Summer Season 2014

For further details about any of sampad’s events visit www.sampad.org.uk or telephone 0121 446 3260

Copies of this programme are available in large print

May - Aug

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sampad: promoting excellence and access in south asian arts since 1990

Sampad’s central aim has always been to ensure that South Asian arts remain relevant to contemporary society. We continue to steer the path for their progression by encouraging and supporting a new generation of South Asian arts and artists and promoting work that is bold, exciting, innovative and reflects the way that people are consuming culture today.

In keeping with this ethos, this season we are delighted to be working with artists and organisations who are truly pushing creative boundaries and producing exceptional work.

Interactivos? Birmingham (16-28 June, see page 4) is set to transform the way we think. Led by Birmingham City University in partnership with Madrid’s Medialab Prado, mac Birmingham, BBC Birmingham and Sampad, the project will help to instigate cultural change by bringing together artists and people working with digital technology to find new ways of creating interactive experiences that surprise and delight audiences.

Fast establishing a reputation for innovative, high-quality work, the National Youth Dance Company comes to mac birmingham in July (see page 5). The Company has worked closely with Guest Artistic Director, Akram Khan and his team of artists on a restaged excerpt from Khan’s contemporary ensemble piece Vertical Road and a new work, The Rashomon Effect. The experience and vision of a world-class artist combined with the raw talent, energy and commitment of the young dancers is sure to deliver exciting results.

For news about all of our events and activities, keep an eye on our website and Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Best wishes,

Welcome to our Summer 2014 season programme

Piali Ray OBE, Director

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@sampad_arts

/sampad.arts

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Tuesday 6 – Wednesday 7 May, 8pm

Murmur and InkedWorld premiere at International Dance Festival Birmingham

Murmur and Inked are a new double bill from Aakash Odedra Company.

Murmur is a major collaboration between Aakash, Australian choreographer Lewis Major and Ars Electronica Futurelab (Austria)

exploring misconceptions about dyslexia through visual design, light, sound and movement. In Inked, choreographed by Damien Jalet, Aakash enters through a series of transformative stages exploring the body’s limits and powers.

Age Guidance: 11yrs+

Venue

The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 4TB

Tickets

£12 (£8 concs)

Ticket Office/Online Booking

0844 338 5050 / www.idfb.co.uk*

*5% transaction charge applies, plus £1 postage.

Supported by Sky Arts Academy Arts Scholarships and Arts Council England. Co-commissioned by Arts at Dartington, (Dartington Hall Trust, UK), Curve Theatre (Leicester, UK), DanceXchange (Birmingham, UK), La Maison de la musique de Nanterre (Nanterre, FR), Maison des Arts de Créteil (Créteil, FR), Pavilion Dance South West (Bournemouth, UK), Sampad (Birmingham, UK), Studio Programme, The Royal Ballet (London, UK ).

Saturday 10 May, 7.30pm

Spring CelebrationCome and celebrate the colour and vitality of Spring with musicians Rekesh Chauhan (piano), Alok Verma (tabla/percussion) and John Garner (violin), collectively known as Project Avartan.

Avartan, meaning cycle, weaves in influences from various World Music styles, with an emphasis on the classical backgrounds that the trio share. The group will explore a soundscape of musical traditions infused with contemporary flavours, as well as some popular Bollywood numbers.

Students and troupe members from Aaja Nachle Let’s Dance will open the evening with a lively performance of Bollywood dance.

Venue

Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street WV1 1SE

Tickets

£7

Ticket Office/Online Booking

01902 321 321 / www.arena.wlv.ac.uk

Presented by Sampad, Surdhwani and Arena Theatre Wolverhampton

Dance Music and Dance

04 Information 0121 446 3260

Monday 16 – Saturday 28 June

Interactivos? BirminghamFREE EVENTSInteractivos? Birmingham is a two week workshop event offering opportunities for regional & national artists, coders, developers, educators, engineers and scientists, both amateur & professional, to connect with an international network of peers.

Six projects will be selected via an international open call and then developed, completed and exhibited with the help of advisors, assistants and collaborators.

The event includes a seminar, presentations, an exhibition and mini workshops that will be open to the public.

If you’d like to attend as a collaborator, or want to come and interact in any way, look out for details at www.sampad.org.uk/special-projects/interactivos-birmingham

Venue

mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH

Digital Arts

Monday 26 May, 7pm

Shreya Ghoshal - Live in Concert

Shreya Ghoshal has performed throughout the world, captivating audiences with her charming personality and amazing musical ability. One of the most popular

and versatile performers of her generation, she is best known as a playback singer for Bollywood films.

Come and enjoy a wonderful evening of music from this multi-award winning artist.Venue

NIA Birmingham

Tickets

£25 – £75

Tickets available from

NIA Birmingham 0844 338 8000

Chandni Chowk Restaurant, Soho Road 0121 554 0042,

Milan Sweet Centre, Soho Road 0121 551 5239

Milan Sweet Centre, Stoney Lane 0121 449 1617Kindly supported by KTC, Blue Mango Indian Restaurant and Bar, UK Premier PR & Marketing, State Bank of India, Radio XL, PAYAL, Colors, Air India and Asian World.

Music

Shreya Ghoshal

www.sampad.org.uk 05

National Youth Dance Company, photo: Tony Nandi

Thursday 24 July, 7.30pm

The Rashomon Effect/Vertical RoadPresented by National Youth Dance CompanyFollowing their sold out premiere performance at Sadler’s Wells in April, National Youth Dance Company performs a double bill by Guest Artistic Director Akram Khan.

