U’Zambezi Arts specialises in songs, drum rhythms, dances and instrumental music styles from the Southern African region. The musicians are self-taught, multi-talented artists whose work has taken them into Canada, the USA, Europe including the UK, and all across southern Africa.
They have performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues over the past 18 years, such as the Winter Gardens in Toronto, Symphony Space in New York, JFK Centre in Washington DC, Opera de Paris, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and Ronnie Scott’s Club in London.
U’Zambezi has shared stages with reggae musician Jimmy Cliff and English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, and performed for dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth II. They have appeared on TV programmes including Blue Peter, Later with Jools Holland, and on prime time City TV-Toronto.
You can bring a picnic or food (no drinks) as some of the events may be in the garden if the weather is good. There will be a bar to purchase soft drinks and wine/ beer.
U’Zambezi Arts specialises in songs, drum rhythms, dances and instrumental music styles from the Southern African region. The musicians are self-taught, multi-talented artists whose work has taken them into Canada, the USA, Europe including the UK, and all across southern Africa.
They have performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues over the past 18 years, such as the Winter Gardens in Toronto, Symphony Space in New York, JFK Centre in Washington DC, Opera de Paris, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and Ronnie Scott’s Club in London.
U’Zambezi has shared stages with reggae musician Jimmy Cliff and English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, and performed for dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth II. They have appeared on TV programmes including Blue Peter, Later with Jools Holland, and on prime time City TV-Toronto.
16Apr 2016
Comments Off on U’Zambezi: African dance and drumming workshopsAlex Spargo
U’Zambezi Arts specialises in songs, drum rhythms, dances and instrumental music styles from the Southern African region. The musicians are self-taught, multi-talented artists whose work has taken them into Canada, the USA, Europe including the UK, and all across southern Africa.
1pm: African Drumming Workshop
Free with ticket to the main show at 3pm.
A hand-on session learning and playing southern African drum patterns and rhythms.
2pm: African Dance Workshop
Free with ticket to the main show at 3pm.
Participants will have a chance to learn traditional dances from southern Africa including the famous Gumboot dance which will be demonstrated here.
3pm: U’zambezi
U’zambezi perform stirring south African songs and dances
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. THE NEXT FAR EASTERN FEAST TAKES PLACES ON JUNE 11TH.
A day of spectacular Chinese dance, music, calligraphy and Chinese opera face-painting and Tai-Chi. Before enjoying a stunning show of dance and music from the Sinman Chinese artists.
5pm – 5.45pm
Chinese calligraphy workshop
Inc in ticket for evening performance
It’s the art of writing in traditional China using special brush and ink. You will have an opportunity to learn this writing technique as well as some simple Chinese characters.
5.45pm – 6.30pm
Chinese dance workshop
Inc in ticket for evening performance
Long Fan dance is a traditional folk and festive dance in mainland China. The colourful long fan gives the dance cheerful and graceful feel. The workshop participants will join our dance using this beautiful prop.
6.30pm – 7pm
Chinese opera face-painting
Inc in ticket for evening performance
Beijing Opera Mask is a pattern of putting on facial make up for opera actors and actresses, enabling the audience to get a glimpse of the inner world of the each role. Different color represents different roles in the play. For example: Red indicates devotion, courage bravery, uprightness and loyalty. Black symbolizes roughness and fierceness. Yellow signifies fierceness, ambition and cool-headedness. We will try to demonstrate few main role masks on participants
7.30pm – 9pm
Sinman Chinese Artists
Tickets £12 – £7.50 for children
Sinman Dance Company aims to promote and develop Chinese dance and culture in the UK through performances and activity workshops. We are delighted to provide you this unique cultural experience with Chinese arts. Come and enjoy our colourful display of Chinese traditional dance and music from different regions of China.
16Apr 2016
Comments Off on POSTPONED: Far Eastern Feast – Sinman Chinese ArtistsAlex Spargo
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. THE NEXT FAR EASTERN FEAST TAKES PLACES ON JUNE 11TH.
The Sinman Dance Company aims to promote and develop Chinese dance and culture in the UK through performances and activity workshops. We are delighted to provide you this unique cultural experience with Chinese arts. Come and enjoy our colourful display of Chinese traditional dance and music from different regions of China.
