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NOVEMBER 21, 10AM to 4PM EKTAA BAZAAR VENUE: 2691 Richter Ave. Ste 105 Irvine CA 92606 Ektaa Center provided a unique shopping experience at their 3rd Annual Holiday Bazaar with choice from an exclusive ensemble of ethnic merchandise featuring exquisite handcrafted jewelry, crocheted accessories, elegant handbags, ornate home décor, chic clothing, and musical instruments among other fascinating gift items. Please contact (949)296-6296 for more details. View flyer

SUNDAY OCT 3, 6 PM GITA GOVINDA ....an Odissi dance presentation VENUE: James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Dr Torrance CA Ektaa Center presented 'Gita Govinda' a timeless tale of Love, an Odissi dance presentation featuring Sujata Mohapatra and Rajib Bhattacharya accompanied by the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company (Toronto). Gita Govinda is a complete dance interpretation in Odissi style of the famous Sanskrit poem by the 12 century poet, Jayadeva. Revered as a masterpiece of lyrical and poetic content, it has held the imagination of generations with its rich imagery, its entrancing music and its passionate depiction of the relationship of Radha and (Lord) Krishna. Sujata Mohapatra, disciple and daughter-in-law of legendary Guru (Late) Kelucharan Mohapatra along with Rajib Bhattacharya, also a product of 'Srjan' the dance institution established by the late Guru and his son Ratikant Mohapatra will be featured lead dancers. They perform with the famed Menaka Thakkar Dance Company (MTDC), the first Indian Dance Company in Canada. Established in 1978 in Toronto, the award winning Company includes up to 20 professional dancers trained under Dr. Menaka Thakkar for 16 to 25 years.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 2 IRVINE GLOBAL VILLAGE FESTIVAL.... VENUE: Bill Barber Memorial Park in Irvine Ektaa Center once again had a booth at the Irvine Global Village Festival to share the arts and cultures of India. The festival was on Saturday Oct 2 2010 at the Bill Barber Memorial Park in Irvine. More information on other exhibits and performances.

SATURDAY SEP 18, 6PM HINDUSTANI VOCAL CONCERT VENUE: Ektaa Center 2691 Richter Ave. Ste 105 Irvine CA 92606 Classical Hindustani Music - featuring Sudakshina Alagia (Vocal) accompanied by Jyothi Prakash on Tabla After her early training with Pt. J.V. Subba Rao of the Gwalior Gharana, Ms. Alagia has been the foremost disciple of renowned vocalist Smt. Lakshmi Shankar for the last 14 years. She has performed along with as well as in the presence of acclaimed artistes such as Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty and Ustad Shujat Khan. Through the Center for World Music she has brought Indian music to Inner City California Schools and also been a guest lecturer of Music at UCSD and San Diego State University. She has performed all over USA, Canada, UK and India and released music CD's in classical music and bhajans. Currently she teaches classical Hindustani music in the San Diego area. For more information please visit www.sudakshina.com

MAY 23, 6PM NACHLE INDIA II VENUE: The Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr, Irvine Ektaa Center presented a spectacular display of the traditional dances of India including Kathak, Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohini Attam and Odissi at the Irvine Barclay Theater. It featured Anjani's Kathak Dance of India with special guest star Amrapali Ambegaokar, Ahila Gulasekaram and the Arpana Dance Company, Jyoti Lakkaraju's Natyalaya School, Sohini Ray, Radha Carman and Sharanya Mukhopadhayay - premier dancers and dance companies of the Diaspora. Details

SUNDAY MAY 2, 2010, 4PM Classical Hindustani Music Gauri Damle-Pathare (Vocal) accompanied by Hemant Ekbote on Tabla An accomplished vocalist, Ms. Gauri Damle-Pathare's prowess traces back to an exemplary lineage of musicians including Pt. Jitendra Abhishek and Smt. Padmatai Talwalkar. With over a decade of performing experience, she has a large repertoire that has enthralled diverse audiences all over the world. Venue: Ektaa Center, 2691 Richter Ave. Ste 105, Irvine CA 92606 EMAIL info@ektaacenter.org

SATURDAY APRIL 24, 5PM EKTAA SPRING SHOWCASE 2010 and MOVIE... VENUE: Lakeview Senior Center, 20 Lake Rd., Irvine, CA This was a part of our ongoing 'Timeless Traditions / Emerging Artistes showcase' partially funded by a grant from the Target Corp. In celebration of five years since we opened our doors in Irvine as the first center devoted to Indian arts and culture in Southern California, the Ektaa Center presented "Spring Showcase 2010" on April 24. This was an opportunity for the local community to enjoy demonstrations by students of all ages from several of our music and dance class offerings, including performances by students of the Sur Music and Dance Academy, Bollywood dance choreographed by Reetu Patel of Move Bollywood and Anita Jhalani, Bharata Natyam performed by the students of Ramya Harishankar and Deepali Vora and the Tabla students of Dhwani Academy of percussion and yoga students of Rashmi Fitter. This family event ran for two hours and was followed by a screening of Sita Sings the Blues, a critically-acclaimed film by director Nina Paley. Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by email. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana. Set to the 1920's jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, Sita Sings the Blues earns its tagline as "the Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told." Details

