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≈ 1 hours 15 minutes · No intermission
Canadian-born dancer and choreographer, Anjali Patil, has been trained in India under renowned masters of Kathak Classical Indian dance. She is the founder and artistic director of Aroha Fine Arts, one of only a handful of organizations working in the professional Kathak dance milieu.
Anjali has performed her works at noteworthy events – from the Canada Dance Festival to Delhi International Arts Festival, the Junos to International Film Festival of India. A sought after teacher and coach, Anjali teaches in Ottawa, Toronto, India and the Middle East. She was invited as a guest lecturer at the Dance Department of Hyderabad University in India in 2018 and as a panelist at a dance seminar presented by National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai, India, in 2019.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Anjali has a long history in the public sector and cultural policy as an employee of the Department of Canadian Heritage. She holds an M.A. in Public Administration from Carleton University and B.Comm. from University of Ottawa. She launched the annual ArohaFest – Canada’s first bilingual festival celebrating the arts of India in Canada to honour Canada’s 150th birthday.
Recently, she worked on an international project for award-winning Canadian director Atom Egoyan. She is a recipient of the Corel Endowment for the Arts Award from the Ottawa Arts Council, Chalmers Performing Arts Award, Shastri Indo-Canadian Senior Arts Fellowship and was featured in a Kathak documentary produced by Doordarshan TV India. Anjali has been featured in the Foreign Affairs publication Canada & South Asia: Partners for the New Century. Anjali is regularly featured in media and is actively keeping the classical Indian dance scene thriving in Ottawa and beyond.
Two-time JUNO winner Kiran Ahluwalia and multifaceted guitarist Rez Abbasi are a real-life couple, and music world duo. One of Indian origin, the other, Pakistani, they perform songs of breakup and love with equal conviction. The combination of Kiran’s open-hearted vocals and Rez’s inspired and evocative guitar work seamlessly merge to unite the disparate traditions of Indian music, West African blues and Jazz so organically. While the sound isn’t quite like anything you’ve heard, its combination of ethereal elegance and raw urgency is immediately welcoming and ultimately universal. Kiran and Rez have established themselves as some of the music world’s most compelling and distinguished cross-pollinators. Their reworking of the classic Qawwali tune Mustt Mustt with the Malian super group Tinariwen has racked up nearly 3 million views online. Music which transcends the present and continues to fill audiences’ hearts with glee and aspiration, worldwide.
Ravinder Singh opened Brampton Authentic Indian Foods in Ottawa in 2013. His initial vision to sell ready-made, pre-marinated poultry later expanded to offering other Indian dishes, and then, with a larger facility, Indian sweets and pastries were added to the menu. To celebrate the restaurant’s 5th anniversary in 2018, Mr. Singh welcomed over 1000 community members to part-take in the first rendition of their Annual Community Meal. Believing firmly that the restaurant’s success was founded upon the love and support the community has provided, Mr. Singh vowed to reproduce these events each year to thank those who allowed for his vision and dream to become a reality.
Mr. Singh upholds high standards with regards to fair wages, the careful selection of fresh, quality ingredients, as well as to the impeccable maintenance of his establishment, and continues to strive to offer authentic flavours and experiences to the Nation’s capital.
Geoffrey Dollar is a graduate from the School of Dance Contemporary Dance Diploma Programme. Since graduating in 2016 he has remained an active member of Ottawa’s growing dance community. He has worked with many organizations and artists such as Ottawa Dance Directive, NAC Dance, Canada Dance Festival, The University of Ottawa Theatre Department, Propeller Dance, Aroha Fine Arts, Upasana: The Spirit of Dance, the Ottawa International Salsa Convention, Sinha Danse (Montreal), MASC (Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities), FESFO (Fédération de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne), the National Center for Dance Therapy with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens as well as the CEAO (Centre d’excéllence artistique de l’Ontario) at De-La-Salle High School. He has performed and choreographed in Ottawa and Toronto for festivals and events such as New Blue Emerging Dance Festival, The 6th annual HUM TV Awards, Series Dance 10: Floorplay, to name a few.
He aims to bridge gaps between various performing arts communities by creating and engaging with work which creates a sense of collaboration and unity. His work as an educator and arts administrator has allowed him to perform outreach within various communities in the hopes of spreading his vision of dance as well as his love of the performing arts. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Mr. Dollar has familiarized himself with video production and editing to continue to serve and support the communities and organizations with which he is working.
