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CONGRATULATIONS
ON A SUCCESSFUL FESTIVAL!!!

M!M!M! WINTERFEST
FEBRUARY 19-21, 2010!!!

Friday July 24, 2009    |    Sunday July 26, 2009

Saturday, July 25, 2009

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TIME

VENUE

EVENT/PERFORMANCE

GENRE

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Bandshell Park

Meena Bazaar, Food Vendors, Community Lane, Funland Rides & MMMCricket

Enjoy mouth watering foods from Chandni Chowk, White Gold, Uduppi, Mirch Masala, Konkan Delite, Pondicherry Caterers, Sapphire-Jaipur  and Mampster.

Pick up a bargain from one of the Meena Bazaar vendors: AR International, Dare Collections, Kashmir Maple, Jessica Fashion, Casual Classic, B4U, Sidhnath, Venita, Heroic, Unique Rainbow, Heena, Sindhoor.ca, Gurukripa, ARM Fashion, Fashion Trendz and Maanya Sarees.

Visit Plan Canada, Riverdale Hub and ETA Vaughan Womens Shelter representatives and learn about the wonderful work that they are doing for the community.

 

For the kids, Funland amusement park rides will give them plenty to do when the want a break from all that culture and entertainment!!

Don't forget to watch the amazing under-19 players, with cricket demonstrations happening every couple of hours! Feel free to join in on the cricketing fun too! 

 

General

12:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Lobby)

M!M!M! Artists' Walkway
Details to be announced

 

Visual Arts

12:45 pm - 1:15 pm

Fountain Room

Canadian Desi Idol
A project of Desitwist.ca aims to seek, polish and promote Canadian South Asian singers who possess talent and star quality. At "Canadian Desi Idol" aka "South Asian Idol", contestants are put through a set of gruelling audition rounds and eliminations. One lucky participant will survive to be named the "Canadian Desi IDOL". The Idol will receive a music production contract sponsored by Fatlabs.

Canadian Desi Idol is a registered trademark of Desitwist.ca

Music 

 

1:25 pm - 1:45 pm

Fountain Room

Heart & Stroke Foundation: Health in Your Hands

Further details coming soon

 

Health & Wellness

1:00 pm - 2:45pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

MMMovies!: Jab We Met SING-A-LONG

The fantastic Bollywood smash hit starring Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor. You may have seen this film many times - but this is the first time that you can actually get up and sing out loud with all in the audience everytime a song plays on the big screen. So come out and make the most of this fun-filled screening!

Film

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Bandshell Stage

M!M!M!'s Bachcha Party: The next generation of M!M!M! artists take centre stage. Come support performances by the coolest kids in town!


Janet Naipaul's School of Dance

This brilliant and highly energetic  group of dancers have been dancing with Janet Naipaul for about eight to nine years. The students take private dance lessons and have come together to collaborate on a beautiful rendition of the song Desi Girl. Dance instructor, Janet Naipaul, states that this particular performance is one that the students have most enjoyed. Dancers: Rachel, Nadia, Melissa, Vanessa and Miriam

Sanskriti Arts
Sanskriti means Culture. As the name suggests Sanskriti has been working to spread the Indian culture and ethnicity with the enticing fusions and tunes of today not only in India but also all around the world. Students at Sanskriti are vibrant, dynamic and just love to dance. They won several awards in the International Dance Challenge in Toronto in the Ethnic Category (which had 67entries!) for the school. They have performed at The Bollywood Awards -- Atlantic City, the Hrithik and Shahrukh Show – Toronto; they are often invited to perform at many other city festivals. They have been featured in various TV commercials and their performances have aired on several shows on Television. Junior Ensemble Dancers: Liya, Sabrina, Kiana, Lara, and Sanjana
Senior Ensemble Dancers: Sneha, Krupa, Monika, Nirav, and Palash
www.sanskritiarts.com


Tarana Dance Company
Tarana Dance Company is made up of a group of talented and trained dancers in the field of Indian dance. This outstanding and unique performing group, combines classical, folk and contemporary Indian dance techniques into their choreography. The Artistic Director, Mrs Deviekha Chetram who has been teaching Indian dance for over 25 years, established the Tarana Dance Centre in March 2002 for the purpose of teaching and promoting a variety of Indian dance styles (kathak- Classical/ folk and bollywood styles). This year they celebrate 20 years of success in Dance, Art and Culture. Dancers: Mandi, Genevieve,and Natasha
wwww.taranadancecentre.com


