I believe, we can all agree that 2020 was a learning curve for us all. We started to appreciate the small things in life, learned to cherish deep connections, let go of unnecessary thoughts and focused on what is really important: Love, trust, hope, resilience and protecting each other.
2021, we are hoping for things and people to come together again. We have goals, dreams and more hope. But we also have to take a moment to give ourselves credit for never giving up. I would suggest to take this minute now…
As the director of Music On Pointe, I had the privilege to work with Wonder Foundation and to gain experience as a policy researcher in London. As inter-personal skills are increasingly important at job interviews, I researched on how these skills are best being taught, to girls specifically, especially in the developing world. The arts are essential in teaching soft skills all over the world and at Music On Pointe, we keep believing in this vision to see the arts as a tool for positive change and promotion of peace and love.
I was fortunate to be featured at “Shoutout Miami” magazine: https://shoutoutmiami.com/meet-reshma-anwar-dance-artist-future-mpa/
Here are some questions that were asked:
Hi Reshma, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I am a dance artist but also a future policy maker as I am currently acquiring my Masters in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science’s School of Public Policy with a focus on International Development. Having worked with various choreographers, I realized that I was specifically drawn to working with people who made socio-cultural and/or political statements with their work. I believe in the arts as a driving force for positive change. I also believe that the arts teach us about culture; cultural values, believes and more. Collaboration is the main driver to create mutual understanding, sympathy and empathy in the best case. My project, Music On Pointe (musiconpointe.com) believes exactly in those values and is build around these ideas. It is an international collaboration platform that establishes cultural exchange through the arts. Its vision is to inspire different communities around the world to have a better understanding of each other by experiencing representative art in hopes to create global peace. We host occasional benefit concerts with special global topics to bring its mission to life and to provide a space to share, as well as connect the people from around the world on an artistic and intellectual level. Our last one was in Miami last year in collaboration with Strong Girls Inc. This year we hosted an online benefit for Colombia based organization, Ases del Swing. I also volunteered to teach dance here at the Lotushouse shelter for Women and Children.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As I said, I am an alien to this country so that alone brings a whole different layer to the question why I am here and why I do what I do. In addition, I am a brown girl that grew up in the Western world with heritages in India and Pakistan. Yes, I am 50:50. So I always say I was born to make a statement. One time, Pioneer Winter said in one of his workshops, “You don’ have to be political in your work, your body already is.” and this has stuck with me ever since. Growing up in (east) Germany, I was always told that I will never be a dancer and here I am, having studied at The University of the Arts, and The Ailey School and having worked with various choreographers not only in Miami but also in New York City and now London. When I came to the States, I learned the value of my multiculturalism until it came to finding a job when I graduated. I was confronted with the world of White and Black and to those bilateral concepts of race. As a brown girl, I was once again challenged to fit in to both. South Asian heritage dancers that are trained in Western styles are definitely so far in the minority but there are actually quite a few fierce ones among us but talking to all of them, I found out that we shared the same struggle of never fitting in and major companies let you know directly that this is a problem. However, it is not something that should bring you down. I worked once with Roni Koresh and he used to say “If you don’t know where you are from, you are lost.” It is true. I am just learning to be comfortable in my skin and learn that my experiences are unique and valuable.
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With that I hope that you achieve all your goals in 2021 and keep practicing love.
In Peace,
Reshma
Director of Music on Pointe
@music.onpointe