Menaka Thakkar presents.... NOVembEr pErformances in classical Indian Bharatanatyam AND ODISSI DANCE
OFFER AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 19 TO DECEMBER 31st, 2018. NOW YOU CAN ENJOY MENAKA'S MASTERWORK IN YOUR OWN HOME VIA INTERNET STREAMING on demand any time and anywhere in the world. For the low price of $8.99 Canadian dollars. ATTENTION SOUTH ASIAN ORGANIZATIONS! YOU CAN ORGANIZE YOUR OWN GITA GOVINDA EVENT FOR YOUR MEMBERS' VIEWING IN A CINEPLEX THEATRE! TO YOUR GROUP VIEWING IN A PUBLIC THEATRE: The ticket price will be $15 per head (plus your costs)and the group may be required to provide a minimum audience of about 250—300 to afford the payment of theatre rental. As an alternative, if your group is smaller (up to 150 viewers) you may consider using the Menaka Thakkar Dance Theatre in Toronto, Canada for public cinema viewing. A two week notice is required for us to be able to provide this extraordinary facility. ENQUIRY: Menaka Thakkar Dance Company, Thornhill Ontario. 1 905 763 6083 ext. 30, for Swati Tripathy, or 647 215 8620 for Rasesh Thakkar email: rasesh@menakathakkardance.org Tickets Sales and Additional Information: www.menakathakkardance.org OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31st.2018 |
COMING THIS FALL MENAKA THAKKAR PRESENTS ...
BHAVAJAN KUMAR, NARTHAKI NATARAJ
Bhavajan Kumar and world renowned dancer Narthaki Nataraj
Bhavajan Kumar is recognized as one of the most promising male dancers of the Bharatanatyam discipline.Blessed with a captivating stage presence, impeccable precision in movement and utmost devotion to the art form, he is a natural artist with an innate understanding ofthe quintessential core of the art. Having initially been trainedunder Sri Shijith Nambiar, Bhavajan is currently under the tutelage and guidance of Smt. Bragha Bessell and works with Smt. Jyotsna Narayanan and Leela Samson, Artistic Director of Spanda Dance Company. He was the first Canadian male dancer to have received the“Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai Endowment” during the ‘Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana’ conducted in 2011. He is the recipient of the “Pandit Durga Lal Endowment” and “Kelucharan Mohapatra Endowment” from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and “Yuva Kala Bharathi” from Bharat Kalachar, Chennai. He has also received“Vasantha Lakshmi Narasimhachari Endowment” from Narada Gana Sabha. Bhavajan was also honoured with “Natya Ratna Kalaapuraskar” in ‘Prayaag Nrithyotsav’ held in Thrissur, Kerala.
Bhavajan Kumar is recognized as one of the most promising male dancers of the Bharatanatyam discipline.Blessed with a captivating stage presence, impeccable precision in movement and utmost devotion to the art form, he is a natural artist with an innate understanding ofthe quintessential core of the art. Having initially been trainedunder Sri Shijith Nambiar, Bhavajan is currently under the tutelage and guidance of Smt. Bragha Bessell and works with Smt. Jyotsna Narayanan and Leela Samson, Artistic Director of Spanda Dance Company. He was the first Canadian male dancer to have received the“Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai Endowment” during the ‘Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana’ conducted in 2011. He is the recipient of the “Pandit Durga Lal Endowment” and “Kelucharan Mohapatra Endowment” from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and “Yuva Kala Bharathi” from Bharat Kalachar, Chennai. He has also received“Vasantha Lakshmi Narasimhachari Endowment” from Narada Gana Sabha. Bhavajan was also honoured with “Natya Ratna Kalaapuraskar” in ‘Prayaag Nrithyotsav’ held in Thrissur, Kerala.
Narthaki is a disciple of Tanjore Shri K P Kittappa Pillai, who was a direct descendant of the Tanjore Quartet brothers (considered the fathers of Bharatanatyam). She learnt and practiced under him in Gurukul (Full time residential) for 14 years and specialized in the Tanjore style Nayaki Bhava tradition. She also trained under him on rare compositions as was practiced in
ancient Tamil Temples.
Narthaki believes in maintaining and propagating the pristine purity of the Nayaki Bhava tradition. In that process, she has been able to elevate audiences to a higher plane. Many audiences have been moved to tears and some have reported divine experiences during her shows.
Her stoic courage and steadfast determination in the face of societal hurdles as a member of the third gender, have added more inspiration and expression to her Jeevathma’s pursuit of Paramathma (God).
