Newsletter | June 2019

From the Director's desk

Yesterday we marked the 21st anniversary of our partnership with CW+ with a performance by Pagrav Dance in the atrium of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Our events for June and July are now available to book. You can find more information below. I hope to see you at our 40th anniversary events throughout the year.

I am delighted to announce that The Troth, our international dance theatre production, is shortlisted for the 'Special Arts & Culture Award' as part of the UK-India Awards 2019 by India Inc. We are honoured that this show has been recognised for its artistic excellence and its role in enhancing relationships between both the countries.

After receiving a record number of applications for NAVADAL, our South Asian youth dance competition taking place on 20 July at the Southbank Centre, we have now announced the shortlist of participants. Thank you to everyone who applied, it is wonderful to see the quality and range of talent out there.

Mira Kaushik OBE

News

The Troth Shortlisted for UK-India Award

Akademi's The Troth has been shortlisted for the 'Special Arts & Culture Award' at the UK-India Awards organised by India Inc. The awards, taking place on 28 June in London as part of UK-India week, celebrate the relationship between the two countries.

Read on: The Troth Shortlisted for UK-India Award

21 years and still going strong...

On 13 June, Akademi and CW+ celebrated the landmark partnership of 21 years with a special performance at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Akademi presented artists from Pagrav Dance

Company who performed their piece 'Aunusthan' choreographed by Urja Desai Thakore.

Every month Akademi brings a free lunch-time performance for the patients, their families and staff of the hospital.

Know more: Akademi in Hospitals

Learning and Participation

Introducing Dance Well's 2019 Artists

After an extremely popular recruitment process, we are pleased to announce the dance artists who will be delivering Dance Well's work as it moves into it's next 3-year phase.

Read on: Dance Well Artists 2019

Research into Perceptions of Strength

Our Learning and Participation Manager, Claire Farmer, is currently investigating perceptions of strength training in the dance sector.

Claire is looking for responses from both dancers (students aged 16+, dance teachers (vocational, private, HE or FE education) and professional dancers (paid for at least 3 months of work in the past 12 months) and audience members who have seen at least one paid performance (theatre or site specific) in the past 12 months.

Take the survey: For dancers / For audiences

We launched our 40th anniversary year with a photo shoot with Vipul Sangoi in the beautiful Hotung Gallery at The British Museum. The photo shoot was also featured in The Times.

Akademi at 40

Akademi’s 40th anniversary year is now in full swing with many exciting events happening at major London venues such as the British Museum, Southbank Centre and Rich Mix. An overview of this year’s programme can be found in our recent press release and the Akademi at 40 events page. Find out the latest by following #akademiat40 on social media.

Find out more: Akademi at 40 events
Read on: Akademi at 40 Press Release
Features in: Dancing Times and One Dance UK News.

One Dance UK Awards

Akademi are sponsoring the 'Lifetime Achievement in South Asian Dance' Award at One Dance UK Awards 2019. One can nominate artists in recognition of the artistic excellence. Nominations are open until 31 July.

Nominate: One Dance UK Awards

#40milestonemoments

Have you been following our a #FlashbackFriday journey into the last four decades of Akademi? If you have memories and memorabilia you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.

Follow: #40milestonemoments on Twitter

NAVADAL 2019 Shortlist Announced

Akademi is partnering with One Dance UK, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and Centre for Advanced Training Yuva Gati to present NAVADAL at U.Dance 2019, the National Youth Dance Festival, at Southbank Centre. Following an extremely popular application stage, we are very excited to announce the shortlisted participants in this years competition. Thank you to everyone who applied!

Read on: NAVADAL 2019 Shortlist

What's on at Akademi

Dance Dialogue at Asia House

Glittering Tales: Dancing for Rajahs, Nawabs, and the Men of The Raj

25 June | 6.45pm
Asia House, London

Join visiting artist Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh and Chitra Sundaram as they explore Sadir, the historic precursor to the classical Indian dance style of Bharatanatyam.

Find out more

Classical Indian Dance and its Relevance in a Global Contemporary Context

12 July | 6.45pm
Asia House, London

Rukmini Vijayakumar, a noted Bharatanatyam artist and actor from India, in an artistic conversation Vena Ramphal.

