Chandigarh, April 25, 2012: The much-cherished Chandigarh Arts and Heritage festival unveiled with a brilliant start with dance theatre performance JALAM by Samudra Performing Arts of Kerela. The four -day-long cultural bonanza was inaugurated by the SH.K.K.Sharma, Adviser to the Administrator UT in the presence of Finance Secretary Sh.V.K. Singh , Secretary Cultural Affairs, Sh.D.K.Tiwari , Sh.B.N.Goswami and other Senior officials of the Chandigarh Administration. The evening also saw the Release of Cultural Brochure and unveiling of Chandigarh Administration’s Events Calendar by the Chief Guest SH.K.K.Sharma . JALAM dance theatre performance is directed and Choreographed by Madhu Gopinath & Vakkom Sajeev, the one hour performance had a dance performance by Madhu Gopinath, Vakkom Sajeev, Lathin Raj, Lithi Raj, Priyanka P, Madhu Chandran, Deepu Bhasi, Aji Kumar JALAM, today’s inaugural performance was visually and aesthetically enriching. JALAM, a contemporary take on water and its many forms of energies. Performed by acclaimed artiste duo Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sanjeev who are trained in Bharatnatyam, rope and pole mallakhamb, the act depicted many moods and emotions through powerful dance movements. The two have developed a dance form called Samudranatanam, which is a combination of Bharatnatyam, pole and rope mallakhamb.
During the day performances, The Chandigarh Arts & Heritage Festival also hosted a theatre workshop by eminent theatre director Kumardas who is trained at the National School of Drama, Delhi and is also on their visiting faculty. This workshop held at the Tagore Theatre sector had participation of about 30 youngsters from different Arts Sphere.
Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi and Chandigarh Administration also opened the four days Art workshop “the Exhibition of Photographs and Installation by Subodh Kerkar” with Chandigarh artists as also the Exhibition of Paintings of Landscapes in Miniature: A Quiet Passion by Bireswar Sen was started at the Galleries of Alliance Francaise Le Corbusier de Chandigarh.On 26th April, the slide Lecture: Landscape as Canvas by Subodh Kerker will be held at 5 pm in Government Museum & art Gallery, sector 10 followed by RITURANG- Classical vocal recital by Vasundhara and Kalapini Komkali at 7pm at Tagore Theatre.
Entered into its Fourth year, the Chandigarh Arts and Heritage festival, has been a platform for world renowned artists like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shubha Mudgal, Bharatnatyam dancer Vani Ganpathy , Ustad Rashid Ali Khan during last three years maintaining its ethos would present renowned artist through joint collaboration of The three art akademies of Chandigarh the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi and Sahitya Akademi.
SAMUDRA is the flagship creative dance theatre group in Kerala functioning from Thiruvananthapuram since 1998. With Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sajeev at the helm of Samudra, they have performed at prestigious art houses like Royal Opera House; London, Teatro Romano; Italy to name a few. Samudra has represented India at many international art and dance festivals like Edinburgh International Festival: UK, Bonn Festival: Germany, Spoleto festival: Italy etc. Visually stunning and rhythmically resonating productions of Samudra has captured the imagination of aficionados across the globe crossing language barriers. They have collaborated with renowned artist M F Hussain and noted film maker Santosh Sivan. With President’s award for Best Choreography and conceptualizing and performing the Agni segment of the closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games in India, Samudra has become one of the few original creative forces in Indian contemporary performing scenario. Samudranatanam, Samudra’s unique dance form which derives its roots from India’s traditional and classical dance forms and martial art forms has become one of the most sought after new idiom in the world of creative dance forms.
On 26th April, the slide Lecture: Landscape as Canvas by Subodh Kerker will be held at 5 pm in Government Museum & art Gallery, sector 10 followed by RITURANG- Classical vocal recital by Vasundhara and Kalapini Komkali at 7pm at Tagore Theatre.