Sunday, November 18, 2007

"i believe" by shiamak davar





we attended the first show of shiamak davar's "i believe" at the ncpa hall last monday. it was an overwhelming experience. produced by ms neeraja birla,chairperson,birla academy of art and culture,the show is about the human spirit which can be taken to lofty heights in spite of all obstacles. the philosophy behind the show is:-"i believe,so i can and i will". it is turning the mind into a positive state and channelising your energies to achieve your goals. constantly pushing yourself with the thought that nothing is impossible. taking inspiration from "the secret", this spectacular song and dance theatre extravaganza, directed,visualized and choreographed by shiamak davar was just outstanding to say the least. it was his offering to his family, his spirtual guide and to god almighty for the divine grace,love and support of the family and the confidence reposed in him by the birlas, shiamak said in his inaugural speech.

shiamak davar and the hollywood latin dance sensation katya virshilas in a pulsating two- hour thriller packed with 18 songs and accompanied by 250 dancers in sensational costumes were a treat to watch. fantastic visual effects, large animated puppets, two wide screens on either side of the stage, spectacular light projections and music that forces you to get up and rock. jazz,hiphop,bollywood,hollywood and latin. shiamak was leading his dancers all the way. he dedicated "because you loved me" to his mother.

it reminded me of the illuminating broadway shows. shiamak has indeed succeeded in reviving the dead theatre. in the 80s when he started his shows nobody believed in him and in his ability to project contemporary dance. it was his dream to become a guru in this field which he has now achieved.the av birla group believes that he is a world-class entertainer and neeraja birla, chairperson of the birla academy of art and culture, was convinced of shyamak's worth and decided to provide him the opportunity to showcase it.

it was a terrific show,full of fun,with many dancers coming up near the audience and dancing. on several occasions, many in the audience got up spontaneously and danced. the concert drew a full house. the dazzling display of colourfully costumed female dancers swinging along as shiamak crooned was a delight to watch. shiamak proved that his heart is in the right place by getting some mentally challenged children to dance,sing(kajra re) and even do some mental sums a la shakuntala devi.the children received a standing applause.

"i believe' is for everyone who loves the performing arts and to share the joy of life with one another.shiamak's success in realising his vision can be summarised in three latin words. vini.vidi,vici. i came,i saw,i conquered.

2 comments:

Jyothi said...

It was indeed a terrific show,full of fun,with many dancers coming up near the audience and dancing. The colourfully costumed females were a delight to watch, however the costumes could have been more tailormade, as a few of the dancers had their costumes drooping down. The children's dances were fantastic and Shiamak's true talent as an Instructor comes into the Foreplay with their splendid performances - I wonder why there was a mixup with the tall children in the Front and the sweet looking tiny children at the back. The silent dance of the Fish, the Sax jugalbandi and the performances by VAF children were indeed Spellbounding.

3 Cheers to Shiamak and their troupe, and special thanks to Ms Neerja Birla for sponsoring such a great show

gs said...

hello jyothi
many thanks for your comments and supplementing with details on some of the performances.it was an unforgettable experience.