Tuesday 18 September 2012

Inspiration

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SONIA SABRI will present ‘INSPIRATION’, her brand new solo dance film at ThinkTank, Birmingham Science Museum www.thinktank.ac

Wednesday September 26th at 7pm
Tickets:  £6

ThinkTank, a radical new concept for science museums, is a world class family attraction at Millennium Point in Birmingham and features four floors of interactive exhibits and live art and performance for all ages.   Thinktank’s Planetarium uses state-of-the-art digital technology to present breathtaking images on a 360 degree interior domed surface.  The audience, sitting in reclining seats, is immediately involved in a totally immersive experience – imagine sitting in the centre of an eggshell – and will be able to view the film as it plays all around them.

Grabbing technology by the scruff of the neck, the visionary Sonia Sabri is presenting the first ever kathak dance solo film to be produced for a planetarium featuring music by the digital and audio designer Chris Vandyke.  As part of DomeFest 2012, ‘Inspiration’ will be showcased along with work by other performance companies, some of whom will be selected for the final film programme at the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium at the National Space Centre in Leicester on November 16th and 17th.

‘INSPIRATION’: At the dawn of time, the Universe comes into being and star fields begin to take form. The Hindu deity and protector of life Prajapati (recognised as the constellation of stars known as Orion is the West) materialises, dividing and replicating himself into humanity and the animals of the Earth…

Artistic Director:                       Toby Norman-Wright
Choreographers:                       Toby Norman- Wright and Sonia Sabri
Dancer:                                     Sonia Sabri
Audio and Visual Production:  Chris Vandyke with Callum Goodwilliam.
Chroma production:                 Callum Goodwilliam

Tuesday 11 September 2012

New Delhi - Sonia Sabri writes

"I've been immersed in aroma, colour, laughter, lyric, melody and movement for the past three weeks in the city that pulsates with centuries old artistry and unyielding spirituality, and yet, courts with the "mind blasting" advancements of science and technology: New Delhi.

It's that time when I am in need of refueling. For the three years I've been making and making work for my own company as well for others who have never even participated in performing arts, let alone Kathak. On top of that, I've been performing all around the globe and back. With my other hat on - Artistic Director of Sonia Sabri Company - there have been several changes and considerations with the future of the company and it's position on the UK scene as well the international. It has been a wonderful three years indeed but quite a few forget that I'm actually human, and once in a while, I need to collect my thoughts as well as my breath!

Having said this, I'm not on 'holiday'...I'm out here with Musical Director of SSCo Sarvar to replenish our creative minds for the next BIG project....and other big projects following that ...(hehehe).
We've been in and out of meetings with some movers and shakers out here and wow it is full on. Not just the number of meetings. I mean the PASSION these people have for the arts and where they want to go with it. We've been inspired hearing such motivated opinion formers and artists talk about music and dance and the strategies they are developing. But it's also interesting, and once again brings home that the arts is so much about taste. For example, the understanding of tradition, classical, contemporary, avant-garde, etc is so different to the UK.....and to understand it, one would have to be born there.

The results of our 'chai-chats' have already borne some fruit. Sarvar recorded for All India Radio which will be aired later next month; and we were both interviewed live on Evening Live for National TV following repeat broadcasts, reaching about a billion people (not bad for it having nothing to do with the Olympics!). I was also invited to compere for an inaugural concert of Sufi music 'Rooh' at the India Islamic Cultural Centre last Saturday. It went down tremendously well. ENI will be telecasting it on National TV sometime soon (that's another billion and again nothing to do with the Olympics!! Sorry - I better stop).

Sarvar and I are particularly excited by some of the talents we've come across who have not had much exposure. Remarkably, some of them are very young. It's unbelievable the abundance of high quality dancers and musicians. New Delhi is certainly the 'belly' where artists from all the corners of India gather. We've met artists who have recently migrated from rural parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Assam, Cochin, Bihar and Nepal and all sing/play/dance their souls out. Although their artistry reflects the peaks and troughs of life, we are transported into an idyllic bubble and as if the observations of everyday challenges happens to an another species and we people simply glide by.....
Beautiful.
We're hoping we can collaborate with them at some point soon.

My studio awaits....."

Soniaxx