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SADAC – The South Asian Dance Alliance of Canada 

SHAKUNTALA... A Brand New Canadian Adaptation

By Aruna Mallya Gupta
Photo credits: Cylla Von Teidemann

(From left to right) Anita Majumdar, Sanjay Talwar and Carrie-Lynn Neals

Thursday, February 5, 2009, saw the ‘crème de crème’ of Toronto’s art circles soak in the warmth of the cozy  Fleck Dance theatre at Harbourfront Centre, even as the city and environs were in the grips of a deep freeze.

Shakuntala, the 5^th century Sanskrit masterpiece came to town in a new Canadian  English  adaptation. Akin to what Romeo and Juliet is in the west, this classic,  by poet, Kalidasa,  revolving around the romance of King Dushyanta  and the beautiful hermit girl, Shakuntala, is said to be one of the most beloved of plays in South Asia. Set against very serene stage props, this two hour stage production, in keeping with our country’s multicultural flavor, had a diverse cast and an eclectic blend of various classical Indian and international dance forms such as African mask dancing, courtesy, Toronto’s own dance maestro, Hari Krishnan. Milan Shahani’s tasteful costume designs added the right tough of elegance, as one watched the romance between King Dushyanta (Sanjay Talwar) and Shakuntala (Anita Majumdar) blossom, followed by a tragic separation and eventually a joyous reunion.

Anita Majumdar and Sanjay Talwar

Sanjay Talwar, Carrie-Lynn Neals, Anita Majumdar (standing) and Pragna Desai

Talwar and Majumdar, both with amazing track records in theatre, were powerful as the lovers. The short, sensuous dance sequence signifying the union of their bodies and souls, wrapped in endless lengths of fabric, captured erotica in the most tasteful way. Devoid of garish sets and flamboyant dialogue delivery, so typical of many South Asian productions, this adaptation was a welcome change, true to Director Charles Roy’s vision “to underline the universal qualities of Kalidasa’s play”. For John Van Burek, Artistic Director of Pleiades Theatre which prides itself in bringing plays from around the world, premiering Shakuntala in Toronto is just the beginning. Taking it to the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver in 2010 and then to several Canadian cities, is part of his mission to take this beautiful piece of world theatre to mainstream audiences across the country.

News Briefs

SADAC – THE SOUTH ASIAN DANCE ALLIANCE OF CANADA

New national dance alliance aims to support the development of South Asian dance in Canada 

Initiated in the fall of 2008, the South Asian Dance Alliance of Canada (SADAC) was created out of a need for a national network to connect artists and organizations engaged in various forms of South Asian dance.  

A membership-based alliance of artists and organizations engaged in the training, creation, performance, touring, presenting, research and management of South Asian dance in Canada, SADAC intends to advocate, educate and promote South Asian dance in Canada, as well as mentor the next generation of dancers and teachers.  The creation of an online resource (sadac.ca) containing a directory of artists, organizations, schools and funding agencies; an event calendar and job board is also planned.  

SADAC's advisory committee members come from across Canada and are leaders in the field of South Asian dance.  The members of SADAC's inaugural advisory committee are: Natasha Bakht (Ontario), Nova Bhattacharya (Ontario), Shyamala Dakshinamurti (Manitoba), Jai Govinda (British Columbia), Parul Gupta (Quebec) and Lata Pada (Ontario). 

To receive news and updates regarding SADAC developments, you can email contact information to info.sadac@gmail.com.