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The Kruti Dance Academy’s Yatra continues…
By Mahadev Desai
Photo Credit: Parent Volunteers
An exuberant extravaganza- the 15h Annual Dance Concert of Kruti
Dance Academy was held at the Cobb Energy and Performing Arts
Centre on Saturday, June 12,2010. This year’s fabulous concert
was based on the theme ‘Yatra’, in celebration of the Academy’s
15 year long artistic, and culture-infused journey through song,
music and dance.
The show, which was emceed by svelte Shemoni Sheth, was split
into five segments. The over arching theme of the show was the
journey to different parts of India , with its rich diverse
history, customs and art forms, especially folk dances. Ms. Dina
Sheth commented that the theme this year was selected to
entertain and also at the same time inform the audience about
richness and diversity of the culture in different regions of
India.

The show in five segments, with a breathtaking kaleidoscope of
25 scintillating dances by 350 students of diverse nationalities
and age groups was a gushing fountain of innovative and creative
choreography, fetching colors, shimmering costumes, facial and
hair adornments, artistic backdrops of scenic India, youthful
exuberance, extraordinary depth and range of Carnatic music
which mesmerized the audience.
The show’s journey through India began in the State of Tamil
Nadu on Southern most part of Indian Peninsula. Tamil Nadu is
home to many historic ornate temples and places of pilgrimage.
The classical dance form Bharat Natyam originated from here. –It
was fitting that the yatra commenced here with traditional
invocatory Ganesh Aarti,followed by Shiva Stuti; Pushpanjali;
Yamunashtakam,Deepak Nritya and fast paced Fusion Tillana.
Taking an easterly route, the next stop was Assam, a
North-Eastern State of India, known for its tea, silk and rich
biodiversity. The Academy students performed the Bihu Dance of
Assam, where women move in circles, with brisk steps, swaying
their hips and clapping their hands to pulsating drums. Climbing
the Himalayas, the show journey landed in Kashmir- fondly known
as the “Paradise on Earth”. The audience was treated to a joyous
Kashmiri dance, with dancers wearing flat caps – unique to this
part of India. And from Kashmir to Punjab, the land of
industrious and sturdy Punjabis. The vibrant, floor thumping,
fast paced Bhangra to intoxicating ‘dhol’ music performed by
male dancers was followed by an equally vigorous Giddha dance
with bolis, accompanied by rhythmic dholki music and hand-claps,
performed by female dancers.

In Segment three, the show ventured south into western India -
to Rajasthan-the land of valiant Rajputs, of historic forts,
palaces, temples and the national bird Peacock. The students
treated the audience to a ’ Peacock Dance’ , the dancers wearing
a costume made of peacock feathers. The audience was also
treated to other Rajasthani folk dances: a Rajasthani Chunnar
dance; a zesty 'Ghodi' dance, with dancers using dummy horses
and swords as props and enacting a tale of Rajput valor to the
beat of drums; a Banjaara folk dance by Rajasthan’s nomadic
tribe; and a Rajasthani Rumaal dance.

Moving south from Rajasthan the show traversed into Gujarat, an
industrial beacon with a home to a multi religious society well
known for its very adaptive demeanor. The announcers shared some
interesting factoids while introducing the state: 35% of stock
market investments are with people from this state, over 60% of
Indians in North America are Gujaratis and interestingly first
all-vegetarian Pizza Hut was opened in Ahmedabad (laughter). The
Kruti dancers performed some of Gujarat’s popular folk dances -
a scintillating Dandiya Raas, celebrating Holi,and Radha
Krishna’s lila; the Adivasi dance as performed by the indigenous
people; Manjira dance(using jingling brass hand-cymbals); Supada
folk dance; (supadas are used to winnow grain by women), Tippani
((with long sticks used by women while dancing to relieve tedium
of laborious work), ever- popular Garba performed during
Navaratri festival and 'ghado' dance where village- women who go
to fetch water from wells, have fun with this form of folk
dance. .
The yatra culminated in the State of Maharashtra, with its
capital, the cosmopolitan and happening city of Mumbai ,an
economic powerhouse, and also known for iconic Bollywood. In
this segment, the seniors presented a lively ‘Dil Bole Hadippa
’dance. Young kids in ties, headbands and dark goggles did a
peppy,’with-attitude’dance to a ‘Daddy Cool Mix’ song. This
groovy and foot tapping dance was a delight to watch. Baamulaiza
(De Dana Dan); Pocket mein Rocket (Rocket Singh); Taali(Veer); a
Quwalli ‘Kyun hota hai Dil Deewana(Pal Pal);and popular
Maharashtriyan folk-dance Lavani and Lezim; provided riveting
entertainment..
And to top these all were two finales, imaginatively
choreographed by the Academy’s two long-serving teachers, Sissy
Simmons and Shemoni Sheth. Sissy and the seniors performed an
exhilarating dance to Paisa Paisa(De Dana Dan), while Shemoni’s
breathtaking dance with a bevy of senior students and photo
frames as props to Zara sa,Halka Sa,Nasha sa’ earned a rousing
ovation from the audience.

