A Friend of mine in Shanghai recently passed me a brief on the Hua Dan program, and I thought it warranted a post. Based in Beijing, Hua Dan is run by Caroline Watson with the goal to:

Hua Dan is a China-based social enterprise that uses the unique power of participation in theatre and other creative arts as a tool for personal and social transformation.

Focusing primarily on the migrant community of China, Hua Dan

uses a variety of applied theatre forms, namely advanced role-play, improvisation, creative games and exercises, storytelling and other participatory training techniques. The workshops act as a way to educate and inspire around a range of issues such as mental health, love and sexuality, AIDS awareness and prevention, legal rights, gender issues, as well as provide a forum for key stakeholders in China’s development process to come together and contribute to solutions for a better future.

For those looking to learn more, you can go to the homepage or contact Caroline at caroline@hua-dan.org