About Us
Dance
Mission and Mandate:
Pratibha Arts serves to enhance and advance the cultural fabric of Ontario and Canada through the production, education and performance of arts, often featuring influences from South Asian cultures, which are reflective of this significant demographic in Canada. Under the Artistic leadership of Bageshree Vaze, the organization’s vision is to promote artistic excellence as well as nurture future generations of artists in Ontario and reflect the current 'faces' of Toronto and Canada. ‘Pratibha’ means ‘creative intelligence’ in Sanskrit. Pratibha Arts’ activities enhance the collective artistic intelligence of Canadians, but also explore new avenues and models for intelligently supporting creativity.
According to its articles of incorporation, the organization promotes the Arts by achieving the following objectives:
1) to educate and increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Arts by providing performances of an artistic nature in public places by arranging and delivering educational seminars on topics relating to such artist performances.
2) to provide instructional seminars on topics relating to the performing and visual arts.
3) To produce performing arts festivals for the purposes of illustrating, educating and advancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of performing arts.
4) To ensure the continuation of the Arts by educating and developing artists through training and participation in performances, festivals, and related workshops.
Music
Board of Directors:
Bibhu Mohanty (President)
Meenakshi Alimchandani
Vishwas Dhekney
Carolyn Poplak
Rajneesh Sharda
Artistic Director
Bageshree Vaze is an Indo-Canadian dance artist, musician and writer -- for full bio please visit
Multi-Disciplinary and Inter-Arts
History:
Pratibha Arts was incorporated in the province of Ontario in 2011, and acquired federal charitable status in 2015. The organization was founded to create, produce and present multidisciplinary, high-quality works influenced by South Asian classical arts, but as a reflection of the Canadian cultural milieu. While many of its productions feature what are considered 'traditional' aesthetics, and are identified as 'culturally-diverse,' Pratibha Arts' impetus is to propagate these aesthetics as part of current, contemporary Canadian culture.
Under the artistic direction of Bageshree Vaze, Pratibha Arts is based in the downtown area of Toronto, but has partnered with many other organizations such as Harbourfront Centre (for its Spectrum series in 2012, 2013 and Sadhana series in 2016), and Sampradaya Dance Creations (2017). Its work has been presented by DanceWorks, the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Canada Dance Festival. It has run a Dancer training initiative since 2013 and promotes the professional development of emerging dance and music artists through this program, as well as the 'Sadhana' professional development series for emerging South Asian artists.
In 2018, Pratibha Arts spearheaded the Dance Initiative, a shared platform for culturally-diverse dance companies to grow and develop audiences in downtown Toronto and Ontario.
About Us
Partnerships
Past partnerships include:
*Balika (2013) with mybindi.com and Besharam
*Spectrum (2012, 2013) with Harbourfront Centre
*Sadhana (2016) with Harbourfront Centre
*A Canadian Dream (2017) with Sampradaya Dance Creations
New Initiatives
Diversity Dance Initiative Outreach Series
This innovative collaboration between culturally-diverse dance artists was created to address the structural challenges within the dance sector that may prevent future growth and sustainability of their respective companies in the downtown Toronto area. Led by Pratibha Arts, under Bageshree Vaze's leadership, this project brings together small-scale dance companies including Jaberi Dance Theatre, Compania Carmen Romero, KasheDance and Esie Mensah Creations. This is a unique partnership and audience development series between dance artists who work in different styles.
This series in 2018-19 is made possible by the Toronto Arts Council and Canada Council.
For more information and to book a series, please contact
Productions
A Canadian Dream -- A dance-theatre work exploring the unique story of Indo-Canadian participation in ice hockey. Told through personal stories by families of young hockey players such as Madeleine Rai, and through Indian classical dance language, this work is a story of what Canadian culture is all about.
Paratopia -- commissioned by DanceWorks and premiered in 2015, this performance piece explores an alternate reality through dance and music, combining the languages of Kathak dance, Indian tabla rhythms, contemporary movement and beatboxing. Inspired by the Matrix movies, Paratopia connotes innovation and synthesis -- envisioning an alternate world and a future of dance and music that move beyond time and space.
Bageshree Vaze's Global Bollywood --
Bageshree Vaze’s Global Bollywood is an eclectic celebration of music and dance highlighting India’s film music history. Just as Hollywood evolved following World War II, the Hindi film industry flourished by adapting a musical format which featured songs and dances, giving rise to prolific music composers who defined and developed a unique Indian sound.
Choreographed, performed and directed by MTV India ‘ubbharta sitara’ (rising star) Bageshree Vaze, the show brings the music of Bollywood’s best to life through dance and visuals, highlighting the music of C. Ramachandran, Shankar Jaikishan, RD Burman, Bappi Lahiri, AR Rahman, and Shankar Ehsaan Loy, featuring a cast of Toronto musicians and dance artists
Satyam -- commissioned by Opera Nova Scotia in 2017, this production brings to life the classic tale of Savitri and Satyavan, a fable about true love, performed through the aesthetics of North Indian dance and rhythms, Western operatic singing, and contemporary dance.
The World of Jahanara -- a powerful tribute to the 24-year-old Kathak dancer Jahanara Akhlaq who was tragically killed in 1999.
Upcoming:
Global Bollywood -- April 5, 2019 at Brampton Rose Theatre