Happy 150th Canada! Let’s party desi style and celebrate the true north

Sana Umer is at the 2nd annual South Asian Canada Day held at Mississauga Valley Park in this file photo. Photo by Claudio Cugiliari, courtesy of Mississauga News

Saturday, July 1

Event: Little India: Village of Dreams
Details: Nina Beveridge’s intimate documentary Little India: Village Of Dreams, will premier on TVO at 9 p.m. The film captures the stresses of old world conflicts and New World challenges that have reshaped Little India on a stretch of Gerrard Street.
Contact: Here

Event: Odyesso-Cavalia
Details: This spectacular equestrian event featuring acrobats, stage-art and more is happening at the White Big Top, adjacent to the Hershey Centre, 5399 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga until July 16.
Contact: Here

Saturday, July 8

Event: Ehsaas
Details: Ehsaas: A Feeling of Eternal Love, a live concert features Bhavin Shastri and will kick off at the Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln. Brampton at 8 p.m. Shashtri will deliver a mix of old Bollywood songs as well as some Sufiana ones.
Contact: Here

Sunday, July 9

Event: Rung De’ One
Details: The Holi-type event celebrating Canada’s diversity will take place outside Sheridan College in Mississauga, 4218 Living Arts Dr. from noon until 6 p.m.
Contact: Here

Friday, July 14

Event: Vibrant Brampton
Details: Garden Square in Downtown Brampton be filled with samples of South Asian culture July 14 to 15. Organized by Arts and Culture Initiative of South Asian (ACISA) Vibrant Brampton.
Contact: Here

Saturday, July 15

Event: BMM does Brampton
Details: Bollywood Monster Mashup (BMM) does Brampton is an evening of stand-up comedy, spoken word and urban music showcase. Action starts and ends at the Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln. at 4:30 p.m.
Contact: Here

July 15 to 17

Event: Punyah Krishna
Details: Sampradaya Dance Academy will present Home Season production Punyah Krishna other works by Parshwanath Upadhye at the dance academy’s theatre, 3250 Ridgeway Drive – Unit #4, Mississauga.
Contact: Here

Saturday, July 22
Event: BMM Concert
Details: Bollywood Monster Mashup, a hit summer staple, is back again with its characteristic masti. The concert portion featuring a celebration of Bollywood includes Brampton gal Jonita Gandhi, Aakanksha Sharma, the voice of Sunny Leone in “Main Adhoora to the main stage. Events start at 2 p.m.
Contact: Here

Make some ‘Noyz’ for this hip-hop artist

Amrit Singh aka “Noyz” continues to create waves in the hip-hop scene in Toronto. Supplied photo.

When you have to rely on tone, cadence and a stream of words, without a medley of instruments, you have to be pretty darn good at what you do.

That’s probably why Noyz seems to be on everyone’s playlist these days.

Having never met him, but just exchanged few emails and a phone chat, I can say with absolute degree of certainty Amrit Singh, 30, aka Noyz, a rising hip-hop star is not only a great wordsmith, MC, producer and mental health advocate, but Mr. Nice Guy: polite and modest to boot.

Two solo projects, a few albums created in collaboration with like-minded artists (God Degree, Grey Matter, Degrees of Freedom etc.) and dozens of concerts appear to have solidified his brand.

Early this year, Noyz dropped his first EP with B Magic (Movin’ Cool) So Far Gone.

“What makes rap such an effective medium is that the MC speaks in a conversational way, so as a listener, it’s as if you’re getting direct insight to the person’s thoughts,” he explained. “The lyrics are written in an honest way. So, you’ve to go deep into your own experiences to truthfully tell the story.”

Noyz began writing rhymes in Grade 6. He was influenced at that time by the music his cousins heard (Tupac, Biggie, Nas).

Young Amrit inexplicably was drawn to boom rap and R&B. (Boom rap, for those unfamiliar, is a style of production in the hip-hop genre. Drum sounds sort of dominate the music and hence the name.)

Phil Witmer, a writer for Noisey, an interactive music magazine, was at a Toronto concert featuring Noyz and B Magic and watched the duo bring the crowd to its feet.

Hip-Hop artist Amrit Singh aka Noyz is making waves in Toronto. Submitted photo.

