How dance and music turn out to be therapeutic
To acknowledge and understand the therapeutic benefits of dance and music in restoring individual health and harmony, 7th International Arts Festival/symposium will be held on October 30 and 31, 2019. The festival will witness scholars and artists from across the globe (Germany, England, and India).
Speaking about the event, Festival Director, Founder member of Rays of Wisdom Society, and Odissi danseuse and spiritualist Reela Hota says, “If you see ancient cultures, the symbols, instruments, languages, and customs have so many similarities as they were made by intuitive wisdom developed by contemplation. By bringing them together in an interesting way, we hope to showcase this commonality.”
The focus of the festival is to bring together the traditional and modern scholars and artists to demonstrate the scientific basis of traditional arts and their integration in our day to day life, and also highlight how music and dance can help achieve a more balanced lifestyle as well as a well-rounded personality.
Day one of this year’s multi-arts festival will start with a performance by Reela Hotta, an eminent Oddisi performer, educator, producer and credited for adding a new dimension to Odissi Dance. The festival will kick start with her performance on Vedas. The second performance of the day will be Raga-jazz; soul-stirring fusion music by Grammy winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and German guitarist Matthias Muller.
Day two of the festival will commence with a play Rakt-kalyan by acclaimed theatre director Santanau Bose. The play shows how a vibrant, prosperous society is plunged into anarchy and terror. Written by Girish Karnad in 1989 in the backdrop of mandirmandal conflict, the drama draws a parallel between the Socio-religious Political and Economic conditions of existing times and southern India in 12th century A.D. during Bhakti Movement.
The play will be fol
lowed by a lecture-demonstration on ‘Music and the Mind’ and how Music Therapy aids in improving mental Health by Dr Margaret Lobo, FRSA, Founder of Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT), U K. The grand finale of the evening will constitute of a performance by none other than the veterans of classical Indian vocal music Padma Vibhushan and Grammy winner, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Later in the evening, Geeta Chandran, Dancer/choreographer, and Founder President, Natya Vriksha will be felicitated at the festival. She is a universally celebrated artist, a celebrity and a star performer.