On the 25th and 26th February evening Kolkata, the city of joy, experienced two splendid dance shows at Kolkata Center for Creativity (KCC). The Italian dancer-choreographer and the founder of EDC-EurAsia Dance Company, Stefano Fardelli, visited Kolkata for the world premiere of his two dance shows, Om-Mani-Padme-Hum and Svarupa & Vyakta. The project was commissioned by the Berlin Dance Institute in collaboration with EurAsia Dance Project International Network and supported by the Italian Cultural Institute, the General Consulate of Italy, and the Kolkata Centre for Creativity.
‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ is a new work by Stefano and it focuses on the history and rituals of the Tibetan Buddhists of the Yellow Hat Order with a particular connection to Shaolin monks. The title is derived from Sanskrit and it means ‘honoring the lotus jewel”. The performance was staged by Umberto Gesi (Italy), Tejaswini Loundo (India), Marco Hernandez (Mexico), and Jesus Rea (Bolivia). See a moment of this performance in the featured picture of this post.
Svarupa-Vyakta was staged as a duet after the premiere of Om Mani Padme Hum. The title is derived from the combination of two Sanskrit words and is inspired by Stefano’s trip to Varanasi which left him stunned by its vibrant culture and ambience. Originally conceptualized as a solo performance, the piece won a prize at the Gdansk Solo Dance Contest in Poland and after that, it went on tour around the world. The piece was performed by Marco Hernandez (Mexico) and Jesus Rea (Bolivia).
“Kolkata Centre for Creativity’s art offerings are loved by people across India. Their collaboration with Eurasia Dance International Network for the world premiere of ‘Om-Mani-Padme Hum’ and ‘Svarupa-Vyakta’ is attracting dance lovers. I hope that this showcase will contribute to the creative development of young and emerging artists in India and promote cross border cultural exchange”, said Richa Agarwal, Chairperson, Kolkata Centre for Creativity.
“I’m delighted to announce that the Kolkata Centre for Creativity in partnership with Eurasia Dance International Network is presenting the world premiere of Om-Mani-Padme-Hum and Svarupa- Vyakta, directed by celebrated dancer-choreographer Stefano Fardelli. This groundbreaking project is an embellishment to our repertoire of cutting edge work in performing and visual arts. I believe that this project will be a special experience for audiences in Kolkata, promote excellence in contemporary dance, and stimulate creative expressions among young and emerging artists in India”, said Reena Dewan, Director, Kolkata Centre for Creativity.