Diwali comes to Ettalong Beach when the Galleria once again celebrates the Indian festival of light with a weekend of live music and dance, food, fashion and family fun from October 17-19.
A highlight of this year’s event will be Khyal in Concert, an evening of rhythms and melodies with internationally acclaimed artists Bobby Singh on tabla, Damian Wright on flamenco guitar and Sarah J Hyland performing jazz vocals.
Khyal literally means “to imagine”’ and this is where these exciting musicians will lead audiences on Friday night, October 17.
Flamenco music has its roots in Indian musical traditions when desert people, known as the Romani (Gypsies), migrated from Rajasthan and the Punjab region more than one thousand years ago.
As they travelled through Asia and Europe their musical traditions were influenced by other cultures.
The Romani finally settled in Andalucia, southern Spain, in the 1400s where the fusion of styles now known as flamenco was born.
Many distinct rhythmic and melodic ideas link flamenco to Indian music.
Some vocal techniques and musical scales are similar to those found in Indian music.
Another is “Duende”’ in flamenco or “Rasa” in the Indian system that the artists build towards in every performance.
A similar tradition in jazz is when musicians improvise and call it “living in the groove”.
These three musical styles – flamenco, Indian classical and jazz all thrive on improvisation and this will be a definite high point of Friday night’s performance.
Khyal in Concert takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, October 17, at Cinema Paradiso, Ettalong Beach.
Tickets are $47.50 and available online at www.cinemaparadiso.com.au
Bollywood duo Shaki and Raja will take to the stage at the Galleria on Sunday, October 19, as Diwali celebrations continue.
Jennifer Mogollon (Shaki) and Bhagyaraj Angu (Raja) are two of the hottest Bollywood dancers in the country and were recently cast by Ramos and featured in a Kayo Sports Get On Board ad.
They will give an 11am show at the Galleria, Ettalong Beach, followed by a dance class at noon and a second show at 1pm.
Book on 4341 1999.
The duo will then move on to the Royal Palace Indian restaurant at Terrigal for two dinner shows, at 6.30pm and 7.30pm.
Book on 4385 1673.
A Gosford resident, Ramos has been a talent manager and artistic creative producer for more than three decades.
He conceives, produces, creates, writes and conceptualises all of his entertainment creative work.
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