Latest news with #InternationalDanceDay
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
watch: Mjaivo Jaiva takes over the streets of Joburg
Celebrating International Dance Day with rhythm, unity, and joy. Hundreds of dancers took to the streets for International Dance Day celebration. Picture: Screenshot/Facebook Hundreds of dancers flooded the streets of Johannesburg this Friday, 16 May, for Mjaivo Jaiva, a celebration of International Dance Day. The Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP), in collaboration with Moving Into Dance (MID) and the Maharishi Invincibility Institute (MII), hosted the event starting at the Magistrate's Court in Main Street, Johannesburg. Although International Dance Day is officially marked on 29 April, the celebration was moved to line up with South Africa's public holidays, allowing for greater participation and public engagement. ALSO READ: WATCH: ULTRA South Africa celebrates 10 years of dance music Mjaivo Jaiva for International Dance Day More than 1 000 dancers, choreographed by the renowned MID team, turned the pavements into lively stages filled with joy, music and shared creativity. JICP CEO David van Niekerk said collaborations like these are crucial for transforming the city from the inside out. 'This is more than a dance event – it's a living, breathing example of what happens when culture, creative expression and community power intersect. This is Jozi showing the world what it's made of.' MID, a Newtown-based pioneer of Afro fusion and edudance since 1978, has trained hundreds of participants over the past weeks in a choreographed routine that speaks to identity, movement and inclusion. 'This is dance for everyone. Whether you know the choreography or just want to move your body, we invite you to join in – follow the rhythm, feel the vibe, or simply soak up the spirit of Mjaivo Jaiva,' said Nadia Virasamy, CEO of MID. MII, a non-profit educational hub in the inner city since 2007, brought its own cohort of students to join the performance. NOW READ: Not just 'Lazy, rich housewives'! Louise Volschenk claps back at Afrikaans critics on The Mommy Club
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow care home celebrates International Dance Day
HC-One Scotland's Darnley Court Care Home in Glasgow marked the occasion on Tuesday, April 29, with an evening of community and movement. The communal hall was transformed into a dance venue for the event, with the Victoria Knights Acro Dance Academy taking centre stage. Read more: Glasgow mum tells of son's measles vaccination experience The academy, known for its dynamic routines, gave residents a sneak peek of their upcoming competition performances. The young dancers entertained residents with their acrobatic skills and choreographed routines. Residents and staff joined in the fun, clapping and cheering the dancers on. The evening ended on a unified note as residents and staff joined in with the academy's performers for a final dance. The event was made even more special with refreshments, including homemade treats, which were served throughout the evening. Read more: Popular Glasgow venue celebrates record-breaking 40th year Lynsey Armstrong, home manager of HC-One Scotland's Darnley Court Care, said: "The International Dance Day celebration was a truly special occasion for everyone at Darnley Court. "Watching our residents light up with joy as the Victoria Knights Acro Dance Academy performed was heart-warming, and seeing them join in for the final dance was the highlight of the evening. "We are incredibly grateful to the academy for sharing their talent and energy with us, creating memories that our residents will cherish."
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Dance festival to celebrate Indian Classical Arts in Bengaluru
Shristi Center of Performing Arts and Institute of Dance Therapy, Bengaluru, in collaboration with Rotary District 3191, will host the International Dance Day and Mayarao Memorial Dance Festival on May 5 and 6. The event, featuring 110 dancers from 30 troupes, will showcase a range of Indian classical dance styles including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Kathak. Performances will be held at 3 p.m. at Ravindra Kalakshetra, J.C. Road.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise reimagines International Dance Day with an inclusive stagefor all abilities
At 'Dance Is for Everybody,' curated by Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise and Sandip Soparrkar , performers across 17 disability categories redefined who gets to speak the language of dance. On a warm Monday afternoon in Mumbai, the curtains rose slowly at Veda Kunba Auditorium—not to the thunder of trained limbs in perfect formation, but to the silent glide of a wheelchair carving arcs across the stage. It was the opening image of 'Dance Is for Everybody,' a first-of-its-kind performance hosted by Indrani Mukerjea Enterprise (IME) and curated by renowned choreographer Sandip Soparrkar to mark International Dance Day . Over the next sixty minutes, audiences witnessed something far more profound than a traditional dance recital: performers across India's 17 recognised disability categories took the stage to demonstrate that movement—and the joy it carries— belongs to all bodies, not just able ones. A day for dance. A stage for everyone. