In the past, when engaged in international work, I wrote blogs once a week as I encountered new experiences on a quite regular basis. Having now traveled, worked and lived throughout India over multiple years, I encounter fewer true surprises. So, I find myself instead reflecting on the greater experience of sustained engagement in this wonderfully rich place.

During this particular trip, one occurrence which has kept me returning to India over the years suddenly happened at an accelerated pace.  Back when I first came to India, I met an artist –Velu– from Pondicherry.  That encounter led to a series of introductions and connections that have carried me to this 2022 trip.  Now, during this one 2022 trip, I have had multiple invitations to visit, teach, conduct workshops, and even appear in a film (which I couldn’t).  I’ve had last minute workshops slipped into my schedule with just a day or two’s notice.  This all helped me get a greater sense of the number of performance festivals, small groups producing plays, groups and individuals offering long and short workshops that are constantly occurring.  Some pop-up relatively quickly and some are presented with great pomp.  In all of it, my experience has been that of communities that are vastly interested in interacting with others.  There is a desire to highlight the work of others, to promote the accomplishments of a community and celebrate common interests and work.  For me, there seems a great sense of inclusion.

Many years ago, I accompanied a theatre group from Orissa as they performed in a variety of theatre Festivals in the Kolkata area.  I just wanted to experience how these happened.  Regularly I was honored for attending, engaged in conversations about the work and even spontaneously pulled into a seminar to discuss my experience with Indian theatre.  That company reached out to me this year to participate in their new festival since I “was such a valuable part of our previous festivals.”

Two theatre festivals this year asked me to be their Chief Guest and help inaugurate their festival…even though I had never interacted with them previously!

And with each series of workshops I did in Tripura, Assam and Uttar Pradesh, there was great hub-bub made about the experience, suggesting how important the moment was that we had to share together.

With the pride and joy of each, I have been so struck by the value found in a community coming together.  It’s more than a training or a performance…it’s an event that deserves to be marked, honored and valued.  At one place a huge poster was made that publicized my workshop, but the participants were pre-selected and no one was invited to observe.  The poster simply suggested, “Wow. We’re doing this!”

Throughout all of this, I have reflected on a word that gets bandied around so much in our field – ‘best.’  Every time we switch on our phone, tablet, cell phone or TV, we’re inundated with shouts of ‘The best of TV.’ ‘The best of Netflix.’ ‘The best films…’ It all makes me appreciative of the celebratory communal feeling I’ve had during this, and previous, trips.  While all involved strive for their best, a primary purpose that is triumphed is the sense of a community engaged with each other, and that engagement will leave each of us with a deeper sense of connection and purpose than simply by viewing the ‘best.’  After all, who truly decides what’s ‘best?’