It’s a fairy-tale come true for 12 South Africans who have been chosen out of thousands of Indian classical dancers around the globe to perform at Disney's Magic Kingdom Theme Park’s Diwali parade in October.
The Bharatanatyam dancers from Johannesburg-based dance school Natya Anjali will be part of a parade of about 400 who will entertain crowds for 20 minutes through the park.
The school’s founder and artistic director Subashni Naicker said the dancers have also been allocated five minutes to showcase their work at one of the theme park theatres.
“I came across an Instagram post calling for applications. I had a look at the organiser's profile and videos of the previous festivals which looked magical. I then applied. I was asked to get creative with my motivation as to why we should be considered. I also had to provide material for review,” she said.
Naicker said the experience would be unforgettable for the dancers.
“This event will bring together talented dance groups from across the globe, showcasing diverse cultures and artistic expression. The dancers will have the opportunity to participate in various workshops and cultural exchange programmes designed to foster global connections through the arts. So this will be an unforgettable experience for our dancers as well as an excellent opportunity to connect with other talented performers and cultural ambassadors from around the world.
“Indian classical dance represents a significant part of the South African arts landscape. It represents who we are as people of Indian origin, contributing to the diverse cultural richness within the South African context.
“This is an incredible opportunity to represent South Africa performing on one of the most iconic stages in the world,” she said.
The trip — flights, accommodation and visas — costs about R60,000 per dancer.
“We are planning a Golf Day fundraiser and have reached out to corporates requesting sponsorships and donations. We have also set up a crowdfunding page,” said Naicker.
TimesLIVE
SA classical Indian dancers to perform at Disney Diwali parade
Senior reporter
Image: SUPPLIED
It’s a fairy-tale come true for 12 South Africans who have been chosen out of thousands of Indian classical dancers around the globe to perform at Disney's Magic Kingdom Theme Park’s Diwali parade in October.
The Bharatanatyam dancers from Johannesburg-based dance school Natya Anjali will be part of a parade of about 400 who will entertain crowds for 20 minutes through the park.
The school’s founder and artistic director Subashni Naicker said the dancers have also been allocated five minutes to showcase their work at one of the theme park theatres.
“I came across an Instagram post calling for applications. I had a look at the organiser's profile and videos of the previous festivals which looked magical. I then applied. I was asked to get creative with my motivation as to why we should be considered. I also had to provide material for review,” she said.
Naicker said the experience would be unforgettable for the dancers.
“This event will bring together talented dance groups from across the globe, showcasing diverse cultures and artistic expression. The dancers will have the opportunity to participate in various workshops and cultural exchange programmes designed to foster global connections through the arts. So this will be an unforgettable experience for our dancers as well as an excellent opportunity to connect with other talented performers and cultural ambassadors from around the world.
“Indian classical dance represents a significant part of the South African arts landscape. It represents who we are as people of Indian origin, contributing to the diverse cultural richness within the South African context.
“This is an incredible opportunity to represent South Africa performing on one of the most iconic stages in the world,” she said.
The trip — flights, accommodation and visas — costs about R60,000 per dancer.
“We are planning a Golf Day fundraiser and have reached out to corporates requesting sponsorships and donations. We have also set up a crowdfunding page,” said Naicker.
TimesLIVE
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