Indian Academy of Performing Arts
The talented dancers from Indian Academy of Performing Arts as young as 5 years old, will rock the stage.  These energetic groups have been trained by Director and Choreographer of the Indian Academy of Performing Arts-Priya Kumar Mokha who is an active member of the local community. Dancers: Thiana,Devyani, Ashna, Mansi, Leilani and Shifa

The Academy of Cre8ive Arts
The Academy of Cre8ive Arts is one of the foremost South Asian Performing Arts Academy’s in the world with a Cutting-Edge Bollywood style.The dancers from this Performance Company carry within themselves the technique, knowledge, steps and understanding to bring the Academy's countless works of art alive. The Academy is solely responsible for creating its own works, and strives to stretch Cre8ive skills to new heights. They differentiate themselves with the mix of dance and theater elements in their performances. The Academy’s unique style comes from incorporating the elements of Modern and Classical Indian Dance, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical Dance, Street Jazz, Ballet and many other Performing Art forms in their artistic composition to create dance into inspired and unique works of passion and beauty.

Maninder Gill
Maninder Gill who recently turned 13 has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. He has been taking lessons from teacher Justin Lee, owner of The Guitar Shoppe in Brampton. He started playing guitar because, “It looked cool and fun to play”.He enjoys playing his guitar any chance he gets and loves to play covers of hits from the 80’s. Maninder’s future aspirations are to become a rock star!

 

 

 

Dance

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Fountain
Room

monkey-s.jpgWise Monkey and Foolish Crocodile
presented by Menaka Thakkar Dance Company

Wise Monkey and Foolish Crocodile is about a friendship between two animals. The husband crocodile is put in a situation where he is forced to be loyal to his wife or loyal to the monkey. However, the wife’s loyalty is based on greed and the monkey’s loyalty is based on genuine friendship. The husband is faced with a difficult dilemma - to please his wife or to keep his friend. The wife crocodile tries to tempt the monkey. The monkey claims he is not like the floppy-eared donkey. A play within the play takes place illustrating the tale of the floppy-eared donkey; a donkey who does not learn from his mistakes. In the end, the crocodile loses his friend, the monkey, and upsets his wife. www.menakathakkardance.org

 

Dance

2:45 pm - 3:15 pm

Fountain Room

Chillin in Your Brown Skin Pt. I: Shaadi Classified -  A light-hearted approach to the South Asian institution of marriage (with active inputs from Bollywood). Come and join us for an interactive and unique discussion on the diasporic South Asian community's experiences of marriage!


Social issues, workshops and seminars: Once again, at MMM, we invite you to test your knowledge on sexual health, women's issues, immigration, poverty and racism that affect the South Asian community.  Through exciting games, great videos and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff, Chillin is your single stop to win prizes, get involved, learn something, share information and make connections this weekend! 

Move over Bollywood!  Don't miss Chillin's interactive video presentations at the Fountainhead Room Bring your kids, bring your parents and bring your friends - we can guarantee you'll want to share what you see here!

Made up of four social justice organizations (Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, The Council of Agencies Serving South Asians, South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario and South Asian Women's Centre), Chillin invites you to join us in our 8th year of youth-focused social justice programming.



Social Issues

3.00 pm - 3:30 pm

Bandshell Stage

carnatic-s.jpgCarnatic Violin Concert
presented by Radha Academy of Carnatic Violin

Presented by Subhadra Vijaykumar, a Toronto-based violinist, is the Founder and Artistic Director of Radha Academy of Carnatic Violin, an academy imparting quality training in the finest traditions of Carnatic violin playing. Subhadra obtained a first-class diploma in violin from the prestigious Bharatiya Music and Arts Society’s Music College in Mumbai, India, under the tutelage of the late Smt. Vijayam Ramaswamy, an acclaimed disciple of the internationally renowned soloist and maestro Professor T.N. Krishnan. She has also trained directly under Prof. Krishnan. She has accompanied several artists, participated in orchestras for Bharatanatyam dance performances, and given lecture demonstrations as well as given solo recitals for notable organizations and venues across Canada, the far East, and England.