Amber Green began movement training at the age of 6 and trained in competitive figure skating until the age of 18. During University, she took pre-professional level dance technique classes at the National Ballet School, Metromovement, and at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. After graduating from University, Amber trained in The School of Dance’s three-year Professional Contemporary Dance Diploma Programme in Ottawa. Since graduating from the programme in 2015, she has been working as a freelance dancer and choreographer in addition to teaching at the Gloucester Skating Club and in elementary schools with Momentum Moves Canada. As a certified Yoga teacher, she provides group and private classes in Ottawa. Amber began training in Kathak under Guru Anjali Patil ji in 2021, and has performed in four editions of ArohaFest.
Mala is an independent, multifaceted performing artist currently working in the Ottawa area with numerous organizations. She has trained in classical singing and dancing and this will be her fourth appearance with ArohaFest.
Dancing has always been a huge part of Sandra’s life. Since childhood she has participated in multiple dance programs and competitions. Working with other equally passionate dancers, and producing meaningful performances continues to be a motivational force for her. Back in India she indulged in various forms of dance training; from classical to folk, from folk to western, and of course Bollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood etc.
She decided to leave behind her classical Indian Kathak Dance training upon moving to Canada to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Aroha Fine Arts provided the necessary impetus for her to re-immerse herself in dance training, thereby reconnecting with the artform as well as with a local community of like-minded artists.
Her Guru, Anjali Patil Ji, encourages her to strive for perfection within this graceful artform which also exhibits power and strength via its intricately dynamic movements and theatrical expressions which have but recently been reintroduced into her artistic practice.
Rhea Jain is an emerging dance artist currently training in Kathak Classical Indian Dance under the tutelage of Guru Anjali Patil Ji. She is eager to garner more performance experiences through formal engagements such as ArohaFest and to sharing her passion for dance with the local artistic community.
Maritime Bhangra Group is a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based dance group which came into existence back in June 2016. Initially as “…an attempt to have fun and perhaps bridge gaps between us – between people who may look different on the outside but are the same on the inside. We were all students, we all missed our families, and we all wanted to find support in our community. Just after our first video went viral, our viewers made us rethink everything. We had no words to explain the love they had shown us. On that day, we promised ourselves to do our part for this community by raising awareness and money for anything needed in our new home. Over the past four years, our audience has made us into people others want to include in their selfies. Even when we made many mistakes, they still loved us, gave us many opportunities to try again. Important people wanted to see us – a group of International students who, before all this, were only known for being a good cashier, a great pizza delivery driver or nice tech support assistant.”
Since its inception, the group has produced more than 50 videos to raise money for different causes like ALS, Autism, Blood Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Feed Nova Scotia, and many more using JOYFUL ACTIVISM. The group was honoured to represent Atlantic Canada on Parliament Hill for Canada 150 celebrations.
Learn more about the group on the official site of their documentary “Behind the Bhangra Boys”, streaming now on Gem.cbc.ca
Born and raised in India, Rashmi has lived in Ottawa for most of her life. Despite her studies in Physics followed by a professional career in Information technology and business administration, art has remained a passion of hers which she pursues with vision and vigor by presenting her imagination and unique perspective through colourful images on the canvas.
Her paintings, which explore numerous mediums and surfaces, have been showcased within private businesses in Ottawa; such as CISTEL Corporation, as well as at the Midway Family Fun Park on Kaladar Avenue in Ottawa, and by several art collectors across the US and Canada. An international manufacturing company in Ottawa, ProSoya Inc. currently showcases 15 of her paintings in their office walls, and in their Atrium.
As an active member of Arts Network Ottawa, The ArtEast association, and Art Lending Ottawa, she has regularly participated in community exhibitions in Ottawa and Orleans and is an Artistic Mentor at Studio 507, Ottawa.
Her Artwork has been recognized and she have been granted a distinguished award by the Prime Minister of Canada in 2006.
Johanne Richer, Visual Artist, was born in Montreal. Throughout her life art, of all forms, has always been present. Her passion for music led her to 10 years of dance training in Ballroom Dance and Argentine Tango. Over time she realized her dream of putting on canvas the vibrant and colourful world of dance. The essence of her creativity is drawn from her knowledge and varied artistic experiences. These assets serve as a guide and serve her well in the realization of her artwork. As a figurative painter. oil is her preferred medium. Movement is the common thread and driving force which underlines gestural and dynamic freedom while keeping in mind the techniques, the posture, the estheticism, as well as the complexities of dance. She recreates her impressions of each moment harmoniously by using compositional effects, and a vibrant and varied palette.
Her work has evolved over the years as she continuously explores new challenges. Latin Dance, Ballroom Dance, Classical Indian Dance, and Integrated dance are but a few of the various styles she has explored. For several years she has exhibited her artwork in Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick, committing herself to a full-time artistic practice since 2016. These different disciplines are the means through which she expresses what she feels. She dances on her canvases and transmits what drives her.