Including in your ticket is free entry to three workshops:
5pm – 5.45pm
Chinese calligraphy workshop
Inc in ticket for evening performance
It’s the art of writing in traditional China using special brush and ink. You will have an opportunity to learn this writing technique as well as some simple Chinese characters.
5.45pm – 6.30pm
Chinese dance workshop
Inc in ticket for evening performance
Long Fan dance is a traditional folk and festive dance in mainland China. The colourful long fan gives the dance cheerful and graceful feel. The workshop participants will join our dance using this beautiful prop.
6.30pm – 7pm
Chinese opera face-painting
Inc in ticket for evening performance
Beijing Opera Mask is a pattern of putting on facial make up for opera actors and actresses, enabling the audience to get a glimpse of the inner world of the each role. Different color represents different roles in the play. For example: Red indicates devotion, courage bravery, uprightness and loyalty. Black symbolizes roughness and fierceness. Yellow signifies fierceness, ambition and cool-headedness. We will try to demonstrate few main role masks on participants
About the Sinman Dance Company
Sinman Dance Company was formed in June 2002. The Company aims to promote and develop Chinese dance and culture in the UK through public performances and activity workshops. Sinman Dance is an artist led company in which the work is planned, produced and delivered by our artists. The Company’s core members are professionally trained performing artists from China, Hong Kong & Taiwan who are all currently based in the UK. Together, we have built a healthy portfolio of work through past projects and events.
Artistically, we made our debut performance at The Place Theatre. The unique style of this debut project brought us more opportunities in the following years. Our choreographic commissions include The Third Sex, Talking Feather, Fire of Hope and many more; these pieces have been presented by some major events and venues such as French company Les Passagers at O2 arena, ROH2 New Currents at the Royal Opera House, East London Dance at Stratford Circus, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Dance City in Newcastle and Barking Broadway Theatre etc…
Education and community work are significant for us to fulfil our aim. We constantly provide high quality work for schools, libraries, universities and museums in order to reach a wider audience. Some of the projects were carried out through collaborations with other organisations like Museum of London, British Museum, Chinese Cultural Centre, Yellow Earth Theatre and Cultural Co-operation. We also initiate our own ideas and educational projects in the past by receiving project funding from Arts Council England as well as Awards For All from the Lottery Fund.
The most recent high profile projects are:
– 2012 Lord Mayor Show
– China Late educational programme at British Museum from 2007-2008
– Community project for Beijing Olympic Torch Relay at British Museum and O2 in London
– BBC Silk Screen 2008 in Birmingham, an outdoor event working with the local community.
– The annual school tours, to celebrate the Chinese New Year in schools with Chinese dance and other traditional
performances and workshops.
ShivaNova is a cutting-edge world music company with an international reputation. We are an ensemble of musicians from around the world, led by composer Priti Paintal, who blend urban and folk, jazz and ambient sounds with influences from Indian, African, Caribbean and Western music. We celebrate cultural diversity through music as well as through other art-forms including storytelling, dance, visual art and projection, circus and theatre.
Musicians
Alex Housego – Indian/western flutes
Jean Toussaint – Sax
RN Prakash – Mrdangamand
Priti Paintal – Keyboard
This free event and entry is first come first served. Email info@sama.co.uk to added to the guest list.
More about ShivaNova
ShivaNova is one of the leading cross-cultural ensembles set -up by composer Priti Paintal and grounded in Indian and European styles, widely admired and enjoyed for the energy and flair of its improvising. The group’s most recently Secret Chants which has received acclaim from the national and music media.
Priti Paintal is well known on the UK scene as a composer, performer, music producer and promoter. She has established herself writing for leading British performers increasingly focusing attention on her ensemble ShivaNova. Her music brings together traditional, classical and jazz performers in a unique mix of Indian roots and contemporary flair. In addition to her group pieces she wrote the mini-opera Survival Song for the Royal Opera’s Garden Venture contemporary opera programme, which was shortlisted for the Olivier Awards. It led to the full-length Biko, the Royal Opera’s first commission from an Asian and a woman composer, staged in London and Birmingham. Other performers have included the Philharmonia Orchestra – in the premiere of Secret Chants, the title track of ShivaNova’s latest CD – the City of London Sinfonia, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, East of England Orchestra, the Balanescu and Bingham string quartets, the Park Lane Sextet, and numerous singers and instrumentalists
21Mar 2016
Comments Off on Red – Indian dance and music + workshopsPriti Paintal
Learn some authentic Bollywood dance moves from dancers Ash and Kali (from Bombay Dreams and Kirov Ballet) part of the music and dance company ShivaNova.