Music

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

mmmlit-s.jpgIn So MMMany Words: Gabriel Constans, Rachna Vohra & Janice Goveas


Gabriel Constans
Gabriel Constans has written for numerous newspapers and magazines around the world.  He has 12 books published in North America, including The Skin of Lions - Rwandan Folk Tales; St. Catherine's Baby (short stories) and It's About Time (feminist romance).  He is the father of five children and one grandchild and an advisor to ROP Kigali Orphanage in Rwanda (www.rwandanorphansproject.org). You can read more about Gabriel at www.gogabriel.com .

Rachna Vohra
Montreal-born poet and spoken word artist, Rachna Vohra dreams of a better world. So she uses her words to colour outside of society’s lines. She has been published, anthologized and recorded on CD. She has also performed at venues across Canada and the United States. To find out more about Rachna Vohra, visit www.rachnavohra.com.

Janice Goveas
Janice Goveas works in fiction and playwriting. Her short fiction has been published in The New Quarterly, Pitkin in Progress and Icarus Ascending. Her plays have been staged in the US and Canada.  During the 2008-2009 season, she was the Artist in Residence at Rasik Arts in Toronto.  A collection of her plays, Margaret in Search of Herself and Other Plays, was published by In Our Words Inc. in December 2008. She has facilitated the Desilit-Toronto Book Club and the Desilit-Toronto Writers’ Group.  She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College in Vermont and an MA in Spanish Literature from Syracuse University.

Literary Arts

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Bandshell Park

TalanaBLU - Tassa Drummers

Get up close and personal with one of Toronto`s hottest Tassa bands as they drum through the site and get you dancing. Follow the beat of the drums and you`ll find them!

Music

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Fountain Room

aadateetar-s.jpgAadha Teetar presented by Dabistan-e-Fun

A satirical comedy play, written by Khursheed Ahmed Peerzada, a senior theater and TV writer in Pakistan. This play revolves around a family - a husband and wife with three naughty kids and a butler. These three children will not give the audience a chance to stop laughing. This play is presented by Dabistan-e-Fun, a not-for-profit, NGO, which has been working towards social awarenes for many years.The founder and director of Dabistan-e-Fun, Shahid Rehman, also play a  part in the Aadha Teeter..

Theatre

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Bandshell Stage

Heart and Stroke FoundationDandia Dhamaka presented by Heart and Stroke Foundation: An audience participatory event featuring Gujarat’s biggest cultural export

Dance

4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

MMMovies! Spotlight on Lisa Ray presents Deepa Mehta's Oscar nominated Water. Followed by a Q&A with Lisa Ray presented by Mongrel Media

Film

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm

Bandshell Stage

bollydance-s.jpgGhuMMMo: Tarana Dance Company, Divya's Dance Pak, Diya's Bollywood Fusion, Sanskriti Arts & NTP Bhangra


Tarana Dance Company
Tarana Dance Company is considered to be one of the most outstanding and unique performing groups. They combine classical, folk and contemporary Indian dance techniques in their choreography. They are recognized in the community as a Dance Company with a “Touch of Class”. Tarana Dancers have been featured on several television programs and cultural shows. Their dancers have performed for many community events, Caribana, World Routes festival, Harbour Front Centre, Luminato festival and as back up dancers for bollywood stars at Canada's Wonderland. The Artistic Director, Mrs. Deviekha Chetram is from Guyana. She is a trained Kathak dancer and Choreographer. This year Tarana Dance Company celebrates 20 years of success in dance, arts and culture. For more information, visit www.taranadancecentre.

Diya's Bollywood Fusion
Established by two individuals who share a common interest and eternal passion for the art of self-expression, DIYA was founded by Bhavika Parmar and Kunal Jagoowani. Having won several inter-provincial dance competitions, both Bhavika and Kunal have ample experience in designing innovative group choreography, providing professional consultation services and finally in presenting vibrant stage performances.  At Masala Mehndi Masti 2009, DIYA - Arts & Entertainment Academy will present an exhilarating performance which will encompass a unique combination of contemporary dance styles : these include Bollywood, Bhangra, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Classical and Latin dance.  With a new age approach that promises to be diverse, energetic and refreshing, this performance will definitely be one to remember so don’t miss out!

