SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2004 PROGRAMME

BHARATANATYAM - NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

A BHARATANATYAM DANCE PERFORMANCE
by Sharlini Rajasingham and Sangeetha Manoharan
Disciples of Suganthy Thayaseelan
Sydney Kalabhavanam Fine Arts

A very popular dance form from South India, Bharatanatyam is said to be the oldest of all classical dance forms in India. Described as the dance of mind and soul, it is extremely traditional and known for its grace, purity, tenderness, statuesque and sculpturesque poses. It uplifts the dancer and the beholder to a higher level of spiritual consciousness. The dancer is considered as a worshipper of the Divine and is an embodiment of beauty, charm and gracefulness.

The general interpretation for the name is
BHAva (expression) + RAga (music) + TAla (rhythm) + NATYAM (dance) = BHARATANATYAM.

followed by

SCREENING OF MR. & MRS. IYER
a film in English
(126 minutes)
Directed by Aparna Sen

An award winning film about a conservative Tamil Brahmin (Hindu) housewife Meenakshi Iyer’s confused religious and cultural identity which is triggered off by a sudden burst of communal strife. During a bus journey she meets a young, affable and dependable wildlife photographer Raja (Rahul Bose) who turns out to be Muslim. Mr & Mrs Iyer is a finely woven love story about the two unlikely travelling companions drawn to each other under stressful, harrowing circumstances.
In this movie, Aparna Sen takes on the issue of communal conflict with a surging humanism, painting words on celluloid.
(Excerpts from a review by Subhash K. Jha)

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
NETPAC award for best Asian film, Young Jury Award at 55th Locarno International Film Festival 2002, Hawaiin Bank Golden Maile award for Best Reature Film at the Hawaii International Film Festival 2002.
INDIAN NATIONAL AWARDS
Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Film on National Integration.

AN INDIAN WEDDING

OCTOBER PROGRAMME:
The theme for the October shows on the 9th Saturday and 10th Sunday is ‘Indian Wedding'.
On the 9th Saturday there will be a presentation on all aspects of the Indian wedding – from arranged marriages, caste system, dowry to the elaborate ceremonies and the endless mantras recited by the priest.
On the 10th Sunday, Gary Eck, a famous name in the stand-up comedy circles and his wife Sonia will share their ‘Monsoon wedding’ experiences in Rajasthan, India where they took the marriage vows in a traditional Hindu ceremony.
This will be followed (on both days) by a popular Bollywood movie ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ (English subtitles) starring Aishwarya Rai (Miss World 1994), Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan. The theme of the movie is marriage and coincidentally is set in Rajasthan! This movie has some exquisite dances by Aishwarya.
The show starts at 3.30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7.30 pm. There will be a traditional welcome, a small gift for all and a lucky door prize. The number of seats is limited – 60 per show – book early to avoid disappointment.

OCTOBER PROGRAMME - Photo

An Indian Wedding - Gary and Sonya

CLOTHES OF INDIA

SEPTEMBER PROGRAMME:
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September
A rich and diverse cultural heritage inherited over 5000 years of history – this is the backdrop for Indian fashions as we see them today. The very mention of Indian clothes conjures images of vibrant colours, exotic textures, fluid lines, myriad patterns and above all a uniqueness of its own.
As one travels the width and breadth of India, the variations in dressing, both regional and religious, are obvious. Styles of dressing vary, as also the materials used and the colours favoured. Today's presentation will explore the traditional fashions in India for men and women with models displaying the different styles of wearing saree and dhoti, ghagras and salwar kameez.
This will be followed by a Hindi movie 'Chandni' (English subtitles) starring the vivacious Sri Devi who is famous for the lovely clothes she wears in all her films. The show starts at 3.30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7.30 pm. There will be a traditional welcome, a small gift for all and a lucky door prize.The number of seats is limited – 60 per show – book early to avoid disappointment.

SEPTEMBER PROGRAMME - PHOTO

Indian clothes - The models

INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE AND MUSIC - JUNE PROGRAMME

JUNE PROGRAMME:
Saturday 5th
Indian classical dance and music are gifts from the Goddess Saraswathi. The renowned dance forms include Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Kathak, Mohiniattam and Kathakali. Generally, classical dances are choreographed to songs in praise of God. On 5th, we have a short presentation on the different dance forms followed by a Kathak style performance by Ms. Junita Gupta Mushenko.
This will be followed by a Hindi movie 'Umrao Jaan' (English subtitles) which is the story of a girl abducted into a brothel and forced to become a court dancer. The movie stars Rekha who has done some good Kathak numbers in the film. The show starts at 3.30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7.30 pm. There will be a traditional welcome, a small gift for all and a lucky door prize. The number of seats is limited – 60 per show – book early to avoid disappointment.
Sunday 6th:
Classical music of India is in the Hindusthani style of North India or the Carnatic style of South India. Famous musicians like the Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar have shown the Western world the exquisite magic of Indian music. The Govindas orchestra musicians who perform today include vocalists and instrumentalists such as the sitar and tabla players.
This will be followed by a Hindi movie ‘1942 A Love Story' (English subtitles) which as the name suggests is a romance set in the backdrop of the Indian Freedom struggle.
The show starts at 3.30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7.30 pm. There will be a traditional welcome, a small gift for all and a lucky door prize. The number of seats is limited – 60 per show – book early to avoid disappointment.