Born and raised in India, and now residing in Canada for the past 15 years, Dhanashri Bapat is a renowned artist in Ottawa’s artistic community. She studied Applied Arts and worked as a freelance designer in the city of Pune, India before focussing on Fine Arts.
Dhanashri loves to focus on the elements in nature which evoke feelings of bliss and energize the environment. Her goal is to convey these emotions and have a visual dialogue through her paintings. Painting primarily in the medium of Watercolours, she believes that the versatility of this medium helps capture her perception of nature. Her style keeps evolving with the experimentation and use of various mediums and techniques.
As a professional artist, Dhanashri has been showing her works through various art galleries across the city. She has some successful solo shows to her credit. She is an active member of some local art societies and has been participating regularly in their juried and group shows. Dhanashri has been working as an Art Instructor at Ottawa School of Art since 2013. She offers watercolour painting courses of all levels in the Adult General Interest program. Dhanashri also offers one day workshops for small groups and accepts commissioned works for individuals.
Sri Harshaja Rambhatla, also known as Siri, is a multi-media artist based out of Ottawa, Ontario. She is passionate about the fine arts with a specific interest in sketching, painting, and experimenting with colours.
A self-taught artist, she has participated in various art competitions and received acclaim for her work. Having started her art journey many years ago, she has experimented with different styles and worked in different mediums – including charcoal, watercolors, pastels, acrylics, and oil. Currently, her primary focus is on creating acrylic and oil artworks.
Her artwork uniquely captures the scenic, natural beauty of the world around her. She has shared her passion for art by conducting painting classes for children and adults. She firmly believes that, akin to meditation, painting serves as a method of relaxation and calming the human spirit.
Clarisse was born in Switzerland. She arrived in Canada in 1985 to pursue her studies in Biology. She always like to paint during her leisure time. Now settled in Ottawa, she is living with her husband and son. After working in the field of Natural Health, she decided to give herself entirely to her art by developing the watercolor techniques with several artists of the region. In 2009 she joined the ArtEast Ottawa Association to get more deeply involved in the arts field and take part in various group exhibitions and she received Awards for her paintings.
In 2012, she completed the Foundational Art Educator Course from the Royal Conservatory of Ottawa. Since May 2018, she offers Mandala drawing classes and watercolor classes at the MIFO (Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans).
“Painting for me must remain an expression of beauty of the visible and invisible world. I like to work with watercolor, as it enables me to express the light that exists in all things. I am fascinated by botanicals, especially flowers, and the greatest spaces in Canada. Art and health are closely linked, and I was naturally attracted by the creation of Mandalas. The symmetry in forms and the harmony in colours are always stimulating my creativity and remain a source of profound relaxation. Hence, painting becomes a therapy for the body and mind, and a joy for life!”
Deepika Bhargava is a Visual Artist, Art Instructor, and the owner of 'D Creative Pitaara'. Born and raised in Rajasthan, now living in Ottawa, Ontario for the past 4 years. She holds a master’s degree in Visual Arts (M.V.A.) from India and has worked as a freelance artist and Art instructor.
Colors play an important role in her life. Her artistic practice, and her work are sources of joy, mindfulness, and creativity for herself as well as for her students and customers.
She has painted the murals for Indian community events in Toronto during Ganesh celebrations and has also conducted art workshops.
In Ottawa, she has participated in art shows and festivals like Arts in the park, The Great India Festival (TGIF) , Ottawa Spring Fest, and the World Multicultural Festival. She works in different techniques and mediums like Acrylics, inks, pastels, pencils, and clay. Phad, Pichwai, Madhubani, Ajanta-Ellora are some examples of inspirations and themes derived from Indian Artforms and culture. She accepts commissions for her artwork which includes clay Ganeshji sculptures for mandir and Ganesh Chaturthi Visarjan, which have proven to be quite popular.
Born and raised in Ottawa, with family ties to Bangalore, India, Roohi Ahmed is a senior federal public servant with over 25 years of work experience in international affairs, trade & investment, and science & technology. Before government, she worked extensively in the NGO, UN, and political spheres.
Roohi served officially to advance Canada-India relations for seven consecutive years. She led the first Canadian cultural industries and education mission to five cities across India in the film/tv/animation/broadcast sector and played a lead role in promoting “infotainment” under the Canada-India S&T Agreement.
Currently Roohi is President of the India Canada Friendship Circle; Advisor to the Canada Pakistan Business Council; Chair of The Pluralist Foundation; and previously Director of Special Programs at the former Canadian Institute of International Affairs; and former Foreign Policy Liaison for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.