BWW Previews: ARTS LEGACY REMIX CELEBRATES India's New Year at Straz Center

To celebrate diversity in Tampa Bay, The Straz Center created The Straz Arts Legacy REMIX Project, where performers of all mediums join together monthly to entertain for a free event highlighting a particular theme or culture.

On Friday, April 29, The Straz Arts Legacy REMIX Project will be showcasing the beautiful pageantry of India's New Year celebration. The event will feature live music, dance, art, and vendors on the Straz Riverwalk.

Mother and daughter, owner Sheila Narayanan and Dr. Shreya Narayanan will perform various dances with Sheila's dance school, Shreyas Arts.

"This Arts Legacy is celebrating the new year. Many Asian regions celebrate the new year at this time based on a solar calendar," said Sheila.

Live Bollywood-style music will be performed, inviting people of all ages to get up and dance.

"It's lots of color, vibrancy, and an entire array of the types of dance they'll see. We are covering north to south India, classical, fusion to Bollywood. It's great exposure to all of what Indian dancing is in addition to really fun music. It should be a great time," explained Dr. Narayanan.

Sheila's parents came to the United States in 1967, and to share their culture with their daughter, she began dancing at five years old with a famous Indian dancer who'd moved to the U.S.

"She was like Elizabeth Taylor in India," Sheila explained. "I learned from her for about 30 years. At some point, everyone goes off to college. You don't think of dancing as a career. You sort of head in the direction of the Corporate world. I gave up dance teaching for a while, but when Shreya, my daughter, was little, I actually wanted to teach her and for her to learn, and I went back into teaching. That's how I ended up having a dance school."

Dr. Narayanan said the two have a unique perspective on Indian dance.

"What makes our dance company unique is, as my mom and I were both born and raised here, our goal is to introduce the beauty of the Indian culture, particularly the dancing, to the mainstream. The fact that neither of us grew up in India brings an interesting perspective to how we do that. It makes it very approachable and relatable. Our dancing is good for exercise, balance, and coordination," said Dr. Narayanan. "It's such a theatrical, storytelling art form that it's a great way for some of us introverts to express ourselves. Our dance style has so much color, beauty, and life that it's a phenomenal outlet."

Sheila added, "The origins of yoga and the dance form that we teach are the same. Many of our dances are so strong in terms of the meditative effects that our scriptures say one of our dances is equal to a thousand prayers."

The Straz Arts Legacy REMIX is 700-900pm outside at the Straz Riverwalk. To learn more, visit https://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/2122_Arts-Legacy-REMIX/Indias-New-Year-Celebration. Tickets are free, and registration is required in advance. Learn more about Shreyas Arts at www.shreyasartstampa.com.