Indian drum workshop – 6 – 7pm
Indian drumming – A taster on Indian drums learning some of the rhythm circles and interesting Indian folk and classical drum patterns.
Red – 7.30 – 9 pm
Ash and Kali from ShivaNova perform a mix of Indian dance, Bollywood and Latin to a range of music from contemporary to traditional Indian. Ash and Kali are two of the most skilled and virtuoso dancers in the UK. Also featured will be Indian drumming in a spectacular ‘question-answer’ session with dancers.
About Red
Ash – A Time Out London’s Rising Talent and Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards UK nominee, Ash has been hailed as the Best Indian dancer in Great Britain today by Dance Europe.
In a recent survey conducted by Wiki Answers on the top twenty best male dancers in the world, Ash is the only representative of temple dance and appears along side his childhood idols, Rudolph Nureyev and Fred Astaire.
Tipped as one of the most unique and cutting edge choreographers emerging from the UK dance scene today, Ash was hand picked by the production team behind This Is It! to create a short temple dance solo and represent India Michael Jackson’s O2 shows.
A versatile dance maker with an intuitive grasp on popular culture, Ash brings a fresh new take on artistic collaboration, most notably in his recent work with the acclaimed director Kevin Godley, in creating the striking imagery behind the music video of the Katie Melua/William Orbit hit single, The Flood and his choreographic piece for the one of the hottest international dance shows on television So You Think You Can Dance 2 UK on BBC1 television.
“Mukherjee’s solos are works of art. There is no greater Indian dancer in Great Britain.
The speed with which he moves across the floor and the fluency of his poetic arms are for anyone who wishes to appreciate outstanding dancing.” – Mike Dixon, Dance Europe
Kali – a powerful dancer, his lyrical and flexible upper body, drawing on both Odissi and western contemporary demonstrated an affinity with the varied qualities of the jazz clarinet, while his lower body strength aligned with the rhythmic pulse”, Pulse (autumn 2004)
“Lasya was powerful and different giving the audience a lot of drama and incident”, Head of Dance, Royal Festival Hall.
“As inventive with his title as he is with his choreography. ‘Trandisionale’ speaks of transcending traditions and nationality, this work was outstanding. Kali, in his ‘creative dance avatar’, was able to display the dignity of evolved forms in a striking setting. The grace of Bharata Natyam and Odissi blended effortlessly, via Shankaresque fusion, into more sexually charged styles of Flamenco, Tango and informal social dance”, Narthaki.com
21Mar 2016
Comments Off on Red – Indian dance and music + workshopsAlex Spargo
Learn some authentic Bollywood dance moves from dancer Kali (from Bombay Dreams and Kirov Ballet) part of the music and dance company ShivaNova.
Indian drum workshop – 2.45pm
Indian drumming – A taster on Indian drums learning some of the rhythm circles and interesting Indian folk and classical drum patterns.
Red – 3.30pm
Kali from ShivaNova perform a mix of Indian dance, Bollywood and Latin to a range of music from contemporary to traditional Indian.
About Red
Kali – a powerful dancer, his lyrical and flexible upper body, drawing on both Odissi and western contemporary demonstrated an affinity with the varied qualities of the jazz clarinet, while his lower body strength aligned with the rhythmic pulse”, Pulse (autumn 2004)
“Lasya was powerful and different giving the audience a lot of drama and incident”, Head of Dance, Royal Festival Hall.
“As inventive with his title as he is with his choreography. ‘Trandisionale’ speaks of transcending traditions and nationality, this work was outstanding. Kali, in his ‘creative dance avatar’, was able to display the dignity of evolved forms in a striking setting. The grace of Bharata Natyam and Odissi blended effortlessly, via Shankaresque fusion, into more sexually charged styles of Flamenco, Tango and informal social dance”, Narthaki.com
21Mar 2016
Comments Off on Red – Indian dance and music + workshopsAlex Spargo
Learn some authentic Bollywood dance moves from dancers Ash and Kali (from Bombay Dreams and Kirov Ballet) part of the music and dance company ShivaNova.
