Dance fever at ISWA's Independence Day celebrations

Perth’s Indian community celebrates Independence Day in style at Navrang – Colours of India

Perth celebrated Independence Day in style this year with Navrang 2015 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in the city. The theme for this year being ‘Colours of India’, the huge 2500 capacity auditorium was filled with every possible shade and hue. The yearly event, organised by the Indian Society of Western Australia (ISWA), saw its biggest program and turnout this year.
The program featured a wide variety of performances, starting with the classical and moving on to folk dances and filmi numbers. The quality of the dances were excellent, testimony to the months of hard work and practice put in by most of the performers. The opening performance ‘Pushpanjali’ set the tone for the quality of the routines that followed. The dance featured five classical dance styles-Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Odissi, Mohini Attam as well as a range of yoga asanas, as an invocation to Lord Shiva.
There were a host of classical dance performances which followed, all meticulously executed, showcasing the rich range of classical dance traditions. They were also a chance for the various schools of dance in Perth to showcase their skills. From a lively Jatheeswaram to a graceful Kathak, a spirited Kuchipudi and so many more performances, each one was a pleasure to watch.

To say the show was packed is an understatement. There were all kinds of dances on display from fast paced and superbly executed Bollywood numbers to traditional folk dances and fusion styles as well.
The various associations from across the city came together for the occassion. The Kannada Association showcased a variety of golden oldies while the Tamil Association had everyone dancing and clapping to their fast paced dances characterising an Indian wedding. The Telugu association went patriotic using various props in the colours of the Indian flag.

The second half of the performance program featured an interesting tabla performance, a Rajasthani folk dance with women balancing pots on their heads and so much more. There were a number of Bollywood performances with the highlight being the wonderful performance from Xtreme Bollywood dance group.
The impressive guest list included chief guest Mike Nahan, the Treasurer of WA, who is apparently a regular every year. The Prime Minister Tony Abbot sent his congratulations and a message about the strong friendship between our two countries built on a shared history of democracy and commitment to the rule of law.

The ISWA president Mukesh Jain talked about the achievements of the organisation and future plans. There were a number of awards presented on the night, to children for academic achievements during the year as well to other members of the community in WA for outstanding successes in their fields.
The event was impressively managed, considering the size of the crowd and the number of performances. Definitely a wonderful way to celebrate India’s 69^th year of independence.
 
Photos: weekendnotes.com