We are thrilled to announce that on Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19 Samadhi Dance Company’s new live music and dance production for 2013 titled ‘Tusta’ will premiere at the Pleintheater Amsterdam followed by performances throughout Europe during the summer and fall season of 2013. After a total of eight dance works founder and artistic director Vraja Sundari Keilman felt inspired to create a new, more raw dance performance inspired by the concept of detachment enhanced by the use of live music and stunning projected artwork, creating a powerful multidisciplinary dance production likely to sweep you off your feet!
‘Tusta’ – Sanskrit for ‘dust’- is a unique improvisational contemporary dance performance in collaboration with Chilean artist Carolina Larrea, Indian composer and sitar player Surajit Das, costume brand Airfashion by Leo NG (Hong Kong) and singer-songwriter Chaitanya Charan Das, also known as Chris Kuijken from the upcoming band Isophone. Read more »
Only 160 seats available for the premiere and matinee on May 18 & 19 at Pleintheater Amsterdam, so reserve your tickets now to be assured of a seat at one of these blasting performances!
Following up on the extra-ordinary photographs by Bimala Naysmith is the short film made on the same day directed by Vraja Sundari Keilman, made in collaboration with cinematographer Lars Steenhoff, filmmaker and Tusta dancer Ken Srisangkhan (ISH) featuring dancers Liam O’Callaghan, Vraja Sundari Keilman and upcoming talent Kim Amankwaa. The eye-catching body art displaying ancient Vedic mantras and symbols were done by artist and Samadhi dancer Rasarani Keilman and Tusta’s singer-songwriter Chris Kuijken/Chaitanya Charan Das , also known as the puppetmaster from SDC’s 2012 production ‘Mohini’. The 3 minute movie shows the concept of Tusta in a nutshell; covered with dirt and dust due to the passing of time which symbolizes attachment, the main character (Liam) comes to life by the influence of spiritual knowledge, symbolized by the female dancers (Kim and Vraja).
The music track is a mix of Alt-J’s ‘Breezeblocks (Submerse Remix)’ and a chanting – ‘japa’- session of the inspiring guru known as HH Sacinandana Swami. Clothing of the dancers feature items of Hairfashion’s exclusive boutique known as Airfashion by Leo NG at the Rokin in Amsterdam.
We had an absolute blast making the film and are thrilled to share the result with our audience; enjoy and feel free to rate, share or comment!
Presenting first in a series of new collaborations for the seasons of 2013 is a selection of stunning photographs by renowned photographer Bimala Naysmith. Bimala was present during the filming of the promotional short movie of ‘Tusta’ – Samadhi’s fresh new dance performance for 2013 – and managed to capture some of the magical moments on set resulting in exquisite photographs that give a good feel of the style and atmosphere of the performance. Dancers of the shoot consist of Liam O’Liam O’Callaghan, Vraja Sundari Keilman and the young intern Kim Amankwaa wearing items of the high fashion collection of Airfashion, Hairfashions exclusive boutique by hair artist Leo Ng. The unique body paintings are done by artists Chris Kuijken and Rasarani Keilman, displaying mantras and symbols originating from the ancient Vedic scriptures of India with influences of divers African, Native-American and Aboriginal tribes. The filming and thus photoshoot took place in the garden of dancer and artist Rasarani Keilman in Baarn and although temperatures hit minus that day – despite it being March – the dancers dealt extremely well with the freezing cold and did not let their enthusiasm diminish by the wet and frozen mud underneath their bare feet, nothing seemed to stop their amazing drive and the entire team left with a wonderful content feeling and sense of accomplishment. The promotional short movie of ‘Tusta’ filmed by cinematographer Lars Steenhoff, directed by Vraja Sundari Keilman and edited by Vraja Sundari and multitalented artist Ken Srisangkhan will be presented in the beginning of April and we can already say that the movie has exceeded all of our expectations and we are absolutely psyched to share the film with our audience! But for now enjoy these jewels of art by the talented Bimala Naysmith displayed in our Gallery to get inspired and hungry for more of Samadhi’s wonderful new world named Tusta!
