By Latha P. Sambamurti, Artistic Director
Ananda Mela is the largest festival in the Pacific Northwest showcasing the art and culture of India. The free outdoor summer festival will take place at the Redmond City Hall campus during the last weekend of July (July 27th- July 29th, 2012). The festival has grown phenomenally since its first edition in 2010, and promises to attract a large number of audiences from far and wide to converge at the Redmond City Hall campus this summer for a memorable weekend of joy, conviviality and cultural experiences that are exuberantly Indian.
India is well-known for its amazing diversity of classical, folk and popular dance traditions. Through distinctive footwork, movement, emotional expression, costumes, and rhythm, unique to each tradition and region, the dances of India, be they classical, folk or popular, express eloquently the joie de vivre, ethos, values and life experiences of its people. Naturally, we chose Dances of India as the theme pervading much of Ananda Mela’s offerings this year. Read More >>
We will be installing large photographs depicting exquisite Indian dancers at various locations in the festival ground. The main performance stage has a packed lineup of program items this year, including a number of dances by students and teachers of leading dance schools in the community, as well as professional dancers. You will be able to enjoy classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam and Kathak, folk/popular dances like Bhangra and Bollywood, as well as gypsy dance, which traces its origins to India. Don’t miss the rare performance of Gatka, an intricately choreographed display of traditional Sikh martial art.
Ananda Mela opens on Friday July 27th at 7 pm with a captivating concert by Anita Lerche from Denmark, singing in impeccable Punjabi, accompanied by dhol and colorful costumed dancers. On Saturday July 28th at 6 pm, we present En Karma, a dashing, fully-live band from Vancouver, BC. En Karma performs a contemporary variety of Bhangra, with influences drawn from the UK Bhangra movement, Canadian Bhangra, and other contemporary trends. As a bonus, you will be able to dance to the music of Raju Johal, a naturally gifted young Bhangra artist from Vancouver, featured as the opening act for En Karma. Ananda Mela concludes on Sunday July 29th with the performance (at 6 pm) of the ever-popular Delhi2Dublin, to whom Ananda Mela audiences need no special introduction! Delhi2Dublin’s signature blend of world influences includes Bhangra and Celtic music as dominant ingredients. All our featured artists are constantly creating and recording new material. Expect to enjoy some of their new creations at the Ananda Mela concerts.
At Ananda Mela, you will not only enjoy stage performances as audiences, but will find ample opportunity to dance, especially at our featured prime time concerts. Be sure to partake in the Aloha Bhangra dance contest! Attractive prizes are there to be won every day! The grand prize is a one-week vacation for two to Hawaii!
Delicious food from many regions of India will be one of the numerous attractions at the festival. There will be many booths and tables, offering displays of businesses and organizations in the region. With magic shows, bouncies and treasure hunt contests for children, cooking contests, tempting shopping opportunities, and other attractions, Ananda Mela aims to attract and engage attendees of all ages.
Ananda Mela is conducted by the Vedic Cultural Center (http://www.vedicculturalcenter.org/) under contract from the City of Redmond.
The festival offers great marketing potential for diverse businesses and organizations through sponsorship opportunities.
Website: www.anandamela.org. Connect with Ananda Mela on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnandaMela
We look forward to seeing you at Ananda Mela!
The food last year was amazing. And several plates were $4, much less than your typical festival food. The bouncy houses for kids were either free our very cheap. Don't miss this.
ReplyDeleteI like Western classical music dance and styles. Where can I find dance pictures for learning global dance steps and moves.
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