The evening started with the Kathak segment, Katha Kahe so Kathak Kahave. The origin of Kathak and its intricacies were beautifully demonstrated by students of NNKB, Samta Savla and Pooja Vaidya. This set the tone for the Kathak stories that followed. Homage was paid to Wajid Ali Shah, the supreme patron of Kathak with multiple song items strung together like a necklace of pearls. The beautiful colors adorned by the dancers were matched by melodious singing.



The story of Tortoise and the Hare was once again brought back to life with the masterful musical composition that emphasized the contrast between the two characters. The clever choreograph of this dance was followed by a colorful, lilting dance set to the story of Meera. The following stories of The Cap Seller, Durga, Tandav, Ardhnareshwar and The Ugly Duckling were as captivating and creative in the art of story telling as any top performance around the world. In addition to maintaining the art of Kathak in its purest form, the beauty and the variety of dance costumes highlighted the great detail in which the program was planned and executed. The segment was brought to a close by the masterful rendition of the the story of Radha and Krishna by Kumud and Samta Savla. It is clear that the passion, knowledge, grace and beauty of the mother has been passed on to the next generation.

The second segment of the evening was, Aap Ki Farmiash, a radio show based event. This was a unique concept of bringing stage and radio together. Dance items were set to audience requests sent in by phone, email, Facebook etc. Radio jockey dialogues were delivered by Priyanka Desai, Asma Molu and Bayad from Bhuj (who emulated Amin Sayani). They were matched by the colorful and spirited dances of the students who varied from kindergarten to their parents. The song requests spanned multiple generations. The audience was treated to artful renditions of Umrao Jaan to Uff. Mein Chali, from Padosan, was was brought to life by students transitioning from a film showing students cycling on the road, to their entrance on the stage. The Punjabi Medley was heart warming as it beckoned your feet to stomp and dance along with the dancers. Sil Savla’s energy was un-comparable as he waltzed between his electrifying dance on the stage to co-ordinating the visual and stage effects. Kumud Savla rounded up this segment with awesome costume, jewelry and rendition of Diwani Mastani. The impact of NNKB was truly palpable as we witnessed the student’s Visharad graduation (associated with Gandharva Mahavidyalaya).



The soulful voices of the singers Sandeep Savla, Janhavi Telang, Madhuri Haritwal, Labony Parvin, Meenal Shrotriya and Dr. Savitha Elam-Kootil was perfectly harnessed by the melodious compositions of Sandeep Savla. The NNKB dance team of Samta Savla, Pooja Vaidya, Mital Patel, Brittny Chandra, Manjula Devi and Vasanta Chivukala delivered a visual treat for the audience. The sound recording was perfectly balanced by Sandeep Savla, Darshak Thakkar, Mona Thakkar and Jhanak Joshi. The parents of the students should be proud to have a dedicated team like that in North America which enables them to immerse their children in the traditions of India. Kumud and Sandeep