Shemoni Sheth narrated the slow and steady growth in size and
numbers of the Academy. Over the past fifteen years, the Academy
began with a few students in a basement. Slowly the number of
students increased and it moved to bigger and better locations.
The unmatched annual shows were held at different venues like
Roswell Arts Centre, Atlanta Symphony Hall and even at the
prestigious Fox Theatre and with special themes like ‘Dulhan’;Yaadein’;
Shringara’;’Kalakaar’; etc. Each year the Academy raised its
bar, with new backdrops, stunning new costumes; imaginative and
innovative chorography; new props; and choicest songs and music
selections and the shows gained wide acclaim. “All this would
not have been possible without the help of students and student
volunteers who helped with total backstage and production
management” she said and continued.” Kruti students are learning
not merely dancing skills but also inherent richness of Indian
arts and culture. They learn enriching life lessons like
discipline,dedication,perseverance,commitment;responsibility,self-confidence;
teamwork; respect for others; volunteerism;compassion;time
management; balancing passion for arts with academic excellence.
So far, 55 students have completed their Arangetrams. Kruti
students have won Beauty Pageants and other Awards and also gone
onto prestigious colleges for degree courses. Besides the Annual
Show the students have performed for many local events-including
the UISA Diwali Show;GA Tech Holi Show; and TIE Festival of
Indian Dance Academies. Kruti’s road trip to Alabama for the
Asha Kiran Charity was both fun and heartwarming, since the
monies were raised for disadvantaged youth in India.”
Following the finale, the ebullient founder and director of
Kruti Dance Academy Dina Sheth began with thanking the audience
for its support over the years. She went on to thank the
sponsors, parents, well wishers and volunteers in helping make
the annual shows a close-knit family events. She also expressed
her thanks to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and its
staff for a wonderful reception. She thanked her daughter
Shemoni and ‘soon-to-be-son-in-law Jason Parekh for the
beautiful stage décor. She said she was happy that Shemoni had
decided to join the Academy as a full-time partner and to pursue
her passion-dance. “The Academy will be rejuvenated because she
has decided to take my dream and make it a dream of her own
(applause). Shemoni’s vision has already begun to transform the
Academy, as we have stepped into the TV world. Earlier this
year, Shemoni worked alongside ‘Slum dog Millionaire’
choreographer-Longinus Fernandez-to put together a sizzling
piece for “So you think You Can Dance Canada”. More recently
Kruti auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” show in Orlando and
was among the top 100 acts moving to next round. (Applause). She
said that in keeping with the Academy’s tradition, all the
participants will be awarded Trophies and Certificates. She
recognized Student Full Time Volunteers by calling out their
names and presenting each of them with a Trophy. She then
announced the ‘Star of the Kruti Award 2010’ winner Sagar Patel
and ‘The Student of the Year Award 2010; shared by Amola Patel
and Vivian De Freitas.
The show was a quintessence of rich Indian culture and dance
forms. When Guru Dinaben Sheth(aunty Dinaben) and all the
performers took a final bow the packed to capacity audience rose
to its feet for a resounding wave of applause. The evening
provided a treasure of colorful memories for everyone to cherish
for a long time. And though the curtain came down on the glitzy
show, the promising journey will continue with boundless
resolve, vigor and hope.
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