Find out more

SADIR | Dancing for Rajahs, Nawabs, and the Officers of The Raj - a performance with live music

28 June | 7.30pm
Storey’s Field Centre, Cambridge

30 June | 7.30pm
LSO St. Luke’s, London

Presented in partnership with SAMA Arts
Dances from the Sadir repertoire of 17th - 20th Century India by Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh. Curated by Guest Director Chitra Sundaram.

Cambridge - Book now

London - Book now

Workshops with Rukmini Vijayakumar

13/14 July | 9am - 5pm
Dance Works Studio, London

13 July | Bharatanatyam | Open to Bharatanatyam students with five years training or more.

14 July | Choreography | Open to students of any classical Indian dance form with a minimum of ten years of experience.

Find out more

NAVADAL 2019 | Part of U.Dance 2019

National South Asian Youth Dance Competition
20 Jul 2019 | 11 am to 3 pm | Free
Clore Ballroom, Southbank centre

NAVADAL is Akademi’s biennial National South Asian Youth Dance Competition, held as part of U.Dance 2019. It is an opportunity for young dancers to be recognised at an early stage in their career and is a catalyst for them to find new pathways into the dance sector.

Find out more

NAVADAL Rising Stars
20 Jul 2019 | 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm | £5
Purcell Room, Southbank centre

The winners of the NAVADAL competition will get the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Purcell Room, in an event specially curated by YUVA 2016 winner and BBC Young Dancer 2015 finalist Vidya Patel. They will perform alongside four exceptional emerging artists of South Asian dance in the UK - Shree Savani, Jaina Modasia, Pallavi Anand and Shyam Dattani.

Book now

Dance Well @ Christchurch Uxbridge | With Rachel Waterman

Jan - Jul 2019 [excluding April]
Tuesdays | 2 - 3pm
Christ Church | Uxbridge, UB8 1QS
Price: £3 per session (cash on the door)

Akademi's Dance Well project provides opportunities for adults to attend dance and movement sessions, partnering with charity organisations, care homes, day centres and hospitals, as well as community learning and education providers.

All abilities are welcome to join in and previous dance experience is not necessary. Tea and coffee will be provided.

These workshops are generously funded by London Catalyst and rb&hArts.

Find out more

What's on in our world of dance

Akademi Associated

To celebrate the breadth and richness of South Asian dance in the UK, we’ve invited artists to submit information on London-based events between April 2019 and April 2020 to form the Akademi Associated programme.

See the full programme

Join the programme

Pandit Rajendra Gangani |
Ojas – The Power of Kathak Dance
Saturday June 15, 7.30pm
Patidar House, Wembley

Pandit Rajendra Gangani | Kathak Lecture
Monday 17 June, 7pm
St Matthew's Church, Croydon

The Bhavan |
PARAMPARA - Prabhat Rao in concert
Friday 21 June, 7pm
The Bhavan, London

The Bhavan | Bharatanatyam workshop with Bala Devi Chandrashekar
Friday 21 June, 6.30-8.30pm &
Saturday 22 June, 12-2pm
The Bhavan, London

The Bhavan |
Brihadeeswara – form to formless, through the eyes of a Devaradiyaal
Sunday 23 June, 6pm
The Bhavan London

Upahaar School of Dance | Shivam
Friday 28 June, 6.30pm
Nehru Centre London, London

V Fusion Dance | Experimental Bharatanatyam Workshop
Saturday 29 June, 10.30am
Base Dance Studios, London

Nandavana Dance | Chinnadevi
Sunday 30 June, 7.30pm
Sri Mahalakshmi Temple, London

Shamaa Dance Company | Dance Fusion
Friday 5 July, 7pm
Morley College, London

Srishti | Summer Showcase
Saturday 6 July, 6pm
Harrow Arts Centre, Middlesex

The Bhavan | Odissi Summer School with Swapnokalpa Dasgupta
Saturday 6 July - Saturday 13 July,
various times & levels
The Bhavan, London

The Bhavan | Odissi Performance by Swapnokalpa Dasgupta
Friday 12 July, 7.30pm
The Bhavan, London

Urvashi Dance Company |
Lambeth Country Show
Saturday 20 July – Sunday 21 July
Brockwell Park, London