“Their chemistry (Noyz and B Magic) resulted in an old-school-modelled presence that managed to transport the previously unmotivated crowd from the bar onto the floor,” wrote Witmer. “The duo prowled the stage as one unit, reading each other as they nonchalantly traded bars and emphasized the other’s punch-lines even on their own solo material. It was a block party, Brampton-style.”

30-year-old Noyz has experienced depression, but before he was handed the official diagnosis, he struggled with the symptoms and idiosyncrasies of a mind that well, had a mind of its own.

So, when he realized there was a need to educate the South Asian diaspora about mental health and remove the shame and stigma tethered to the issue, he used his voice. His video for #BellLetsTalk last year raked some serious views.

Growing up, Noyz admits to watching Bollywood movies, but he didn’t have the same deep connection with it as he did with hip-hop. His songs tackle oppression immigrant experience, mental health and what not.

“There’s so much space to be filled in a 16-bar rap verse that MCs have to go deep into their own minds and experiences to truthfully tell the story,” he said. “Because of the breadth of writing that needed for each verse, song and album, you get an insight into who the MCs are as people.”

When I was researching Noyz’s music, I came across a video of a Brampton Cypher. Cyphers are hip-hop jam sessions, BTW. Enjoy. Visit http://noyzhiphop.com/ for his music.

Eid events and urban desiFEST take over June 2017 in Toronto

The 11th annual Desi Fest is happening Saturday, June 3 at the Yonge-Dundas Square. Photo by Shahaab Sheikh

Saturday, June 3

Event: DesiFest 2017
Details: Canada’s # 1 urban desi festival, the 2017 desiFEST is a 12-hour entertainment bonanza running from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. at the Yonge-Dundas Square. Hosted by Sathish Bala/CEO/founder. This year’s line-up includes Mizz Taj, Raj and the Martin Express, Hash, Lady Kash and others.
Contact: Here

Sunday, June 4

Anjali Patil

Event: Aroha Arts Workshop
Details: Anjali Patil is hosting a fine arts workshop: Emotions and expressions in Dance at The Citadel, 304 Parliament St. at 2 p.m. Class is open to professional and pre-professional dancers 18 and above.
Contact: Here

Saturday, June 10

Event: Eid Festival

Details: OK, so, the largest Eid Festival in the GTA is a two-part, 11-day affair. On June 10-11 the event is at the Sagan Banquet Hall, 7180 Edwards Blvd. from 1 p.m. till 12 a.m. (midnight). There will be a fashion show, food, henna and more.
Contact: Here

Saturday, June 17

Event: Eid Festival 2017

Details: Organizers are calling this, “the largest Eid Festival” and inviting you to Maple Banquet Hall, 1325 Eglinton Ave. E. Food, fashion, entertainment and music are all in the cards. Runs from June 17 to 25.
Contact: Here

Tuesday, June 20

Event: Indo-Canadian Golf
Details: The Indo-Canadian Golf Association Charity Tournament will take place, Glencairn Golf Club, 9807 Regional Rd. 25 in Milton at 10:30 a.m. This year is the 20^th year. Proceeds will support Trillium Health Partners.
Contact: Here

Friday, June 23

Event: Eid Bazaar

Details: PGA International will be hosting an Eid Bazaar at the National Banquet Hall, 7355 Torbram Rd., in Mississauga from 2 to 11 p.m.
Contact: Here

Event: Chhakka
Details: “Fire up your femme and fierce, because you’re about to get blessed,” reads the blurb on the website. Chhakka is Canada’s biggest queer Bollywood event and a fitting start to the Pride weekend. It’s all happening at Club 120 at 120 Church St. from 10 p.m. onward.
Contact: Here

Saturday, June 24

Event: Yugpurush

Details: A Hindi play chronicling the life of Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi will be showcased at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 190 Princes’ Blvd. Toronto at 3 p.m. Play has been directed by Rajesh Joshi.
Contact: Here

Documentary peels off the taboo surrounding sex and sexuality

Ask_the_Sexpert_Poster One film featured in the 2017 Toronto Hot Docs Fest that caught my eye was Ask the Sexpert.

Produced by Mridu Chandra and directed by Vaishali Sinha, Ask the Sexpert, chronicles the life of the 93-year-old Dr. Mahinder Watsa, a gynecologist/advice columnist and sex expert for the Mumbai Mirror.