Sanskriti Arts
Jazz, Ballroom and International dancing, hence, her worldwide appeal and reach. Puja’s work enriches contemporary dance by taking its full-bodied movement and infusing it with the complex expressions of South Asian Kathak Dance. Sanskriti Arts has won several awards at internationally acclaimed competitions and has been featured on television and on the radio. This Year at Masala! Mehndi! Masti!, they bring forth to you a riveting showcase of Bollywood dance. These young dancers have swept the crowds away with performances at large-scale events including The Bollywood Awards in Atlantic City, The Hrithik & Shahrukh Show in Toronto, Sukhwinder Singh Live in Toronto 2005, Trillium's Diwali Gala 2006 and 2007 and Masala Mehndi Masti’s co-sponsored Luminato's Light on Your Feet Series in 2008 and 2009.  Their starry-eyed talent brings them to stages across North America with more flavor and spice each time they grace the stage; they come prepared to dazzle the audiences with flames of fiery performances that take your breath away.  For more information about Puja and her classes and performances by Sanskriti Arts, visit them online at www.sanskritiarts.ca. 

NTP Bhangra
From traditional Bhangra to entertaining stunts, Nachde Tapde Punjabi strives to please audiences of all ages. What started out as two people with an idea, has now blossomed into a unique multi-talented team. In addition to Bhangra, NTP excels in various types of dance including Hip Hop, Bollywood and Fusion. The members of NTP Bhangra have come together from notable teams, such as Nachdi Jawani, Trinjan, and various South Asian Alliance dance teams, to form a group that truly combines the best of the best. With much experience performing for large audiences, NTP continues to please crowds while appreciating the traditional aspects of Bhangra. Whether it’s a wedding, birthday or any other special occasion, NTP Bhangra will be sure to deliver a memorable performance.

DKs Dance Pak:

Divya Kumar  is a Bollywood dance choreographer, originally from the Bollywood capital Mumbai. With over a decade of traditional folk/Indian dancing, competitions and experience as a dance choreographer, he has had opportunity to work with Bollywood personalities Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachan, Esha Deol, Sunil Shetty, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol, John Abraham, Arjun Rampal, Farah Khan, Raveena Tandon, Akshay Kumar, Zeenat Aman, Arshad Varsi, Neha Dhupia, Bhangra Prince: Sukhbir, Sukhshinder Shinda, RDB, Raghav, Atif Aslam, Jazzy B. and other international and local singers.

Divya Kumar have also been deeply involved in big-budgeted live South Asian productions featuring Bollywood stars with backup dancers and has been active in Bollywood film productions across Canada and recently in the U.S. with renowned Bollywood producer, Rakesh Roshan on his latest film "Kites".

 

He runs DK's Bollywood Dance Workshops, usually in the spring, summer & winter in Mississauga and Markham.

www.dkbollywooddance.com

 

Dance

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Fountain Room

dndguys-s.jpgDevis & Dudes: Vikas Khanna, Mirwais Andalib & Jonita Gandhi


Vikas Khanna
Vikas, a classically-trained vocalist, was the winner of North American Desi Idol (Canada) and has been very popular in the music scene among the South Asian community in Toronto. He has been performing for about 8 years now and has done numerous shows in US, Canada, UK, Holland, India and the Caribbean. He is currently working with a number of producers in Canada on various music projects. One of his songs just got released by “Times Music – India” in an album called “No Boundaries”. He recently completed a song for a Canadian film produced by CFC.

