. It’s easy for them to implore to the ‘fat’ women to feel comfortable in their own bodies, when they have an army of trainers and nutritionists at their disposal. Body confidence is not something that can be developed merely through motivational speeches, especially with media’s constant projection of seemingly perfect people and textbooks teaching students that the perfect body shape is the 36-24-36.

Recognising this, the director of Visual Representation, Aruna Ganesh Ram, has taken the initiative to organise a body confidence workshop. The workshop will use theatre - an art involving spontaneity and reflection - as a medium and aims to raise questions, creating new possibilities and increase confidence levels in it’s participants. “Through this workshop, I hope women will look at themselves for who they are and what they do as opposed to how they think they look and letting that hold them back”, said Ms. Aruna, adding, “It’s not going to be about wearing a coat of confidence and acting like you’re on top of things. It’s going to be about confrontations - with oneself with absolute sincerity and brutal honesty.”

The workshop focuses on different aspects called Being Me, Playful Discovery, Non Verbals, Voice, Presence and Bold Strides. It attempts to bring about self-acceptance on physical, psychological and emotional levels, additional exploring the idea of using the body as a resource to create and perform. To enhance theatrical performance, the workshop also teaches the use of voice, including vocal range, pace and pitch. The workshop culminates in a performance wherein the participants can, letting go of all their inhibitions, perform with complete confidence.

Admitting that it can sometimes be an emotional journey, Ms. Aruna has assured that by keeping the workshop intimate, a space of trust will be created, making the process of sharing easier and comforting. The workshop will be designed in such a way that the participant will be able to convert and transform that emotion into a performance.

This particular workshop is only for women, but men are also under duress from the society, which requires the ‘ideal man’ to emanate a certain ‘masculinity’. “A workshop for men is also being planned. Body confidence is definitely something that men are concerned by too,” said Ms. Aruna. “In fact, I’ve already got several requests from men asking when the next workshop is. Men go through the pressures of building their bodies, having six packs, being athletic and what not, that they too face challenges and feel they don’t fit the stereotype,” she said.

The workshop is being held at Koramangala, Bangalore, on 28th May, 2017. With registration fee at INR 1200, it starts at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

For more details, visit their site.