The blurb featured “India” and “sex” in the same sentence, so I decided to see for myself Vaishali’s treatment of the subject. As I watched the film, I was struck by Dr. Watsa’s inimitable and wry sense of humour and his honest diagnosis of the dilemmas posed to him.

Mind you, some questions were so outrageous I almost choked on the tea I was sipping. Then, it hit me: In India, sex and sex education are both relegated to tawdry corners of the Internet and sleazy magazines. Understandably there’s this vacuum. This chasm, to me, has unleashed several horrifying consequences such as rape, the objectification on women in Bollywood films and this whole taboo around sex.

Dr. Watsa’s role in de-mystifying the human sexuality should be applauded instead we are told there are at least half-a-dozen lawsuits filed against the good man and the daily he writes for.

In the nine years he has been doling advice, Dr. Watsa has tackled some 40,000 letters. He started his career as a columnist in the 60s as a medical columnist for several women’s magazines. He quit that when one of the editors insisted on censoring the questions.

Dr. Mahinder Watsa, 93, a sex columnist for an English daily in India, was the subject of the documentary, Ask the Sexpert. The film featured in the 2017 Toronto Hot Docs festival. Supplied photo.

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Toronto Desi Diaries (TDD) chatted with Vaishali Sinha, 37, director, Ask the Sexpert

TDD: Tell me about yourself?
VS: I’m Mumbai-born filmmaker currently living in Brooklyn, New York. Filmmaking is what brought me to the U.S. This is where my independent show-making career flourished, simply, because in the U.S. there is more support for the arts than in India. The U.S. still has a ways to go in supporting the arts, especially in these times.

TDD: What drew you to the subject of Dr. Watsa?
VS: I was interested in exploring a film on sex and sexuality in urban India especially through the lens of therapist because talking about sex is such a taboo.

TDD: Once you became interested, how did you envision you would tackle the issue of sex considering India’s a prude?
VS: I wanted a character-driven story to be a lens into larger society tackling issues of sexuality. Dr. Wasta and his work went above and beyond my expectations.

TDD: Every film/story has one point/element that changes the trajectory of the narrative, what was yours with this project?
VS: I was fortunate that I ended up with finding characters I was hoping to find to be able to tell the story I was hoping to tell. To find so many people speak candidly and openly about these controversial issues was a pleasure.
What I did not prepare myself for was the enormous personality of Dr. Watsa. The depth and breadth of his work is astounding. Telling the story through his lens allowed me to bring in another element, another character.

Vaishali Sinha, director, Ask the Sexpert

TDD: What were some of the challenges?
VS: The topic of Sexuality is an ever-growing one in India and I want to make sure my film speaks to the timeless aspects of it. Finding a balance between topical and timeless elements was hard work.

TDD: Who funded the project and how long did it take you to make it?
VS: Funding trickled in over the course of three and a half years. Early funders include: Catapult Fund, MacArthur Foundation, Tribeca Film Institute and the iTVS (co-production partner).

TDD: Were you hoping to ruffle feathers with this film?
VS: Stylistically, character-driven stories are my forte.I wanted to make a film that would push sex education and sex positivity to the forefront of the conversation.
Dr. Watsa is such an iconic personality in India and this is the first ever film on him. I’m happy those two interests, of character and sexuality, were able to come together in Ask the Sexpert.

TDD: Anything else?
VS: Ask the Sexpert is an universal story even though it’s situated in India, I hope this opens a conversation in a positive manner not just in our community, but other communities too.

TDD: Is the film screening anywhere in India? Where can people watch, if they are interested? VS: Not yet, but keep your eyes and ears open.

Let’s all get filmy in Toronto this May

May ’17 South Asian events in Toronto offer a heady and healthy mix of films, theatre, music and dance. Check out our desi events calendar.

Monday, May 1

Event: IFFSA
Details: Controversial film Lipstick Under my Burkha, Shahrbanoo Sadat’s Wolf and Sheep and dozens of others are part of the line-up. Guess what? Akshay Roy ‘s Meri Pyaari Bindu starring Parineeti Chopra and Ayushman will make its North American premiere e May 15 at the festival. IFFSA runs 11 to 22.
Contact: Here

Event: Ask the Sexpert
Details: Toronto’s International documentary festival 2017 Hot Docs will showcase an array of documentaries from across the globe including Vaishali Sinha’s Ask the Sexpert, a film is about Dr. Mahinder Watsa, a highly popular 93-year-old sex columnist for Mumbai Mirror. The film will screen at Hot Docs May 1 to 3 at the TIFF Bell Lighthouse. Festival runs until Sunday, May 7
Contact: Here