Mirwais Andalib
Mirwais Andalib, born in Kabul, Afghanistan, came to Canada in 1995, when his family was forced to flee due to an ongoing war. As a young boy, his father had introduced him to his first taste of the artistic world when he was taken every Friday by a friend to the Afghanistan National Television set, where a program dedicated to children featured singers, actors and other entertainers. Since then, he has been privileged enough to travel all around the world and be exposed to other cultures and customs that inevitably influenced his music choices. His fluency in several languages, such as Dari, Pashto, English, French, Urdu, became a perfect tool to help incorporate his diverse knowledge and experiences to his music. It was not until 2007 that his dreams of pursuing music materialized.  As a hobby not a career move, Mirwais released his first song, “Nah-Raw-Hatt”.  In many ways it was cathartic for it expressed his nostalgia for his country.  It was a means to preserve his love for his culture and also a challenge.  While at a friend’s house party in 2007, where several famous artists’ attended, Mirwais was persuaded to sing. The feedback was encouraging and they advised him to continue and not to give up on his dream. Also, that year, he released “Sheer O Shakar”.  A song that included three of the National languages of Afghanistan: Pashto, Uzbek and Dari. It was released on Ariana Afghanistan T.V. and was acclaimed as the first artist in Afghan history to have released a song in that fashion. Mirwais is currently working on his first album that will be released soon. 

Jonita Gandhi
Jonita Gandhi, a 19-year-old student at University of Western Ontario, has been performing across North America for the past few years. Her love for singing and dancing has driven her training in both Indian and English music. Above this, Jonita has performed in many of India's languages, as well as Italian, French and German. Her many acccomplishments include being a finalist at her university's singing competition called Western Idol, winning first prize at the Young Indo-Canadian Singing Competition in the GTA in 2008 and  releasing a religious CD album in 2005.

Music

6:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre
(Lobby)

Kavita Suri presents Colours of India Make Up & Runway Fashion  Show.

An ambitious Kavita Suri, began her career as a freelance makeup artist. With great foresight, Kavita saw opportunity in the South Asian market for a “bridal” make-up artist. She understood that the bridal industry was lacking a make-up artist with the ability to fuse both eastern tradition and western trends. Kavita had found her platform. Gaining an endless amount of experience and knowledge within the cosmetics industry encouraged Kavita's dedication. In 2000, Kavita’s passion and enterprising skills were recognized when she was awarded “Business Woman of the Year”. This was an honour bestowed for excellence in service and in appreciation of Kavita's time spent volunteering her skills to underprivileged children. Kavita’s vision of high quality, make up artistry and esthetics has blossomed to become "Kavita Suri Spa". In operation for two successful years, Kavita Suri Spa's luxurious environment is located in the heart of Yorkville. Visit www.kavitasuri.com

Fashion

7:00 pm - 7:15 pm

Fountain Room

cosmo-s.jpgGhuMMMo: Cosmopolitanatyam presented by Paromita Kar & Dipannita Talukdar

Co-Artistic Director of the Urvieves Dance Collective, Paromita Kar, completed her MA in Dance in 2008 and commenced her PhD in Dance Studies at York University in Fall 2008 as part of Canada's first doctoral program in Dance Studies. She is a practitioner of the classical Indian dance of Odissi. In her choreographic work, Paromita is inspired by surrealist themes and physical theatre. She has received training under choreographers, such as Balmiki Bannerjee of the Delhi Ballet Group, and Regina Kapetenakis, former choreographer of the National Theatre of Greece. Paromita has performed with the Urvieves Dance Collective and the Vashton Dance Company, with whom she performed in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Paromita’s performance at M!M!M! this year, titled, Cosmopolitanatyam, draws upon the rich heritage of the Indian classical dances, but from the perspective of the contemporary cosmopolitan urban experience. It will be performed with her student, Dipannita Talukdar.