Indian drum workshop – 6 – 7pm
Indian drumming – A taster on Indian drums learning some of the rhythm circles and interesting Indian folk and classical drum patterns.
Red – 7.30 – 9 pm
Ash and Kali from ShivaNova perform a mix of Indian dance, Bollywood and Latin to a range of music from contemporary to traditional Indian. Ash and Kali are two of the most skilled and virtuoso dancers in the UK. Also featured will be Indian drumming in a spectacular ‘question-answer’ session with dancers.
About Red
Ash – A Time Out London’s Rising Talent and Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards UK nominee, Ash has been hailed as the Best Indian dancer in Great Britain today by Dance Europe.
In a recent survey conducted by Wiki Answers on the top twenty best male dancers in the world, Ash is the only representative of temple dance and appears along side his childhood idols, Rudolph Nureyev and Fred Astaire.
Tipped as one of the most unique and cutting edge choreographers emerging from the UK dance scene today, Ash was hand picked by the production team behind This Is It! to create a short temple dance solo and represent India Michael Jackson’s O2 shows.
A versatile dance maker with an intuitive grasp on popular culture, Ash brings a fresh new take on artistic collaboration, most notably in his recent work with the acclaimed director Kevin Godley, in creating the striking imagery behind the music video of the Katie Melua/William Orbit hit single, The Flood and his choreographic piece for the one of the hottest international dance shows on television So You Think You Can Dance 2 UK on BBC1 television.
“Mukherjee’s solos are works of art. There is no greater Indian dancer in Great Britain.
The speed with which he moves across the floor and the fluency of his poetic arms are for anyone who wishes to appreciate outstanding dancing.” – Mike Dixon, Dance Europe
Kali – a powerful dancer, his lyrical and flexible upper body, drawing on both Odissi and western contemporary demonstrated an affinity with the varied qualities of the jazz clarinet, while his lower body strength aligned with the rhythmic pulse”, Pulse (autumn 2004)
“Lasya was powerful and different giving the audience a lot of drama and incident”, Head of Dance, Royal Festival Hall.
“As inventive with his title as he is with his choreography. ‘Trandisionale’ speaks of transcending traditions and nationality, this work was outstanding. Kali, in his ‘creative dance avatar’, was able to display the dignity of evolved forms in a striking setting. The grace of Bharata Natyam and Odissi blended effortlessly, via Shankaresque fusion, into more sexually charged styles of Flamenco, Tango and informal social dance”, Narthaki.com
A day of spectacular Chinese dance, music, calligraphy, Chinese opera face-painting and Tai-Chi. Here is your chance to learn more about China and its arts. Workshops in Chinese dance, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese opera face-painting, and a Taster session of Tai-Chi precede a stunning show of dance and music from the Sinman Chinese artists.
Beijing Opera Face Painting
1:00pm-2:30pm
Tickets £3
Beijing Opera Mask is a pattern of facial make-up for opera actors and actresses, enabling the audience to get a glimpse of the inner world of each role. We will try to demonstrate a few of the main role masks on participants
Chinese Calligraphy Workshop
3:00pm-4:00pm
Tickets £5
It’s the art of writing in traditional China using a special brush and ink. You will have an opportunity to learn this writing technique as well as some Chinese characters.
Tai Chi Workshop
5:30pm-6:30pm
Tickets £5 – under 12s £3
Warm up with some Tai Chi moves and get involved with some Kung Fu. Fun to follow and everyone can join in.
Chinese Dance Workshop
4:30pm-5:30pm
Included in ticket for 7pm performance
Long Fan dance is a traditional folk and festive dance in mainland China. The colourful long fan gives the dance a cheerful and graceful feel. The workshop participants will join our dance performance using this beautiful prop. Admission included with Dance & Music Performance ticket.
Chinese Dance & Music Performance
7:00PM
Tickets £9 – concessions £7
Come and enjoy our colourful display of Chinese traditional dance and music from different regions of China. You will be invited to join our dance workshop with traditional props. An opportunity to take part and enjoy the fun. Includes free entry to dance workshop at 4:30PM.