Friday, May 6

Students from Nachdi Jawani showcase their dance at the Carassauga Festival of Cultures. Photo by Rob Beintema

Event: Nachdi Jawani
Details: Punjabi Virsa Arts and Culture Academy will be hosting its 17^th annual Nachdi Jawani Youth Festival, at 1370 Williams Pkwy. Brampton from 10 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Event will feature gidha and bhangra competitions.
Contact: Here

Event: Taraang
Details: Enjoy a Bollywood musical concert at Glenforest Secondary School, 3575 Fieldgate Dr. Mississauga. The Taraang Ek Sureela Kaarvaan starts at 6 p.m.
Contact: Here

Sunday, May 7

Event: Gujarati Comedy Show
Details: Enjoy a Gujju comedy show at Chinguacousy Secondary School, 1370 Williams Parkway, Brampton at 5 p.m. The three-hour LOL riot features Dr. Jagdish Trivedi.
Contact: Here

Thursday, May 13

Event: Hindustani Music Concert
Details: Raag-Mala Music Society presents Hidayat Khan (sitar) and Manjusha Patil (vocals) at this spring concert at McLeod Auditorium, Medical Sciences bldg., 1 King’s College Circle at 7 p.m.
Contact: Here

Saturday, May 20

Event: Zumba Party
Details: A Bollywood-themed Zumba fitness party is happening at the Harold Braithwaite Secondary School, 415 Great Lakes Dr. in Brampton at 4 p.m.
Contact: Here

Friday, May 26

Event: Carrasauga
Details: Mississauga’s festival of cultures beckons you to take a trip around the world for chump change. While you’re globetrotting, stop by the India pavilion at the Hershey Centre, community rinks at 5500 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga. Festival runs until Sunday, May 28.
Contact: Here

Saturday, May 27

Event: Malhar SpringFest
Details: Malhar Group will present its annual SpringFest at the Molson Canadian Studio at Hamilton Place, 1 Summers Ln. Hamilton, at 6:30 p.m. Concert will feature: Subhranil Sarkar (sitar), Kaivalya Kumar (vocals), Abhijeet Banerjee (tabla) and Sanatan Goswami (harmonium)
Contact: Here

Sounds from the tabla and taiko will make history in Toronto concert

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On Saturday, April 15 the walls at Greenwin Theatre at Toronto Centre for Arts 5040 Yonge St., will be a site for a concert featuring two ancient far eastern instruments, the tabla and taiko (Japanese drums) featured above. Supplied photo.

Musical savants like Ritesh Das and Kiyoshi Nagata are always in pursuit of cerebral pursuits that confront them into taking journeys that test their craft and creativity.

Ritesh, a tabla maestro and director of the Toronto Tabla Ensemble, through his inquisitiveness and aptitude for all things percussion, has helped bring the tabla into centre stage of mainstream music here in Toronto.

Whereas, trailblazer and innovator, Kiyoshi (taiko soloist and artistic director of Nagata Shachu) has likewise resurrected the powerful sounds taiko, a Japanese drum, in North America and elsewhere to stand irresolutely on its own.

So when the duo decided on a cross-cultural percussion undertaking, it became one for the history books.

On Saturday, April 15 the walls at Greenwin Theatre at Toronto Centre for Arts 5040 Yonge St., will reverberate (hopefully, the theatre has strong insulation) with sounds of tabla and taiko (Japanese drums) in a never-seen-before Toronto collaboration.

Imagine, the massive taiko—a mostly barrel-shaped percussion instruments made with hollowed tree trunk tautly tied with cowhide—and the diminutive, but strong and pure sounds of two skins meeting in ether and forging a harmony of notes. The history-making concert starts at 7 p.m.

“You can play the tabla with any instrument in the world,” said Ritesh, a tabla maestro that has learned with Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Swapan Chaudhari. “The tabla and taiko are two instruments with different sounds. The challenge then was to figure out how one can compose music based on their sound vibrations without losing the integrity and spirit of both.”

That serendipitous meeting:

When Ritesh met Kiyoshi (more than 20 years ago), it was a meeting of two brilliant minds.