Dance

7:15 pm - 7:30 pm

Fountain Room

GhuMMMo: Classical Odissi featuring Amita Raha and Ankita Sarker


Amita Tanya Raha
Amita Tanya Raha began her dance training in the Odissi style at the age of five.  Twenty-two years of intensive training and devotion at the Chitralekha Dance Academy under Kalashree Chitralekha, Ellora and Devraj Patnaik and many years of stage experience have made her an outstanding performer.  She has also been fortunate to receive training from notable masters of Odissi in India, including the late Padmabhibhusan Kelucharan Mahapatra in 1993 and guru Gangadhar Pradhan in 2002.  Amita has been a member of Chitralekha Odissi Dance Creations since its inception and has given stellar performances in major roles in Glaanisanghaar (1995), Konark Lasya Lila (1996), Nrutya Utsav (1997), Tandava/Lasya (1998), Shringaar (1999), Panchadeva (2001), Bhishma (2003), Drona (2004), Arjuna (2006) and Devi (2007).  In both solo and company performances, Amita has delighted audiences in Canada, the USA and India, including a guest performance at the Young Talents’ Conference in Kolkata, India, and most recently and to great acclaim, a solo performance at the at the 2007 International Odissi Festival in Bhubhaneswar, Orissa, India. Amita’s versatility and skill extends beyond the classical realm to include Bengali, folk and contemporary dance styles.  She has done performances, choreography or direction in numerous Bengali dance-dramas, east-west fusion pieces and folk dance

Ankita Sarker
Ankita Sarker is an up-and-coming prodigy whose exposure to the world of art began in the field of vocals at the age of six, when she began learning Rabindra Sangeet under the tutelage of Pradip Das.  Her dance training began at the age of seven under Annaya Barua, who taught Bangladeshi folk.  In 1998, Ankita moved to Canada.  Her vocal training continued from 1999 under A.F.M. Alimuzzaman in both Rabindra Sangeet and Hindustani Classical.  In 2000, she began learning Odissi Classical Dance at the Chitralekha Dance Academy, where her diligence and natural talents facilitated a swift transition to the more demanding style. Since that time, she has accumulated considerable stage experience dancing in local and community programs and has been selected to participate in the productions of Chitralekha Odissi Dance Creations Inc. since 2003.  She has performed laudably in the productions of "Bhishma" (2003), and "Drona" (2004), "Karna" (2005), "Arjuna" (2006), "Devi" (2007), and "Glaanisanghaar" (2008).  Other recent notable performances include India Independence Day, the 2006 Canadian National Exhibition, Durga Puja, the Mayor of Mississauga's New Year's Day Levee, and her premiere as a soloist, Horizons 1 (2008). 

 

Dance

7:15 pm - 8:15 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

MMMovies! Filmi Shorts focus on Fabulous Short Films

Further details coming soon..

I Do. Do I?

Co-Directors : Lily Ahluwalia and Jay Walia
Running time: 30 minutes
Language: English
Country : Canada

"Damned if you do and damned if you don't" is the general idea people have about marriage. The protagonist Raj is caught up in his own insecurities on the day of his engagement. Having cold-feet Raj believes "Once I put the ring on her finger, my life is over." Watch the film to find how Raj resolves his prenuptial dilemma.

 

Home and Native Land

Director: Rohan Bader
Running time: 6 Mintues
Language: English
Country: Canada

A father immigrates to Canada to see his newborn granddaughter, she eventually teaches him English.

 

Statues Come to Life’

Director: Bobby Brown
Running time: 4 Minutes
Language: English
Country: Canada

'A mythological tale of statues coming to life under the moon light to dance for the Gods.'

 

‘Wire and Words’

Director: Radha Rajagopalan
Running time: 5:46
Language: English
Country: Canada

What does it mean to be connected to one's roots? Especially if one is separated by time and space; a generation and an ocean? Weaving a personal voyage through South India with her experiences in Canada, the filmmaker explores how second-generation Tamil Brahmins connect to their culture and heritage through a new medium — the internet. These young Canadians are discovering that together, they know a lot about who they are and where they are from.

‘Brown Guy Shuffle’ – Maninder Chana 5 min

Comedy Music Video


 

Film

7:30 pm - 8:15 pm

Bandshell Stage

cultureclash-s.jpgClassical Clash: Toronto Bros & Amit Arya


Toronto Brothers
The Toronto Brothers, Ashwin Iyer and Rohin Iyer, are Canadian musicians trained in the ancient system of South Indian classical music, known as Carnatic music. They began their musical education nearly 20 years ago and are disciples of the veteran musician and musicologist, Shri S. R. Janakiraman. Their concert presentations are innovative, intelligent, and powerful. The two brothers share a captivating synergy that makes for a memorable and exhilarating experience for new listeners and connoisseurs alike. Their music has won wide acclaim in Indian and world-music circles in Canada, the United States, and India, and through their ties to both North American and South Indian culture, they hope to establish traditional Carnatic music as a mainstream phenomenon.