APRIL 24, 2010, 4PM OHM (Organization of Hindu Malayalees) and Ektaa Center presented the RAVI VARMA MEMORIAL ART COMPETITION AND EXHIBITION 2010 To commemorate the celebrated Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) Age group: 5-8,9-12,13-16,17-21 Theme: "My Dream" Best entries to be published in upcoming Program Brochure to be published on Swati Tirunal Day and also exhibited at Ektaa Center Irvine. For more details go to www.ohmohmohm.org Flyer Entry Form

APRIL 24, 4.15PM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES IFFLA 2010 - April 20-25 at ArcLight Hollywood. Films for everyone: indie films, Bollywood musicals, revealing documentaries, visually stunning animation, environmental films, comedies. Ektaa Center co presented 'Raspberry Magic' on Saturday April 24 at 4:15pm.

APRIL 4, 2010, 4PM TABLA ECSTACY - A Scintillating Tabla Ensemble Concert A soulful and mature ensemble, Tabla Ecstasy, an enthralling display of Indian drumming. Pandit Divyang Vakil's latest masterpiece, this unique tabla anekbandhi (group) showcased the power of classical tabla in a form that can be appreciated by all listeners. Pleasing to the ear and technically rich, Tabla Ecstasy is highly intricate composition performed by four of five artists of Pandit Divyang Vakil - Rushi Vakil, Nishant Mehta, Kaumil Shah, Sahil Patel and Rahul Shrimali, with accompaniment on harmonium, sitar or saarangi. Click here for audio samples Visit www.rrmproductions.com for more detailed information VENUE: Hosted by Mrs. and Mr. Naresh Arya at their residence 57 Goleta Point Dr Corona Del Mar Ca 92625.

FRIDAY JAN 29, 2010, 7.30PM CLASSICAL HINDUSTANI MUSIC CONCERT - Mitali Bhawmik TIMELESS TRADITIONS CONCERT SERIES an evening of Hindustani Classical and a variety of semi classical compositions such as thumri, kajri, dadra, hori and puratani raga-based songs featuring MITALI BHAWMIK VENUE: Ektaa Center 2691 Richter Ave. Ste 105 CA 92606. TIME: 8:30 (concert). Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik is a disciple of Pandit V.G.Jog and Smt. Dahlia Rahut (a senior disciple of Smt. Girija Devi) See www.mitali.org for details

SATURDAY JAN 9, 2010, 3PM INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA - talk by Vidya Venkatesh A.H.P. A FREE 1½ hour lecture about Ayurvedic Medicine and how you can use it to restore and balance you body, mind, and spirit for continued health and longevity. This talk explained Ayurveda's individualistic understanding of health and disease and the general Ayurvedic treatment methodology. It also included some simple tips for healthy living that you can start implementing right away to improve and maintain your overall health. Whether you have current health challenges, or are interested in practical ways to avoid them, Ayurveda is an investment in your well-being...now and in the future. Venue: EKTAA Center, 2691 Richter Ave. Ste 105, Irvine CA 92606 FOR INFORMATION EMAIL: vidyavenkatesh@gmail.com ABOUT VIDYA VENKATESH, A.H.P. Vidya is an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner who has been running her private Ayurvedic practice, Niroga Ayurveda, for the past year. She is currently pursuing her Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist residency in disease management with the California College of Ayurveda. Vidya has had extensive experience blending Ayurvedic lifestyle and nutritional guidelines, as well as personalized herbal remedies, to assist her clients in achieving and maintaining healthy, satisfying, balanced lives. Vidya has studied yoga and pranayama at the Patanjali Yoga Peet in Haridwar, India and is a student of Advaita Vedanta (Indian philosophy describing the spiritual interpretations of the mind, body, and spirit) at the Chinmaya Mission of Los Angeles. Please visit www.nirogaayurveda.com for more information about Vidya and her practice.

Ektaa Center needs your support in order to continue our valuable classes and events which provide opportunities for the community to learn and experience the arts and culture of India. We urge you to support this very important community service. For your donation of $100 or more, you will receive a gift of $150 from Prasad Photography, and receive a tax deduction from the IRS for the full value of your donation. A long-time Ektaa Center supporter and Member of Ektaa Board of Directors, Prasad has very generously agreed to donate a limited quantity of gift cards which will entitle the recipients to a $150 credit towards photography services by his studio, Prasad Photography, located in Newport Beach. Prasad Photography is a nationally recognized portrait studio specializing in the creation of masterpiece portraits of children, families, executives and members of the performing arts. This is a wonderful opportunity to have you and your family photographed by a true master photographer, get a tax write-off, and feel good about supporting your Indian heritage and culture! To donate, just click on this link to http://ektaacenter.org/support.html If you donate $100 or more, a gift card will automatically be sent to you in the mail. Don't miss this chance of a lifetime! Go to http://ektaacenter.org/support.html now! This offer is valid only until December 31, 2010, so don't delay!

We thank the following for their support: Arts OC, the countywide arts agency Orange County Community Foundation Timeless Traditions series Portofino Inn and Suites, Anaheim