An exciting new dance drama and art exhibition reinterpreting the ancient myth of Lord Krishna to take place at the end of January
Great news, Indian dance fans! If you’re looking for another spectacular show to check out this new year, BEYOND Bollywood and Sri Shakti Academy’s Krishnarpanam dance drama is showing in Hong Kong this month and you won’t want to miss it.
Krishnarpanam reinterprets the ancient myth of Lord Krishna through traditional and contemporary Indian dance set against a backdrop of carefully curated paintings. One of the most revered and popular Indian deities, Lord Krishna is recognized as the eight avatar of Vishnu and is considered a leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend by millions of people. Stories about him date back thousands of years and portray him in hundreds of perspectives. In a 70 minute performance accompanied by captivating music and enchanting lighting, the dancers of Krishnarpanam will guide you through the legendary stories of Lord Krishna, seamlessly melding the ancient and modern world.
Guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the creation of the dance drama after the performance. Choreographed by Ms. Neesha Jhaveri (Co-founder, Sri Shakti Academy), Ms. Maanasa Sri Ganesh and Mr. Alan Wong, it takes a full team to bring this mesmerizing performance to life. The show includes over 20 Hong Kong and Indian dancers performing a mix of Kathak, Bharatnatyam and contemporary dances. The magic is in the details; each piece of costume and artwork has been carefully chosen and designed to transport the audience into a different world. More than just fabric and paint, the organizers want to convey the story and emotions to people and ensure that they have an unforgettable experience.
An art exhibition showcasing Lord Krishna’s birth story, dance, and festival will also be held. Co-organized with Kashunutz Art Studio and ISKCON Hong Kong, Dance. Trace-Origination features the work of Mrs. Kashmira Mehta Joshi–a talented Hong Kongbased visual artist with Indian origins from the Kashunutz Art Studio–and includes live dance performance, Indian Folk Art workshop, interactive installation, Indian art painting and curator-led guided tours. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and greet artists, buy paintings, and take photos in the Instagram worthy Festival area decorated in the festive style of Krishna – Janmashtami (26 August 2024), Sankranti (Kite Festival) (15 January 2024) and Holi (25 March 2024).
Dance.Trace-Origination also offers an artistic platform for independent artists and students to show their work and raise participation and public awareness in the next generation. ISKCON Hong Kong will be setting up the Juhlan Yatra (the swing festival) and the Damodara Lila (Binding of Lord Krishna and offering of lamps) for guests to experience an authentic Indian festival
Follow the source of the river, pursue the footprints of destiny, and explore the secrets behind the myth with Dance.Trace-Origination.
BEYOND Bollywood was first founded in 2015 and aims to showcase Indian culture and foster cross-sector and cross cultural social inclusion in Hong Kong through Indian dance. With the mission of “To bridge the gap, to do far BEYOND”, BEYOND Bollywood continues their efforts to bolster inclusivity and recognition of Indian culture in Hong Kong through the power of dance and partnerships with NGOs, art and social welfare service organizations, schools, and more. As its name suggests, BEYOND Bollywood seeks to increase awareness of Indian culture beyond Bollywood movies and show the diversity of Indian dance and culture to Hong Kong.
BEYOND Bollywood offers community-based dance projects and dance theatre courses to make dance accessible to all – including those with special needs/ differently-abled people – to promote recognition of diverse Indian culture. In addition, through different formats of presentation such as stage performance, dance drama, exhibitions and workshops, BEYOND Bollywood strengthens the dialogue between dance artists and the audience by educating them on the concept behind its creation and the rich underlying cultural heritage.
BEYOND Bollywood will also be performing a multicultural dance parade with over 30 Hong Kong and Indian dancers combining 5 diverse dance.forms from India at 8 pm on 10 Feb 2024 in Tsim Sha Tsui. BEYOND Bollywood is located at Studio 301, Tai Po Arts Centre, 12 On Pong Road, Tai Po, New Territories.
Sri Shakti Academy was founded in 2003 by three internationally acclaimed Indian classical dancers specialising in different Indian Classical Dance forms – Mrs. Priyadarshini Ghosh (Mohiniattam), Ms Ranjini Menon (Bharatanatyam) and Ms Neesha Jhaveri (Kathak). The Academy was set up to educate the audience in the art of appreciation of Indian Classical Dance and Music. In pursuit of achieving these goals, the academy has been imparting classes to many students, organising lecture.
demonstrations and workshops at universities, whilst providing performance opportunities to aspiring dancers and presenting large-scale original productions to the HK audience
Krishnarpanam will run on January 26th (8pm) and January 27th (3 pm) at the Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets are available online starting at $120.
Dance.Trace-Origination will be shown on January 25th (12noon-8pm) and January 26th (9am-6pm) at the Exhibition Hall, 1/F Low Block, Hong Kong City Hall. Curator-led tours are available at 1:30pm and 6pm on the 25th and 1:30pm and 5pm on the 26th with pre-registration online. Admission is free.
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