Events

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Events in 2010

JAYALAKSHMI ESHWAR: Classical Indian Dance - In Praise of the Divine Feminine - A Bharata Natyam Recital by world renowned  master artist from New Delhi, India.  3 pm Sunday, July 11th, 2010 at St Bart's Cathedral, Gibsons, BC, 659 North Road (at main intersection). Tickets $20 available at Gaia Fair Trade.  Also join us for these special events: 5 pm Saturday, July 10th: How to Wrap a Sari Workshop (all proceeds to benefit the New Moon Festival Society); and at 7pm Saturday, July 10th: Indian Vegetarian Dinner & Reception to meet the artist at Whispering Cedars Retreat in Bonniebrook. Contact meeranova@gmail.com or 1-778-886-1440 for more information.  Click here to view the poster.

BHARATA NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF IRENE VAVASOUR: You and your family are invited to the Bharata Natyam Arangetram of Irene Vavasour, student of the Shakti Dance Society on Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm in The Norman Rothstein Theatre, 950 West 41st Avenue (at Oak Street), Vancouver BC http://www.normanrothsteintheatre.com/contact.php . Refreshments will be served following the performance. RSVP irene.vavasour@shaw.ca .

Click here to view Irene's invitation.

ANUSHA FERNANDO will perform with VANDNA SIDHER, SUJIT VAIDYA, and IRENE VAVASOUR at the Radha Yoga & Eatery at 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 13th.  Join us for an enjoyable afternoon of Bharata Natyam dances performed in the cozy and intimate setting of the Radha.  Cost: $15 adults / $10 children, seniors, and Shakti members. The Radha is at 728 Main Street in Vancouver and there is free street parking on Main, and metres on Union and Georgia Streets. Click here for the flyer.

BHARATA NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF ALICIA DOBBS: The family of Alicia Dobbs, student of the Shakti Dance Society, invite you to Alicia's Arangetram (Indian Classical Dance two-hour solo graduation performance) on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 7:00 pm in the Michael J. Fox Theatre, 7373 MacPherson Avenue, Burnaby BC http://michaeljfoxtheatre.ca/location-directions  (two blocks south of the Royal Oak skytrain station, near Royal Oak and Rumble Street). Refreshments will be served following the performance. RSVP elyndobbs@hotmail.com .   Click here to view the invitation.

Events in 2009

"PUSHPANJALI" our ANNUAL STUDENT SHOW:  Come and watch our students perform in this annual showcase of the talent Shakti encourages!  Performance begins at 3:30 pm on Sunday, December 6, 2009 at the Moverly Arts & Cultural Centre (MACC), 7646 Prince Altert Street (1 block East of Fraser at 60th Avenue).  Tea and snacks will be served after the performance. Admission is only $10 and supports the summer workshops and visit from India of Srimati Jayalakshmi Eshwar.  Shakti students and parents click here for important information about arrival and costumes.  Click here for a poster of the event.

LIGHT - Celebrating Diwali Through Indian Dance, Music & Stories: 8:00 pm Saturday, October 24 & 2:00 pm Sunday, October 25 at the Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre (MACC), 7646 Prince Albert Street (1 block East of Fraser at 60th Avenue) - Adults $15, Children $10. Tickets available at Banyen Books www.banyen.com.

Featuring Anusha Fernando (Bharata Natyam Dancer) and Colleen Lanki (Storyteller), with Musicians David Tsabar, Neelamjit Dhillon, Stefan Cihelka, and Kalpana Prasad. This will be an interdisciplinary piece which tells the stories behind the celebration of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated throughout India, by many religious traditions, as the festival that acknowledges the triumph of Light over Darkness and Good over Evil. This piece will present the five stories and accompanying rituals that are traditionally associated with the five days of Diwali. The stories will be told through a blend of Indian Classical dance, sotrytelling, and live Indian classical music.  CLICK HERE FOR THE POSTER