She has performed at all leading festivals in India, USA, UK and Europe. She recently received the Puraskar Award from The President of India and a Senior Fellowship from Dept. of Culture, Govt. Of India.
As a mark of her devotion to the divine dancer Lord Shiva, she has named her institution “Velliyambalam School of Dance”. Here, along with her friend Ms Sakthi Bhaskar, she trains many Indian and foreign students on the traditional repertoire as handed down to her by her guru.
ancient Tamil Temples.
Narthaki believes in maintaining and propagating the pristine purity of the Nayaki Bhava tradition. In that process, she has been able to elevate audiences to a higher plane. Many audiences have been moved to tears and some have reported divine experiences during her shows.
Her stoic courage and steadfast determination in the face of societal hurdles as a member of the third gender, have added more inspiration and expression to her Jeevathma’s pursuit of Paramathma (God).
She has performed at all leading festivals in India, USA, UK and Europe. She recently received the Puraskar Award from The President of India and a Senior Fellowship from Dept. of Culture, Govt. Of India.
As a mark of her devotion to the divine dancer Lord Shiva, she has named her institution “Velliyambalam School of Dance”. Here, along with her friend Ms Sakthi Bhaskar, she trains many Indian and foreign students on the traditional repertoire as handed down to her by her guru.
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About Our CharityThe Menaka Thakkar Dance Company is known as Canada’s Premier Indian Dance Company not only because it was the first professional Indian dance company to receive funding from the Canada Council but also because of its reputation for excellence in dance exhibited in the quality of dancing and the groundbreaking choreographic work of Menaka Thakkar.
The Menaka Thakkar Dance Company is well-known internationally and across Canada and in Toronto through annual touring nationally and an annual home seasons. In 2012-2013, Artistic Director Menaka Thakkar was honoured with the two major Canadian awards given to an artist in dance - The Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Arts and the Governor General’s Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The Menaka Thakkar Dance Company is the only Canadian company with a large ensemble of home-grown dancers who are graduates of our school. Our company dancers are skilled in many different Indian dance and western dance styles.
The Menaka Thakkar Dance Company is well-known internationally and across Canada and in Toronto through annual touring nationally and an annual home seasons. In 2012-2013, Artistic Director Menaka Thakkar was honoured with the two major Canadian awards given to an artist in dance - The Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Arts and the Governor General’s Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The Menaka Thakkar Dance Company is the only Canadian company with a large ensemble of home-grown dancers who are graduates of our school. Our company dancers are skilled in many different Indian dance and western dance styles.
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Canada's Premiere Indian Dance Company Presents Live-Streaming of
"IN THE FURTHER SOIL" Available to Presenters "In the Further Soil” illustrates the journey that MENAKA THAKKAR has forged in founding the first professional school of Indian dance in Canada as well as forming the first professional Indian dance performance company which became the first culturally diverse dance organization to receive funding from Canada Council for the Arts. The title of this production comes from a poem by Rabindranath Tagore in which he speaks of the Banyan Tree that not only grows in its own soil but reaches its roots to the further soil which is an apt metaphor for the growth of Indian dance in Canada through the activities of Ms.Thakkar. The 2015 encore show will feature 20 company dancers and students from the school performing in classical Bharatanatyam, Odissi and contemporary works. |
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How the LIVESTREAM project came to be:
When Dr. Menaka Thakkar accepted her GOVERNOR GENERAL’S AWARD FOR LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE in 2013, she pledged to continue to make her art ever more accessible and affordable by streaming live or encore performances over the internet to multiple distant locations nationally and internationally. Thanks to an Ontario Trillium Grant her vision has become reality. Our new technology can now deliver ground-breaking choreographic works, workshops, artist talks and performances not only to large urban centres, but also to small towns, culturally underserved areas and local neighbourhoods through a chain of appropriately equipped venues including theatres, film centres, public libraries, community centres, universities and colleges. Alternatively we can also bring our events right into the comfort and privacy of one’s own home through laptop computers, tablets and other mobile devices. In addition, internet streaming makes it possible to deliver these works of high art at far lower prices than their primary stage productions just as live streamed shows from the Metropolitan Opera or The National Theatre have done in movie houses. Click here to view the Toronto Star article. Click here to link to all Menaka Thakkar's awards and honours. |
Menaka Thakkar Dance Company give thanks to our supporters:
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Menaka Thakkar Dance Company give thanks to its sponsors:
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