The two artistic heavyweights’ musical partnership started in 1994 when they performed as part of Kiyoshi’s world percussion ensemble Humdrum. Then, in 1996, they came together to compose the piece Asahi.

Ritesh Das, a tabla maestro and director of the Toronto Tabla Ensemble. Supplied photo.

This upcoming concert however marks the first time two eastern ancient musical heritages—the tabla and taiko— will interact in such a large-scale on the stage.

“When we first rehearsed just a couple of weeks ago, it really didn’t seem like some 20 somewhat years had passed,” Kiyoshi remarked.

Seeking to create an elusive “something” through the combination of two percussion sounds required Kiyoshi and Ritesh to look beyond their individual musical sight lines. And boy, does it work (check the videos).

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Kiyoshi Nagata, taiko soloist and artistic director of Nagata Shachu. Supplied photo.

Clash of the titans

At the concert, the audience will experience the sounds from different taikos (some are huge and placed on upright stand, while others are flat-bodied) and the several artists playing the tabla.

“In order to compose a music (that will be true to both) you have to have a strong background of understanding your art form first before you start collaborating with someone else,” Ritesh observed. “Imagine the spinal chord as the taiko and the tabla as the ribs that encase it. There was a whole of exploration with the culture and tradition (of the instruments) that went into the planning of this concert.”

The five-and-a-half challenge

The tabla-taiko concert will feature 10 artists bringing the strength of two percussion instruments steeped in history, heritage and the ancient science of Nad (sound) yoga.

“The taiko is a very loud instrument compared to the tabla,” Kiyoshi said. “How do we achieve those balances? I was totally up for the challenge of working on a piece in five-and-a-half. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but, when you get down to the bare bones and understand the foundation of music, then we can translate that into our own taiko language and that’s where the true collaboration starts.”

OK, here’s quick refresher on what the “five-and-a-half” reference here is.

“Saade paanch (“five-and-a-half” in Hindi) is a rhythmic cycle,” Ritesh explained.

The collaborative piece between the two ensembles is set in a rhythmic cycle of five- and-a half-beats, which is rare in Indian music, but unheard of in Japanese music.

So, how did the two maestros pull off the incredible feat? I guess, you will have to watch the show. Also, a single from Ritesh’s upcoming album, Bhoomika will be released that day.

For tickets and more, visit http://torontotabla.com/ or www.nagatashachu.com.

April ’17 brings music, theatre and arts for Torontonians

The 17th annual Kalanidhi Festival celebrating Indian dance genres runs until April 2 at the Harbourfront Centre. Photo courtesy Kalanidhi Fine Arts of Canada website.

Saturday, April 1

Event: Kalanidhi festival
Details: The 17^th annual Kalanidhi Festival of Indian Dance: Whirling Streams will take place at the Fleck Dance Theatre at Harbourfront Centre, March 28 to April 2.
Contact: Here

Event: Little Pretty and the Exceptional
Details: Factory theatre, 125 Bathhurst St. (at Adelaide) presents, Little Pretty and the Exceptional, a play written by Anusree Roy and directed by Brendan Healy, April 6 to 30.
Contact: Here

Event: Sikh Heritage Month
Details: Communities across the GTA will mark Sikh Heritage Month all April. In Brampton, the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA), 9 Wellington St. E. has several exhibits and shows planned. Admission is free.
Contact: Here

Friday, April 7

Event: One Brave Night
Details: SOCH, a group comprising of South Asian mental health advocates, will participate in Canadian Association of Mental Health (CAMH)’s annual fundraiser, One Brave Night. They have planned a full night of events and activities, April 7 to 8 at LAB Brampton, 60 Queen St. E. Unit 104.
Contact: Here

Friday, April 14

Event: Bhangra in the City
Details: Celebrate Vaisakhi with Bhangra Night at the Atmosfera Resto-Louge , 6781 Hurontario St. Mississauga. Some top Bhangra Djs will spin.
Contact: Here

Saturday, April 15

Event: Tabla-Taiko concert
Details: The Toronto Tabla Ensemble and the Nagata Shachu will showcase an evening of exceptional percussion in this cross-cultural concert. The show will take place at the Greenwin Theatre at the Toronto Centre for Arts, 5040 Yonge St. Toronto, M2N 6R8 at 7 p.m.
Contact: Here

Event: Baisakhi 2017
Details: Gerrard India Bazaar will be hosting a Baisakhi celebration at Little India (Gerrard and Ashdale) 4 p.m. onward.
Contact: Here

