Previews: ARTS LEGACY REMIX Celebrates India 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 monthly to entertain for a free event highlighting a particular theme or culture.

On Friday, November 17, The Straz Arts Legacy REMIX Project will showcase the beautiful pageantry of India's Diwali celebration at the Straz Riverwalk. Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights, particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in northern India. The event will honor the cultural diversity of India.

Straz' Arts Legacy partner and dance school owner of Shreyas Arts Sheila Narayanan explains Diwali is considered the victory of good over evil or light over darkness.

"It is the entry of Goddess Lakshmi into all of our homes, bringing good health, happiness, peace, and prosperity as we know it, money."

Narayanan said the event is "a journey through India" that guests could expect "dance, music, food, fashion, henna, color, and beautiful Rangolis, a traditional art form. Whatever you would think of for this culture, you will find it at this event."

Artist Kalyani Srinivas will be offering an interactive Rangoli session. Rangoli, designed using flowers, grains, or rice flour paste,  is a tradition in most parts of India that represents happiness, positivity, and cleanliness while welcoming Goddess Lakshmi. Women design Rangolis daily, but the artwork is more elaborate during festivals. 

"It is an art that evolves. You think of something, and you add to it. I'll be showing different varieties of Rangolis. I'm going to pre-make some at home and bring them, and I will make some there. I may have an interactive experience with a chalkboard and chalk for people who are interested, and I can show them how to do it."

Srinivas is excited for guests to get a wider exposure to what Diwali means and what it means in different parts of India.

Narayanan's dance school will perform a traditional classical Indian dance featuring dancers from five years old to adult. They will also showcase Bollywood music.

"People can dance to Bollywood music, which is fun dancing. We have trained classical dancing and fun dancing," says Narayanan. 

She hopes guests will talk about "the color, the vibrancy, the food, the history" upon leaving the event.

Srinivas adds, "Or they think I didn't realize how explosive the color is in the daily culture or how intertwined dance, music, art, food. It's an explosion of color, taste, and all the senses."