Amit Arya
A professional Canadian born Indian classical musician, Dr. Amit Arya has been learning vocal music since the age of eight. He initiated his training with Smt. Anita Khare of Vancouver B.C. and progressed to learning from Smt. Asha Lohia under the Pandit Jasraj School of Music in Vancouver. Since 1999, he has had the privilege and blessing of taking advanced training from the living legend, Sangeet Martand Padmavibushan Pandit Jasrajji, as well as his senior disciples: Shri Hemang Mehta, Pandita Tripti Mukherjee and Shri Suman Ghosh. Amit has performed at several prestigious venues, such as Edmonton Ragamala, Chinmaya Mission of Toronto, the Indian High Commission of New York, and Hamilton Hindu Samaj.

Music

8:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

MMMovies! Spotlight on Lisa Ray presents Deepa Mehta's Toronto filmed Bollywood/Hollywood. Followed by a Q&A with Lisa Ray presented by Mongrel Media
Further details coming soon..

Film

8:30 pm - 9:15 pm

Bandshell Stage

arabesque-s.jpgM!M!M! Dance Off: Arabesque vs. Divine Heritage Artistry
The Middle East meets South Asia in a swirl of fabrics, belly dancing, Bollywood beats and vibrating rhythms. Watch two of Toronto's popular dance groups, headed by Yasmina Ramzy and Lopa Sarkar respectively, share the dance floor.


Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra
Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra is Canada's leading Middle Eastern dance and music ensemble and unique in the world. The company consists of 17 male and female dance artists trained in 14 different styles of Middle Eastern dance led by Yasmina Ramzy and nine acoustic musicians led by Bassam Bishara and Dr. George Sawa.

The company tours internationally and has staged six major full-scale productions featuring both traditional and ground breaking choreographies and musical compositions. It performs in such theatres as the Hummingbird Centre for the Arts, Premiere Dance Theatre and Madison Square Gardens. Arabesque has performed alongside such artists as Alabina, National Ballet of Canada, Bijan Mortazavi, Amr Diab, The Rolling Stones, Rageb Alema and Ben Harper to name a few. Having received numerous awards for artistic excellence, the innovative choreographies and rich acoustic music has the ability to move an audience to tears or on their feet dancing with joy. The company has garnered rave reviews for its high standard of art in all mainstream media. Sold out audiences are always enriched when making the emotional connection with the timeless and profound Arabic art which is Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra.Arabesque Dance Company is a member of Dance Ontario.

Divine Heritage Artistry

Divine Heritage Artistry is a company committed to excellence in the performing arts. DHA showcases the fusion of diversities found within its creative team of artists and performers and is directed by its founder Lopa Sarkar. Born in Toronto Lopa trained in Bharatanatym for 20 years before moving to the UK where she developed her own unique style of choreography. While in England Lopa worked with Bollywood choreographer Pappu-Malu (of Devdas and Saawariya) and performed on stage with Malaika Arora. She was seen on BBC, Zee TV, and Sony Television. Lopa then moved to the Bahamas while working as a Choreographer for Club Med. Through the Club Med Artist Program, she was invited to teach and perform in Punta Cana and Mexico. She has choreographed for film in New York City, performed in London, taught in Wales, and currently runs her own dance company in Toronto. Her dancers have performed for MTV, the Toronto Raptors, and on stage with Raghav and Malkit Singh. They have been a part of PR campaigns for Bombay Dreams and Slumdog Millionaire. 

Find out more about Divine Heritage Artistry at www.lopasarkar.com


Dance

9:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Fountain Room

mystique-s.jpgMMMystique featuring Vandana Vishwas, Onkar Singh & Azalea Ray


Vandana Vishwas
Born in the historical north Indian city of Lucknow, classically trained Indian-Canadian Architect-Musician Vandana Vishwas specializes in Bhajans, Ghazals and Geet. Before she left India, Vandana was an All India Radio artist, has performed on Doordarshan, was invited at the prestigious Brihaspati Sammelan, Mumbai and has won several music competitions. She has been fortunate to receive valuable mentorship on Ghazal singing from Ghazal Maestros Ustaad Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, presently she is working on her upcoming debut album, Meera - The Lover… which is based on legendary Indian poetess Meera Bai’s devotional love songs, and is due to be released in the fall of 2009. For more information visit www.vandanavishwas.com