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kalimantan Timur: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Established in 1982 by the International Theatre Institute, International Dance Day is celebrated each 29 April, marking the birthday of ballet pioneer Jean- Georges Noverre. The day's mission is clear: to celebrate dance as a universal art form, bridging cultural, political, and physical boundaries. This event echoed that spirit precisely. 'Dance Is for Everybody' featured performers living with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, intellectual disability, speech and language disabilities, chronic neurological conditions, acid attack survival, Parkinson's disease, mental illness, hearing impairments, visual impairments, leprosy cured status, dwarfism, specific learning disabilities, multiple disabilities, blindness, and locomotor disability. 'The word 'disability' contains within it the word 'ability' — and that's no accident. It reminds us that strength, creativity, and spirit are never absent. They are simply waiting to be seen,' said Indrani Mukerjea, who opened the event with a deeply personal reflection. Each performance lasted 2–3 minutes, interwoven with poetry and spoken word led by Soparrkar, who acted as sutradhaar for the evening. The show unfolded as a unified narrative, rather than disconnected routines. Inclusion, in sequence The programme opened with a classical performance by children on the autism spectrum, followed by the national anthem in Indian Sign Language. Then came a dancer with Parkinson's who folded tremors into tempo; a group of performers with cerebral palsy moving in choreographed symmetry; and an acid attack survivor stepping into the spotlight—each telling their story through motion, not monologue. The finale featured older dancers with Down syndrome in a vibrant Bollywood routine that brought the house to its feet. 'Dance is a language the body speaks long before words,' Soparrkar said. 'When society listens, rhythm replaces indifference. That's what happened here.' A shared stage, not a transaction A remarkable aspect of the event was that everyone involved contributed their time and talent free of charge. From performers and choreographers to the emcee and technical crew, each person came together in solidarity with the cause. Ratan Pratap, who emceed the afternoon, helped thread the segments together with clarity and compassion, making space for each dancer's presence to resonate fully. 'People often ask me how I dance without limbs. But dance begins long before the body moves. It begins with the will to express—and tonight, that was more than enough,' said Sumeet Jadhav, one of the performers at 'Dance Is for Everybody'. Following the final act, a brief press interaction was held where Mukerjea and Soparrkar reiterated the event's purpose: not to dazzle, but to demonstrate—that dance is not reserved for perfection, but open to participation. No commercial partners were involved. No red carpet was rolled out. The applause belonged entirely to those who had once been left out of the room. The rhythm ahead 'Dance Is for Everybody' was a prototype of what inclusive art can look and feel like seamless, dignified, and joyous. Its message echoed far beyond the auditorium walls: disability does not disqualify; it expands the choreography of what's possible. On a day that celebrates dance as a global language, this Mumbai stage reminded us that rhythm doesn't begin in the feet—it begins in the heart. 'Long after the music fades, it is the courage we witnessed today that will keep echoing — like a drumbeat carried by the wind, like footsteps that never needed a perfect floor to dance. Today wasn't just about performance. It was about presence — raw, real, and unforgettable,' said Mukerjea.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dance revives heritage: Kolkata's Royal Insurance Building comes alive
On World Dance Day, the historic Royal Insurance Building in Kolkata became an extraordinary stage, hosting a performance that beautifully underscored the vital role of art in revitalizing and reconnecting us with our past. This unique event not only celebrated the dynamism of dance but also illuminated the untapped potential of the city's numerous heritage spaces. Kolkata has had enough of organized and formal theatre performances. Time has come to take this opportunity. There are large number of heritage spaces with performing places in Kolkata, unidentified, unrecognized, unnoticed and unsung places. If we can leverage this performance areas, suddenly what emerges is something that no other city has, which is in short- heritage, large, attractive and accessible spaces -Mudar Patherya This was conceptualized in a span of 7-10 days. this collaborative effort led by citizens and artists sought to breathe new life into our city's underappreciated architectural heritage. Dance needs spaces. Spaces need living bodies. This collaboration on International Dance Day was an attempt to send bodies back to spaces they belong to-reimagining and reframing architectural spaces through movement and rhythm. -Paramita Saha, director of Artsforward and curator of the event Caption: Young performers from the city came together to participate in this unusual symphony of space and movement. Asish Singha, Ekluvya Bera, Minami Nandy, Sankalita Charaborty, Sayan Das, Shayak Tarafder, Shreya Acharyya, Subhankar Mondal accompanied by Debjit Mahalanobis on the Double Bass.
