A Summer 2014 Shakti-Caravan Exchange - From Udaipur to New York

BMCT partners, the Vanaver Caravan took the Shakti-Caravan exchange program to New York city and state this summer. Dancer-choreographer Bharat Verma, founder director of the Heartbeators Dance Academy, Udaipur, and his senior dance instructor, Kishan Lal Gameti have just returned fresh from a successful month long stint with the Vanaver Caravan's annual Summerdance on Tour.  This event includes world dance workshops for children and youth and performances for festivals and local community fund raisers.

Bharat and Kishan performed with the VC and continued to learn some of their world dance repertoire and in exchange taught Bollywood and Rajasthani folk dance. Bharat's choreographies and Kishan and his teaching methods received glowing reviews from their students and audience alike. 

Some highlights of the VC's Summerdance on Tour 2014 include:

- participation in the one week long Lincoln Center festival for America’s celebrated singer-songwriter, civil rights activist, philosopher sage, Pete Seeger;

- an Indian night of Bharat's dance choreographies, Bollywood  and Rajasthani folk dance at the  Rosendale auditorium, in Ulster country NY; and

- dancing at the famous Battery Dance Company’s annual downtown modern and world dance festival in New York city.

For further information kindly visit the news links below.

http://www.udaipurtimes.com/udaipur-dancers-share-experience-of-dance-tour-to-nyc/
http://epaper.patrika.com/c/3383069

Catalysing Udaipur Shakti Sundays

In February 2014 the press coverage and popularity of the Shakti Caravan project gave rise to Udaipur Shakti Work project's second stream of activity the ‘Udaipur Shakti Sundays’ (9th February 2014).

A dialogue between Udaipur Collector Shri. Asutosh Pednekar, W. David Kubiak, Programme Development Director Udaipur Shakti Works Project and Premilla Hobbs (Premilla Dixit Nag), director BMCT, variously on tradition, culture and pro-active citizenry birthed Udaipur Shakti Sundays.

Our responsibility lay in creating a festival worthy of an ancient heritage city with all her beauty and dark realities as she emerges on her 21st century stage. The Udaipur Shakti Sunday festival/event is just that.