SARI DRAPING WORKSHOP: 7-9 pm Sunday, August 9th at the Shakti Dance Studio - $22 (including Masala Chai). Taught by the elegant Anjali Potdar, manager of Saravanaa Bhavan restaurant. Bring your saris, lots of large safety pins, a string for your waist or a petticoat, and choli (blouse) if you have one.  Click here for the pdf poster / invitation

Learn how to drape and wear a sari properly in this fun evening workshop... If you've ever wondered what the best way to drape a sari is, now's the time to find out. Nobody wears a sari quite like the lovely Anjali Potdar, manager of Saravanaa Bhavan restaurant. Anjali has perfected this art form over the years with immaculate pleats and hip-hugging style that, as Anjali says, "brings out the best in any woman's figure." Bring a friend and come learn from Anjali how to drape your saris in the best possible way for your body type. At the same time, you'll discover the latest sari fashion trends from India. All proceeds will go toward bringing dance teacher and choreographer Jaya Lakshmi Eshwar from New Delhi to Vancouver for another summer of dance workshops in 2010. Help support this important part of dance training and bringing new dances to the stage.

COQUITLAM CELEBRATES CANADA DAY: Click here to view photos courtesy Gary YK Wong. Anusha Fernando performs with Sujit Vaidya on July 1, 2009.

INTIMACY - Exploring Shiva Through Dance & Poetry - Written and Performed by Anusha Fernando:  Anusha Fernando will perform a unique and dramatic presentation of Bharata Natyam's traditional solo repertoire in praise of the Hindu God, Shiva. Based on the poetry of Mahadevyakka, this performance features the choreography of Jayalakshmi Eshwar and lighting design by Jonathan Ryder.  Through dance, drama, and narration, this piece explores the relevance of the spiritual search of a 12th century female poet.  Despite obstacles, Mahadevyakka dedicated her life to the truth.  This piece emphasizes what is timeless and universal in Bharata Natyam's repertoire. Great music, poetry and choreography!

INTIMACY is Mahadevyakka's story. According to legend, she had been married off to the chieftain of her village, but soon renounced her role as wife and daughter and began to live the life of a homeless mendicant married to Shiva, who she called Cenna-mallika, her Jasmine Lord.  7:30 pm on Friday, January 16th & Saturday, January 17th at the Roundhouse in Downtown Vancouver.  Tickets are $20 each ($15 admission if you are a current Shakti member) and are available through Banyen Books (phone 604-737-8858).  Shakti Dance gratefully acknowledges funding from the City of Vancouver for this piece. PDF Press Release & Backgrounder     PDF Poster    JPG Flyer

Anusha Fernando will next take INTIMACY on the road for two performances:  5:00 pm on Sunday, January 25th at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, and 7:00 pm on Saturday, February 7th at the David Lam Auditorium (UVIC), Victoria.  Click here to read the preview in the Victoria Times Colonist. The University of Victoria's Society for Indian Classical Arts (SICA) presents INTIMACY at 7:00 pm on Saturday, February 7th in the David Lam Auditorium (UVIC), Victoria. Click here for a PDF Event Flyer.

GODS, DEMONS & YOGIS: Remount and BC Tour!  With its script and myth adaptation by Anusha Fernando in collaboration with Adrienne Wong, GODS, DEMONS & YOGIS brings together some of Vancouver's finest talent in a unique interdisciplinary performance blending the classical Indian dance of Anusha Fernando with storytelling, martial arts and live music. This remount storytelling by Colleen Lanki, martial arts by Kelly Maclean and music performed by Neelamjit Dhillon (Tabla, Sitar, Flute), Stefan Cihelka (Tabla and other percussion), David Tsabar (Dhrupad Vocals), and Kalpana Prasad (north Indian Classical Vocal).  Please join us at the Roundhouse Community Centre on Sunday, March 15, 2009 for two presentations - 2 pm and 4 pm - for Dance Allsorts, a popular and low cost series that takes place throughout the year at the Roundhouse. This show is part of the Cultural Olympiad-Vancouver 2010!  On another happy note, the BC Arts Council has funded us to tour this show to small communities in BC in the Spring of 2009. Look for us on March 7th at the Metro Theatre in Victoria and on March 13th at Artspring on Saltspring Island.

