N E W S * R E L E A S E


Contact:
Mark Lacy
(713) 521-3686
hifc@yahoo.com

May 24, 2000



Houston artists join multicultural presentation featuring
Bharata Natyan dancer Namita Bodaji from Bombay, India

As students return to the University of Houston campus for summer classes, they will have an unusual opportunity to witness a diverse cultural presentation on June 6, 2000. The main attraction is classical Indian dancer Namita Bodaji who, like many of the university's international students, is coming from far away. From Bombay, India, she has come to the United States to present workshops and performances in Houston, Philadelphia, Martha's Vinyard and Chicago.

Local performers with strong credentials in dance will perform at the event to support the diverse cultural landscape of Houston. Several important sponsors from Houston universities have made this community event possible free of charge by volunteering their resources and effort.


Artists' Bios:

Rosalio Pena, director, Ballet Folklorico Azteca.
Houston's award-winning Ballet Folklorico Azteca is dedicated to education, research and preservation of Mexican culture and heritage through dance, music and art. The founder and director, Rosalio Pena, travels to different regions of Mexico to bring the brilliant costumes and music to Houston. Members of the group continue to win high honors in regional dance competitions. The group makes special appearances in hospitals and public schools, and they are a large draw each year at the Houston International Festival. Several members of the group will perform traditional Mexican folk dances.

Sister Jendyi, director and choreographer, Sisters in Color, West African traditional dance.
Sister Jendyi has been choreographing, performing, and teaching numerous styles of West, Central, and South African dance for over fifteen years. Training under several master teachers, her repertoire includes dances from the people of Mali, Senegal, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, French Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Zaire, and Ivory Coast. She has performed locally and nationally in theater performances, festivals and dance conferences. She also performs with the group Gemini and teaches at Attucks Academy where she trains several dance groups.

Andriana (Kristina Koutsoudas), director, As’rar, contemporary and folkloric dances of the Middle East and North Africa.
Recently awarded an Individual Artist Grant form the Cultural Arts Council of Houston and Harris County for her work in preserving the cultural heritage of the Middle East and North Africa through dance, Andriana teaches and performs to help educate audiences about her little-known art form. Andriana synthesizes elements from several classical and folkloric dance forms into a lyrical style uniquely her own. She performs and teaches for several arts-in-education organizations such as Young Audiences of Houston, The Children’s Museum, and the Texas Institute for the Arts in Education, as well as for other cultural and artistic programs. Performing with her are the other “secrets” or “As’rar”, Angie Cobb, Rania Culbreth, Nihan Erol, Rebekah Hubbard, Farida Meguid.

Angel Beene, dancer, Eagle Wind Dancers, Alabama-Cushatta tribe.
Violene Beene, artistic director, Eagle Wind Dancers, Alabama-Cushatta.
Davin Easley, dancer, Eagle Wind Dancers, Alabama-Cushatta.
Violene Beene is the coordinator and one of the co-founders of the Eagle Wind Dancers, a Native American dance group that has been performing together for more than six years. Consisting of 10-13 dancers from the Alabama-Coushatta and the Coushatta tribes, these performers range in age from three to forty-eight. Dances they perform include the Northern Traditional, Grass, Northern Fancy Shawl, Ladies Traditional, Jingle Dress, and Men’s Fancy Dance. The Eagle Wind Dancers have performed at such venues as the Houston International Festival, Louisiana’s Jazz Festival, at the George Ranch and several Houston-area schools. Violene and her daughter Angel will perform a Jingle Dress dance, a medicine or healing dance for both the dancer and the person for whom it is performed. Davin will perform the Men’s Fancy Dress and Violene will perform the Lady’s Traditional.


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C A L E N D A R * I N F O R M A T I O N
EVENT: Bharata Natyam performance by Namita Bodaji from Bombay, India
With special appearances by Eagle Wind Dancers, Ballet Folklorico Azteca, Sisters in Color, and As'rar.

DATE: Tuesday, June 6, 2000

TIME: 7:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

LOCATION: University Center Houston Room, University of Houston

DIRECTIONS:
From downtown take Interstate 45 South, exit Spur 5.
Take the first exit from Spur 5 and turn right at University Drive.
Cross Calhoun (the first light) and park on the right or left.

ADMISSION CHARGE: None

EVENT SPONSORS:
Houston Institute for Culture
Rice University Radio
UH Student Program Board
UH International Student Organization
UH Asian American Studies Center

CONTACT:
Mark Lacy, Houston Institute for Culture
Phone: 713-521-3686
Email: hifc@yahoo.com
Web address: cultural-crossroads.com


PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
www.geocities.com/hifc/world/namita.html

ON-LINE INFORMATION:
www.cultural-crossroads.com


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