Monday, April 17

Event: The Drupadi Project
Details: Why Not theatre’s RISER Project 2017 will feature the world premieres of four new Canadian plays:The Draupadi Project, Pearle Harbour’s Chautauqua, El Retorno/I Return and Two Birds One Stone. Sharada Eswar’s The Draupadi Project is a reimagining of the ancient Indian epic, “The Mahabharata.” It will run April 17 to 18 at 7 p.m. at the BMO Incubator, The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. W.
Contact: Here

Thursday, April 27

Event: Shyam Selvadurai
Details: The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) GTA Young Workers Committee will host well-known author Shyam Selvadurai at the PSAC Toronto’s regional office, 90 Eglinton Ave. E. at 6:30 p.m.
Contact: Here

Here’s some more things to do during March’17

Want to submit your events to Toronto Desi Diaries (TDD)? It’s pretty simple.

Deadline is a month in advance. Since I compile the list, first week of the month, your submissions should reach me well before that and should include date, time, place (postal address), contact details and a web address. Please send high-rez images if any as well. Email all this to: Toronto.desidiaries@gmail.com. There’s no fee and I know y’all hate taking favours, so just subscribe to the blog and hit “like” on TDD’s Facebook page and we can call it even.

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Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre is presenting Boys with Cars, a play written and directed by Anita Majumdar, March 23 to April 1. Photo by Andrew Alexander

Friday, March 17

Event: Concert

Details: Amit Mishra will perform Bollywood songs at the Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln. Brampton at 7 p.m.
Contact: Here

Thursday, March 23

Event: Boys with Cars

Details: Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre will host a play, written and directed by Anita Majumdar, an actress, playwright, dancer and a choreographer. Boys With Cars will be presented at the main stage of Young People’s Theatre from March 23 to April 1.
Contact: Here

Saturday, March 25

Event: Swayamvar

Details: Desi Dreams will be hosting a singles event for South Asians, Saturday, March 25 at the Novotel Mississauga, 3670 Hurontario St. Event starts at 2 p.m. for folks 25 and above and at 6:30 p.m. for those 36 and above.
Contact: Sylvia, 647-709-3437 and Sujata, 416-738-3595 or Here

Go pagal Toronto, Holi hai!

KC Group Canada will celebrate Holi at the National Banquet Hall, 7355 Torbram Rd. Mississauga at 11 a.m.

Friday, March 10

Event: Holi Milan
Details: Hindu Heritage Centre, 6300 Mississauga Rd. will be hosting a Holi celebration at 6 p.m. Well-known flutist Deepankar Ganguly will be performing. Event includes cultural performances, dinner and more.
Contact: Here

Event: International Women’s Day
Details: The Punjabi Community Health Services (pchs)will host a gala to mark International Women’s Day at the Pearson Convention Centre, 2638 Steeles Ave. E. at 6 p.m. Five exceptional women will be honoured.
Contact: Here

Saturday, March 11

Event: Rang Barse
Details: KC Group, which was among the first ones to host Holi celebrations are at it again. This year’s event will take place at the National Banquet Hall, 7355 Torbram Rd. Mississauga at 11 a.m. Enjoy gulaal, lunch and entertainment.
Contact: Here

Event: Balam Pichkari
Details: Balam Pichkari is a dance party celebrating Holi at Moonlight Convention Centre 6835 Professional Crt. Mississauga at 6:30 p.m. Organizers say they will provide clothes for you to play Holi. Cost of tickets is $50/person.
Contact: Here

Thursday, March 23

Event: Dance Diaries
Details: Sanskriti Arts Ensemble (SAE) will be hosting two famed artists/choreographers Shampa Gopikrishna and Nishant Bhat at its dance studio, 2359 Royal Windsor Dr. unit. Also, there will be final performance at the Maja Prentice Theatre, Saturday, March 25.
Contact: Here

Friday, March 24

Event: Doule Gujarati Comedy
Details: Swar Sadhana Music Lovers’ Club will host a Gujju comedy/drama at the York Woods Library Theatre, 1785 Finch Ave. W. in North York at 7 p.m. Cost of tickets is $15/person.
Contact: Here