See photos of the Roundhouse performance here (with many thanks to Harry Brewster, photography).

GDY Victoria PDF Press Release      GDY Victoria JPG Poster

GDY Saltspring PDF Press Release      GDY Saltspring JPG Poster

GDY Tech Specifications PDF     

                         Photos (c)Duane Burnett:    GDY(1)     GDY(2)     GDY (3)

Events in 2008

November -- At 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 30th, in the Faris Production Studio at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in Downtown Vancouver, adult and advanced students of Shakti Dance performed in our annual school show, this year titled SHRI - Classical Indian Dance.  A huge thank-you to all our friends, family, colleagues, supporters, and members ... and definitely to all the wonderful dancers and crew who made SHRI a fabulous success.  It was a sold-out show, of warm and appreciative audience members.  Thank you all for your dedication and enthusiasm!

September -- Anusha Fernando and musicians David Tsabar, Neelamjit Dhillon and Kalpana Prasad are the featured act at the New Moon Festival in Gibsons on September 13th. This is a new festival that highlights Asian art in BC. For more information, please visit the New Moon Festival website.

Anusha Fernando will also be performing at the Tyagaraja Festival, produced by the local South Indian music society Sa Pa Sa for their annual Tyagaraja Aradhana on September 27th at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in North Vancouver.

May -- We are pleased to work with Caravan World Rhythms to present Gods, Demons and Yogis on May 3, 2008 at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, BC. Ticketing is through the Caravan World Rhythms website.  We are pleased to report this was a sold-out audience!

March -- On Saturday, March 15th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Shakti offers a free workshop with Anusha Fernando at the Radha Yoga & Eatery, 728 Main Street, Vancouver BC. This "Introduction to Bharata Natyam" is an ideal way for adult beginners to learn a little more about this classical Indian dance form, and to experience the connection between mind and body as they work together.
 

The Shakti Dance Society makes these workshops available to yoga and martial arts organizations in an effort to explore the connections between these related art forms. Contact us if you are interested in bringing the Bharata Natyam experience to your organization.

 

 

Events from 2007

Gods Demons and Yogis on October 21 & 22 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. This is an interdisciplinary work featuring music, storytelling and Bharata Natyam that focuses on the expressive potential of Indian classical dance and music and the contemporary relevance of traditional tales. The cast includes: Colleen Lanki (Storyteller/Actor) Neelamjit Dhillon (Tabla, Sitar, Flute) Stefan Cihelka (Tabla and Percussion) David Tsabar (Dhrupad vocals) Kalpana Prasad(North Indian Classical vocals) Kelly Maclean (martial artists) and Anusha Fernando (Bharata Natyam dance).

Jayalakshmi Eshwar's summer workshop
We are pleased to announce our annual summer workshop with Bharata Natyam master, Jayalakshmi Eshwar. This will take place in July 2007. Jayalakshmi Eshwar's Lecture Demo is July 21, 2007 at the Western Front.

Events from 2006

October 25, Dance of the Seven Veils, Heart of the City Festival, 8:30pm, Radha Eatery
October 20, Shakti Dance performs for Diwali at Kitsilano Community Centre
October 1, Anusha Fernando Solo performance at the Radha Eatery
May 9, Shakti Dance Collective at the Rime Cafe
March 5, In the House-Dances from around the world
March 25, Sights and Sounds of India-Shakti Dance Artists at the Radha Eatery
July 12, Anusha Fernando and Lehera at the Pacific Rim Festival of the Arts, Tofino, BC
July 29, Shakti Dance at the Caribbean Festival
 

 

Events from 2005

May 1, Vandna Sidher's Arangetram at the Douglas College Performing Arts Theatre
July, Workshops and private lessons with Jayalakshmi Eshwar
July 24, Sruti and Smrti, a performance by Jayalakshmi Eshwar at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre
September 10, Body of Dance at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons BC

September 24 & 25, Body of Dance at the Roundhouse Community Centre

November 5, Sheri Poulsen's Arangetram at the Roundhouse Community Centre
November and December, Study trip to India