NEWS — UPFRONT
selected by audition. For further information and to book, please see http://www.thelowry.com/event/ misrana-2012
Gait to the Spirit Festival 2012 Mandala Arts presents its third annual classical Indian dance festival, Gait to the Spirit 2012, at the Scotiabank Dance Centre in Vancouver, Canada from 26–29 October. The programme, which has been curated by Managing Artistic Director Jai Govinda, includes bharatanatyam dancer Savitha Sastry, odissi dancer Shalini Patnaik and British-based contemporary kathak artist, Aakash Odedra. Vancouverbased bharatanatyam artist Malavika Santhosh will premiere a new work.
The Art of Critical Writing Continues to Enthuse Critics of Tomorrow Kadam and Pulse are pleased to announce a further date for the Art of Critical Writing (AOCW), 15 November 2012 at The Hat Factory in Luton. Led by dance critic for the Guardian, Sanjoy Roy, the AOCW is a short course which aims to equip aspiring arts writers with the tools to critically reflect and comment on the work of performing artists. Following its launch in April earlier this year at the Southbank Centre’s Alchemy Festival and subsequent sessions at the International
of ATMA, starts her two-year appointment as the Royal Ballet Choreographic Interchange Programme Artist. The scheme has been set up to provide emerging choreographers with access to the wide range of work and opportunities being developed across the Royal Opera
Mayuri Boonham | Photo: Chris Nash
House. The creative hothouse will undoubtedly influence the piece that Boonham will choreograph for a platform as the culmination of her residency. The host organisation too will receive some of the artist’s own bharatanatyam-inspired vision.
Avatara Goes Global Independent dance artist Veena Basavarajaiah presented her Avatara project as part of Stoff 2012, the Stockholm Fringe Festival, last month (22–25 August). As one of 400 specially
Veena Basavarajaiah | Photo: Simon Richardson
Jameela Saddiqi and Sanjoy Roy | Photo: Yasmin Khan
Festival, Leicester and DanceXchange in Birmingham, this latest instalment will give participants the opportunity to review a performance from the Shane Shambhu Company.
Royal Opera House appoints Mayuri Boonham In September 2012, Mayuri Boonham, dancer and director
selected artists from forty countries, Veena presented a piece of work which was a collaboration between UK-based photographer Simon Richardson and British-Pakistani make-up artist Riffat Bahar. The result was a stunning recreation of temple sculptures on a dancing body and the images are further incorporated into a performance; an installation that facilitates audience interaction with the images in a photo booth. The installation is a collaboration with artist Shreekanth Rao (India) and was supported by
Pulse (UK) and the photographer, Simon Richardson. This is a unique project that brings Indian dance to Sweden’s backyard.
The Godfather of Bhangra Receives OBE As part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations earlier this year, a new list of Honours has been compiled by Her Majesty. The Order of the British Empire (OBE) is one of the highest civilian awards, recognising distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations of all kinds. Among the recipients for this year’s prestigious awards was Harcharanjit Singh (Channi Singh) Rapal, founder, lead singer, producer and director of Alaap, a music group based in London. Channi Singh was selected for his services to bhangra music, charity and to the community of Hounslow, West London.
BT River of Music London was bursting to the brim with world music on the weekend of Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July as part of the BT River of Music festival. The event took place a week ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, providing the perfect curtain-raiser for the sporting celebrations that were to follow and featured artists representing all participating Olympic and Paralympic nations. The Asia Stage, which was hosted by Hardeep Singh Kohli and Nikki Bedi in Battersea Park, saw the likes of Pakistani Qawwali musician Asif Ali Khan collaborate with London-based Bangladeshi singer Sanchita Farruque; Arun Ghosh the Bengali jazz clarinettist presented a piece created with students of Morpeth
Zakir Hussain: Pulse of the World | Photo: Emile Holba
school in Tower Hamlets; Oud player Khyam Allami and the Alif Ensemble representing the
Middle East; and Chinese singing sensation Gong Linna. The big finale came from acclaimed tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, who combined South Indian music traditions with Scottish and Irish folk. The diversity and creativity on offer that weekend prompted reactions from some great musicians who attended the event like Soumik Datta, acclaimed British sarod musician, who tweeted: “Elated after hearing the KING @ZakirHtabla under the scorching London sun.”
Leicester Dance Group to Represent East Midlands at National Big Dance Launch Festival In this Olympic year, the nation has been glistening with a colourful array of arts events like Big Dance, the UK’s biggest biannual dance festival which took place from 18 May to 15 July. As part of the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad, Big Dance 2012 gave the opportunity for hundreds and thousands of people, young and old, dance novice and expert alike, to get involved in lots and lots of dancing. Representing the East Midlands, the Nupur Arts Dance Academy were specially chosen to launch Big Dance Week at St Pancras International on 5 July, following a nomination from Dance4 to acknowledge Nupur Arts’ performance at Mass Movement earlier this year. The dance piece, which was choreographed by Dimple Chauhan, combines bharatanatyam and Bollywood.
ISTD Seeks Kathak Examiner The South Asian Dance Faculty at the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) would like to invite kathak practitioners to apply for the position of examiner for the Faculty. Applications will be considered only from those who are already an ISTD member and have taught up to at least Grade 6 of ISTD’s kathak syllabi and presented students at this level in examinations. Those interested should contact the Customer Services and Quality Assurance Department of the ISTD on AUTUMN 2012 PULSE 3