For this CAS experience, I chose to do kathak, I had trained under my ma’am for past 4 years, but had taken a break, I took CAS as an opportunity to restart my training. In the course of 5-6months I brushed up my basics, and corrected my moves, I also learnt new things.

LO 1 : Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

• During the first 2 classes, I brushed up my existing skills, during which, through self analysis and my teachers feedback, I realised my strengths(Remembering steps and footwork) and weaknesses ( Chakars and facial expressions). After knowing these, I felt more motivated to improve and perfect my skills. We need to know our weaknesses and strengths so we can prioritise and focus better. I worked hard on my weaknesses and I also focused on perfecting my strengths. Although these skills are dance related, but in the process of perfecting each skill I brushed up my life skills too; patience, persistence, hard work and dedication, all of which were put to a test during this process, and with my dance skills I also improved upon them.

LO 2 : Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.

• Kathak is soulful and a form of meditation for a lot of people, but it does come with challenges. It is a tiring activity, you are required to wear 100 ghungroos on each leg while performing this dance form, each class is of approximately 2 hours. Although, this faded away after some while, when I got used to it, but it did hinder the process. I am not usually a patient person, but in this process I have brushed up this skill and made it my strength. I actually did do kathak a long time back, and this was my effort to revisit my passion for kathak, something I wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for CAS. Once, I got used to this I felt motivated and relaxed. I found my passion and the soul-fullness again. After days of repetition, perfecting the skills, I finally found my love for Kathak again. The need to undertake challenges for me, is to feel lively again, to give a purpose to life, to have goal. Although the challenges are tough by definition but the satisfaction after is what gives a spark to your life.

LO 3 : Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

• As this was something that required an ample amount of time, I had to organise my daily schedule to make time for this. I created a schedule for me, where I had designated time slots for all the activities I did during the whole day. I am usually a very organised person, hence it didn’t come as a challenge for me to do this. However, it definitely made it easier for me to plan and organise my self in the future. It is important to plan before executing, as to be not miss out on something and be prepared.

LO 4 : Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

• For this goal to be achieved, I had to be regular and practice or as my teacher says “rias”, which required perseverance. With studies, school, etc. I usually lacked interest in doing anything. I had to focus on perfecting my skills, which would only happen if I continuously repeated them, which sometimes seemed useless or tiring but I was committed to reach my goal. In fact during the first few classes, I was about to give up, but then I rethought my purpose and with perseverance I lasted and made it till the end.

LO 5 : Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively

As it was a common class, and several others came, too collaboration was imperative. We often took notes together, helped out each other incased we got stuck, or if we missed a class we got each other up to speed, and even performed together in the shoots (videos given as evidence). It had its challenges too, as we required to be on beat and in sync while doing the particular steps, with practice, patience and persistent we were able to get past that too.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G4W1Ptjqmd7JGhq5SsiCsDeJ4GTv7vPr?usp=sharing