Onkar Singh
Onkar Singh is a much sought after vocalist and composer trained in East indian classical music.  His career spans over 25 years of performing at private and corporate gatherings, music festivals, yoga studios and gurudwaras/temples. Whether it's traditional East indian music or collaborations of fusion sessions, Onkar always seems at home with his diverse repertoire.   With three well received, independent albums out, the latest named "Bandagi", released by Planet Recordz, Onkar has more planned for this year and the next. His latest collaboration on Andrew McPherson's Juno nominated album, "Shivaboom", had him singing on two tracks. In his upcoming performance for M!M!M!, you will be entranced by Onkar's soulful and resonating voice as he takes you to depths of emotions with his original compositions of soulful poetry.  He will also be debuting several new compositions at M!M!M! 2009!

Azalea Ray
Although born in Holland and raised in Toronto, Azalea has cultivated the gift of rendering the great vocal music culture of India in its purest form. Her richness lies in her versatility. With her North Indian Classical training, she is able to perform Khayal, Ghazals, thumri,bhajans, folk songs, Bengali as well as Punjabi songs with absolute abandon and ease. A passionate singer whose voice carries much depth, power, rich tonality and sweetness, she is one of the most cherished accompanying vocalists for many of the classical dancers and other connoisseurs of music. Azalea has given vocal support to multiple Bengali Operas  over the years and had been invited to attend and perform at the prestigious Kalamandir of Calcutta  in 1998 to give her first solo performance in India of the music of the Late Great Rabindranath Tagore. Her versatility has enabled her to accompany various classical dancers of Toronto and India, such as Odissi, Bharat Natyam and Kathak genre over the years and is one of the most sought after accompanying vocalists for Indian Classical dancers in Toronto. Despite her Bengali roots, Azalea’s main aim has been to keep traditional Indian Classical music alive in the mainstream and to introduce its intricacies to the next generation.  She achieves this not just through public performances but also by dedicating herself to teaching the great wisdom of her Gurus to her loyal students in Toronto.

Music

9:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Bandshell Stage

Shibani Kashyap, Bollywood's own Singer, Composer and Musician.

Flying into Toronto, Canada direct from Mumbai, India, the Bollywood singing star will blow audiences away with her internationally celebrated singing, guitar playing and composing. With a voice that has a beguiling and rich sensuality, she creates music that focuses on truth, life and beauty, touching hearts and souls around the world. With #1 hits like Sajna Aaa Bhi Ja and Zinda Hoon Main, the multi-talented performer promises to bring a power packed show to M!M!M! audiences with her ability to play the guitar flawlessly and serenade audiences with her unplugged performance.

www.shibanikashyap.com

Music

10:00 pm onwards

Revival
(off site)

Luv To Bhang hosts the Official M!M!M! Weekend Afterparty @ Revival (TICKETED PARTNER EVENT OFFSITE)

"Luv to Bhang" is a celebration of Bhangra Music in the city of Toronto! If you remember the days of Basement parties at your uncles, and the pounding beat of Heera, Alaap, and Premi, as you danced in circles, well then this Party is for you! It is brought to you by two Bhangra lovers who feel it's time that the culture and music truly be enjoyed in an atmosphere where everyone can relax and bhang to the music! Rav (Double AA) & Manny (Desi Wear) found their is a major void in the market. Gone are the days of hitting clubs every week, let alone once in a while. Many of us now are professionals, entrepreneurs, working hard, involved in serious relationships, or starting young families. But the love for Bhangra music has not died. The Phunky Phresh anthems are courtesy of Double AA. While the sick, and drrrty percussion (drums, dhol and tabla) are provided by Gurpreet (The Tabla Guy) Chana & Paul (The Drummer) Nanuwa. Our parties also introduce a new element of live percussion with live DJ skills. We play the best in Old Skool Punjabi, along with current and classic Bhangra anthems. Strictly Bhangra All Night Long! "Luv to Bhang" is for those pure bhangraholics who  just want to dance with like minded people to classic Bhangra


Party