Previous year Vraja Sundari was selected by the artistic directors Feri de Geus and Noortje Bijvoets of the intercultural dance company Le Grand Cru to perform and give an exclusive interview for their video installation ‘Dance/Devotion/Deviation’, a unique video installation in collaboration with filmmaker Eric van den Broek and designer Pink Steenvoorden. With this installation Noortje Bijvoets and Feri de Geus display in a new dimension their preference and specialization to work in an intercultural setting. Twelve performing artists arising from 50 years of migration in the Netherlands show the richness and diversity of culture and religion in contemporary Holland. Artists include a.o. Muhanad Rasheed (Gouden Zwaan for production ‘Mourning’), Ederson Rodriques Xavier (Zilveren Theaterdansprijs 2002), Kalpana Raghuraman, Bryan Druiventak (Solid Ground) and Guy Weizman (Club Guy and Roni). A poetic and personal portrait dealing with friction, questions and divine inspiration due to their living in two cultures. Read more »
View this short fragment of Samadhi Dance Company’s guest performance of ‘Seva‘ (at 09:58) performed by Jeffrey Stuut, Rasarani Keilman, Vraja Sundari Keilman and Chris Kuijken on Monday February 11 during the Nieuwjaarsconcert 2013 organized by Stichting Blijf Vrouw and presented by Joke Bruijs at the Nieuwe Kerk in Den Hague.
Thank you Belinda D’Alba and everyone involved for the precious evening, the wonderful performances and Jim Hoogendorp for the beautiful photos and film!
We are extremely excited to announce that on January 4 2013 the Balletschool Marut Jorquera had the honor to receive the Culture Award (Cultuurprijs) 2013 of Baarn. We are still speechless and beyond grateful to receive this award and we really cannot thank our voters and supporters enough !! This recognition and appreciation of the dedicated work by our founder Marutvati Keilman-Jorquera (1951-2010) and our effort to continue her legacy truly means the world to us and we are humbled by all the sweet responses and valuable encouragements we have received, it exceeds all our expectations!
Soon we will post a short film showing the award ceremony at the annual new years reception in Baarn plus two interviews published by the Gooi- en Eemlander and the Baarnsche Courant.
Once again THANK YOU from the very core of our heart to all who took the time to support us, your support has been of immense value and we truly couldn’t wish for a better start of 2013!
On Monday February 11 of this year Samadhi is honored to present a 10 minutes performance of ‘Seva’ during the New Year Benefit Concert organized by Stichting Blijf Vrouw held at the Nieuwe Kerk in Den Hague. The program will consist of acts by renowned artists and as last year was an unforgettable experience for both viewers and performers Samadhi is looking forward to be back and help create another memorable evening for all! The foundation aims at organizing unique events for terminally ill woman in order to give them an entertaining evening where for a few hours they can forget about their hardship and struggles and enjoy themselves. As Samadhi is a great admirer of the foundations work the team is happy to be back and will be presenting a new and touching version of ‘Seva’, Samadhi’s ‘best of’ performance consisting of fragments from previous productions as well as new pieces to connect all parts. For this evening ‘Seva’ will open with a new duet by Vraja Sundari Keilman and Jeffrey Stuut on a legendary composition by Bach, followed by Rasarani Keilman performing the touching solo from Samadhi’s ‘Saranagati’ on another beloved piece by Bach, to close off with a playful dance on the uplifting song ‘Are We There Yet’ written by Ingrid Michaelson from Samadhi’s 2012 production ‘Mohini’ performed live by actor and singer-songwriter Chris Kuijken. Though the evening is for invites only, we hope to upload a fragment of the evening for your viewing pleasure only!
Thank you Belinda for inviting us once again to take part in such a special event, we all look forward to another beautiful evening filled with dance, music and great energy!
For the new production ‘Tusta’ SDC decided to create several photography collaborations as well as an impressive and unique dance film which will be presented in the coming months. Here a glimpse of ‘Tusta’ presented in a select few stunning photographs of dancers Vraja Sundari Keilman and Jeffrey Stuut taken in the midst of the freezing Dutch Winter of January 2013 by multidisciplinary artist Chris Kuijken.
