Rina Singha celebrates a Triple Anniversary with the World Premiere of

Manzilen – A Journey

40 years of Kathak dance in Canada, 45 years as a soloist, and her 70th birthday!

Part of Harbourfront Centre’s NextSteps series

October 12 -13, 2007 - Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Premiere Dance Theatre,
207 Queens Quay West, at Harbourfront Centre

Tickets: $30 ($25 students/seniors/CADA; $20 groups 10+)

Toronto, ON – September 7, 2007… Rina Singha is pleased to present the world premiere of Manzilen - A Journey, a feast of traditional and contemporary Kathak dance that weaves together scintillating rhythmic works and insightful storytelling pieces. This presentation marks Kathak master Rina Singha’s 40th anniversary of performing this beautiful and sophisticated dance in Canada, her 45th anniversary as a solo artist, and her 70th birthday. Internationally recognized for her elegant grace and the perceptiveness of her expressive choreography, Singha presents a program of solo and group works inspired by real life experiences and global chaos and strife. "Manzilen" refers to a milestone or turning point that shapes the course of one’s life voyage. Manzilen - A Journey runs October 12-13, 2007 at 8pm at the Premiere Dance Theatre as part of Harbourfront Centre's NextSteps series.

In the first half of the program, Singha weaves contemporary themes into the traditional Lucknow style of Kathak dance that she performs. All The World’s A Stage explores modern life and love; within it, her new solo Nayika (Betrayed) relates classical stories of women and their lovers, and mines their innermost thoughts. (These stories also inspired her interest in miniature classical Indian paintings which informs the work.) Surrounded by rhythmic compositions like Praband and Walls, the first half ends with a poetry reading by Uma Parameswaran.

The second half opens with the group work Allegory, a new co-creation from Singha and the award-winning, internationally-renowned Danny Grossman. Inspired by the pair's previous work The Fig Tree, this piece is based on the Biblical story of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse and features a special guest appearance by Grossman. To finish the evening, Singha performs the title piece, Manzilen, which illustrates her personal life's journey, encompassing images of the immigrant experience, nature's beauty, spirituality, grief, joy and hope.

Rina Singha’s extraordinary career as a solo Kathak performer and choreographer spans 45 years and has earned her an international reputation for the elegant beauty and purity of her technique along with the skill and wisdom of her interpretive powers. Kathak is the classical dance of North India that uniquely blends the Hindu and Muslim art aesthetic and today is mostly recognized by the rhythmic base that underlies its choreography.

Coming to Canada in 1965 at a time when most non-mainstream dance was seen as ‘quaint’ or ‘exotic’, Singha was instrumental in raising the profile of non-western dance in Canada. Singha made it her life’s mission to ensure that the beauty of her art form would be recognized and appreciated both for its depth of technique and its message. Early on, she developed Heritage Canada programs in Toronto schools to promote pride in one’s own culture. She co-authored Indian Dances. Their History and Growth (Faber and Faber 1967); it became required reading in university dance departments across North America and the U.K.

An innovative artist, she has cut across geographical and historical distances to share her chosen art form. Studying under the legendary guru Shambhu Maharajji, Singha has become one of Canada’s leading authorities on Kathak dance. She has performed throughout the world – from Toronto to India, China to Guyana, Oregon to Bali and from Canada’s East Coast to America’s West Coast. Her career as a pioneer and trailblazer in many facets of dance has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, both nationally and internationally. The founder and Artistic Director of the Kathak Institute of Toronto, she is the recipient of many awards including the Pioneer Skills for Change duMaurier Award, the William Kilbourn Award and the Dance Ontario Award. She has used Kathak to express her life experiences in Canada and is also recognized internationally for her experiments in Biblical dance. Now in her 70th year, Ms. Singha continues to choreograph, dance, teach and mentor. She plans to use this occasion to share with the Toronto public the beauty, elegance and subtlety of this ancient court style of Kathak; to show its relevance beyone the soil that nurtured it.