The company performs a restaged excerpt from Vertical Road (Akram Khan Company, 2010), alongside a new work, The Rashomon Effect, directed by Khan and choreographed by Andrej Petrovic.

National Youth Dance Company aims to create and perform innovative and influential dance, bringing together some of the brightest talent from across England to work intensively with Sadler’s Wells’ renowned Associate Artists.For more information about NYDC, visit www.sadlerswells.com/nydc Venue

mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH Tickets

£10 (£5 concs) Ticket Office/Online Booking

0121 446 3232 www.macbirmingham.co.uk

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, 12pm – 7pm

Sandwell & Birmingham MelaFREE EVENT!Star Plus presents Sandwell & Birmingham Mela in association with Lebara Mobile. Come and join the fun at this community festival celebrating South Asian Culture and showcasing talent.

Venue

Victoria Park, Smethwick, Birmingham B66 3NJ

Online info & Updates

www.birminghammela.com BirminghamMela @BirminghamMela

Stage programme presented by Sampad in partnership with Sandwell & Birmingham Mela and supported by Arts Council England.

Family fun Dance

06 Information 0121 446 3260

30 July – 27 August, see below for times

My Route:Taxi TourFREE TOUR!My Route is Sampad’s community heritage project, exploring the changing history of the people, landscape and culture around Stratford Road in Birmingham since the 1940s.

The My Route Taxi Tour is an interactive theatrical and sensory experience that will take you on a journey along Stratford Rd to explore how the landscape has changed over the last 70 years. Join us to relive the history of this fascinating road through the decades as you experience the sights, sounds, smells and stories of another time and space!

The tour will allow you to immerse yourself in the heritage of these local neighbourhoods, offering a memorable and fun learning experience that ends with snacks at a local eatery.

Venue

Stratford Road, Birmingham For more details visit www.myroute.org.uk

Booking

Advance booking is essential and is secured on a first come first served basis. To book your seat, please call 0121 446 3260 or email info@sampad.org.uk

The tour will be in English and is suitable for adults and children aged 8+. Duration approximately 45 mins.

Dates

The tour departs at 11am and 12.30pm on the following dates:

Wednesday 30 July, Wednesdays 6, 13, 20, 27 August and Saturdays 2, 9, 16, 23 August

My Route is a Sampad project supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Taxi Tour is produced by sampad and delivered in partnership with Excel Cars.

Interactive Theatre & Storytelling

Above photographs by Jas Sansi

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Saturday 20 September, 7.30pm

United Rhythms featuring Tabla Tarang Orchestral Percussion

They will be joined by 7th Dan Samurai expert Fay Goodman, who will be demonstrating a 400 hundred year old Japanese kata (choreographed martial art), accompanied by Mendi playing the old Dhrupad style of Indian classical rhythm on Tabla.

Venue

The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham B6 4UU

Tickets

£8 (£6 concs)

Ticket Office/Online Booking

0121 333 2444 / www.the-drum.org.uk

Supported by Arts Council England, Sampad, The Drum and Professional Incredibles

Birmingham born, classically trained tabla player and composer Mendi Mohinder Singh brings his ground-breaking new work to The Drum as part of its 20th Anniversary celebrations.

Mendi has produced three original compositions purely for orchestral percussion, which he will perform with Birmingham Conservatoire’s Percussion Ensemble. Drawing on African, South American, American and Arabic styles and written in a Western classical context, this innovative work truly showcases his multi-skilled repertoire.

Looking ahead: Music

Mendi Mohinder Singh

MAY6-7 Murmur The Patrick Centre, 8pm £12 (£8) P3 and Inked Birmingham Hippodrome

10 Spring Arena Theatre, 7.30pm £7 P3 Celebration Wolverhampton

26 Shreya Ghoshal NIA, Birmingham 7pm £25-£75 P4

JUNE16-28 Interactivos? mac Birmingham, FREE P4 Birmingham Cannon Hill Park

JULY5 & 6 Sandwell & Victoria Park, 12-7pm FREE P5 Birmingham Smethwick Mela

24 The Rashomon Effect/ mac Birmingham, 7.30pm £10 (£5) P5 Vertical Road Cannon Hill Park

30 My Route: Stratford Road, 11am & See page 6 Taxi Tour Birmingham 12.30pm for full details

AUGUSTUntil My Route: Stratford Road, 11am & See page 6 27 Taxi Tour Birmingham 12.30pm for full details

SEPTEMBER20 United Rhythms The Drum, 7.30pm £8 (£6) P7 Potters Lane, Aston

All information in this brochure is correct at the time of printing. However, changes may occasionally be necessary and any up-to-date or additional information can be found on the sampad website. sampad apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

sampad is proud to be supported by the following organisations

You can join sampad’s free mailing list by visiting www.sampad.org.uk

sampad is a registered charity no. 1088995

Post c/o mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston B12 9QH

Telephone 0121 446 3260

Email info@sampad.org.uk

Website www.sampad.org.uk

Twitter @sampad_arts

Facebook /sampad.arts

sampad is a dynamic development agency for South Asian arts based in Birmingham.

Education, outreach and lifelong learning is at the heart of all our work. We provide everything from single workshops to long term projects using dance, music, theatre, crafts or literature, for all ages and abilities, working in schools, nurseries, youth centres, community organisations, health settings and more.

To find out more, please get in touch.

Diary of Events Get in touch