Performance

June

Divya Kasturi Company |
'In conversation with Carnatic' at Family Concert - Music from around the World
Sunday 16 June, 3pm
Stevenage Music Centre, Stevenage

Kala Sangam Arts Centre | AWAKEN
Wednesday 19 June, 7.30pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Sonia Sabri Company |
An Evening of Kathak Dance
Thursday 20 June, 7pm
MAC, Birmingham

Siobhan Davies Dance | ReRooted
Friday 21 June, 7pm
Siobhan Davies Studios, London

Sona Lisa | Eleven, twelve, thirteen
Friday 21 June, 6pm
The Old Fire Station, Oxford

SAA-uk | Summer Solstice Festival 2019
Friday 21 June, 8pm
Seven Arts, Leeds

SAMA Arts | The Anuraag Collective
Saturday 22 June, 7.30pm
Rich Mix, London

SAMA Arts | Jalsa - Women on Record
Sunday 23 June, 7.30pm
Rich Mix, London

Natyanjali Dance School | Chilanka Pooja
Sunday 30 June, 5pm
Cambridge Junction, Cambridge

SAMA Arts | Rhythms in the Landscape Festival
Storey’s Field Centre, Cambridge
Alpana Sengupta Dance Company
Saturday 29 June, 7.30pm
Krishna Zivraj
Sunday 30 June, 7.30pm

July

SAMA Arts | Rhythms in the Landscape Festival
Storey’s Field Centre, Cambridge
Kala Chetna / Arunima Kumar
Friday 19 July, 7.30pm
Upahaar Dance Company /
Parbati Chaudhury / Elena Catalano
Sunday 21 July, 6pm

Kala Sangam Arts Centre | Imaam Imraan
Monday 1 - Thursday 4 July, 7pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Kala Sangam Arts Centre |
Funny Feelings
Friday 5 July, 7.30pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

SAMA Arts | Project Mishram
Wednesday 10 July, 8pm
Rich Mix, London

Sonia Sabri Company |
Sonia Sabri Company in Salaam
Friday 12 July, 7.30pm
Prema, Uley (Gloucestershire)
Kala Sangam Arts Centre | Kala Utsav
Saturday 13 July, 7pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Kala Sangam Arts Centre |
Slanjayvah Danza - 6 Feet, 3 Shoes
Friday 19 July, 7.30pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Kala Sangam Arts Centre | Martin Hearne Mannequin Exhibition Launch
Thursday 25 July, 5pm (Exhibition runs until Thursday 5 September)
St Peter's House, Bradford

August

The Centre for Indian Classical Dance | CICD Performance at Mela Festival
Sunday 18 August, 2pm
Leicester City Centre

Classes and Courses

Regular Classes

Natyanjali Dance School | Bharatanatyam Classes
Sundays from 16 June,
3-8pm (various levels)
Lichfield Road Community Hall, Cambridge

The Centre for Indian Classical Dance | Kathak Classes for ISTD Certification
Wednesdays from 19 June, 6pm
CICD Studio, Leicester

Kala Sangam Arts Centre |
Bhangra Dance Classes
Wednesdays from 19 June, 6pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Kala Sangam Arts Centre |
Dhol Drumming Classes
Wednesdays from 19 June, 7pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Sonia Sabri Company | Kathak Level 1
Wednesdays from 10 July, 7-8pm
Baithak House, Birmingham

Looking for South Asian dance training and institutions in the UK?

Our new South Asian Dance section of the website is the place to start. If you’re a student looking to start a journey in South Asian dance, we can start you off on the road to excellence.

This new database will grow and develop over time. If you deliver South Asian dance classes in the UK and want to make an amendment to your listing or have your business included please email info@akademi.co.uk.

Jobs

Kala Sangam Arts Centre | Trustees
Deadline: 28 June, 12pm
St Peter's House, Bradford

Manchester International Festival | Consultant - Audience Development
Deadline: 26 June

Images (from top):

Akademi photoshoot at British Museum 2019. Credit: Vipul Sangoi
Aunusthan at ChelWest Hospital, 2019. Credit: Claire Farmer
Akademi photoshoot at British Museum 2019. Credit: Vipul Sangoi
Rukmini Vijayakumar. Image courtesy of the artist.
Akademi photoshoot, 2013. Credit: Peter Schiazza