Saturday, March 25

Event: Indian Classic Music Concert
Details: Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto will host a classical Indian music concert at McLeod Auditorium, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto at 7 p.m. Featured artist include: Ronu Majumdar (flute), Harshad Kanetkar (tabla), S.V. Ramani (mridangam) and U. Rajesh (mandolin).
Contact: Here

Event: Let’s Nach
Details: Gurdeep Ubhi’s annual fundraiser to support of Mt. Sinai Hospital will take place at Chandini Convention Centre, 5 Gateway Blvd. Brampton at 6 p.m. Cost of tickets is $40/person (adult).
Contact: Here

Shereen Ladha’s Roots will take you on a magical journey of colour and sound

: Roots: A Journey Through India is a show that combines dance, music and history. It comes to the Rose Theatre in Brampton, Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

Whenever I chance upon something amazing: a good book, a watchable movie, an incredible entrée or even an interesting conversation, there’s a good chance, I will not simply shut up about it.

Sometimes, I even write a whole blog.

So pretend for a moment, these words are being delivered via a bullhorn.

I, for one, plan to stop by the Rose Theatre in Brampton, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. to watch Roots: A Journey Through India.

Having sampled a small snippet on video (you can watch the earlier post), I know it’s just the kind of thing to appeal to all my senses— high-energy dance, opulent costumes, familiar Bollywood tunes and a story line.

Shereen Ladha, 29, the director and creator of Roots as well as owner of popular YouTube channel, dancewithSL has conceived the show by combining her love for dance and choreography, India and Bollywood music.

When she started dancing at four,it was because it was, “so organic, almost like breathing.”

Then on, it was all hard work and grit and following the path.

Magnificent, mesmerizing and magical

Shereen Ladha, creator and director of Roots: A Journey Through India is a versatile artist proficient in many genres of dance. Supplied photo

Roots can be described as a panoramic, visually stunning musical show that through Shereen’s signature vision wefts and weaves silken threads of romance, laughter and drama through several touchstones of India’s cultural heritage. The rich tapestry is sewn together with Bollywood music.

“I think what makes Roots so unique is its multi-generational and multi-cultural appeal,” said Shereen who considers Madhuri Dixit and Michael Jackson her idols. “It will remind our grandparents and parents of home; the younger generation will connect to our heritage and for people of other cultures, Roots will demonstrate the length and breath of India’s cultural diversity and richness…”

By the way, the last two shows sold-out.

Some 16 or more talented artists execute Shereen’s vision on stage. Mississauga’s Shama Kassam, 26, is one of them.

ken_5721 Shama and Shereen are best buddies bound by their passion for dance. When she’s not swaying to music, Shama channelizes her energy into making the body, mind and breath connection as a yoga instructor at Power Yoga Canada Mississauga.

Roots, must be watched to be believed, she says

“I, like many Indians and non-Indians alike, grew up with a love for classic Bollywood and have always been inspired by the feminine grace of movement in Indian dance styles,” Shama said. “My parents love Bollywood music and our house is always willed with Indian music from the 70’s to modern day. I also grew up with a lot of interest in Hip-Hop music and that influences the style of dance I love, and the types of music I’m drawn to.”

Naach baliye, naach

Shereen, a Toronto native is a choreographer, dance visionary schooled in many genres: Hip-Hop, Ballet, Kathak and jazz, all of which she assimilated by the time she was 10.

“Intense dance training is really at the heart of that (dance repertoire),” said the artist whose day job is working with a strategic consulting firm. “I’m a strong believer in having a good foundation in dance. I believe a dancer really should never stop learning, a reason why I started my Master Classes in Bollywood.”

Sorry? Nah, Maafi

You probably recall Shereen from her viral hit Maafi, a cover of Justin Bieber’s chartbuster Sorry. The remix video garnered almost a million views before Sony Music grabbed the copyright.

“One my friends wanted me to do a choreography piece to Sorry by Justin Bieber as part of my regular channel videos, but I thought the original video and choreography was so good that I wanted to do something more unique and put my own spin on it,” Shereen told TDD. “So I got my music producer, J-Raj, and my team on board and Maafi was born.”

On the video going viral she says:

“I think it’s one thing to have fame, however long or short-lived it is, and another thing to make an impact,” Shereen says. “Sharing my art, educating people about my culture, and changing perceptions though dance is something I value so much more, and I feel strongly that I won’t ever compromise the quality of my work to achieve any level of fame.”

Check out Maafi!

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