SDA Winter Recital 2019: Retro Bollywood

SDA Winter Recital 2019- Retro Bollywood was a walk down memory lane for our audience. A huge team effort, this recital was one for the books with an audience of 300+ and an unprecedented 140 performers. Our Winter Recital 2019 aimed to bring back the time of yesteryears to wow the audience with the glitz and glamour of Bollywood Cinema of the 80's, 90s, and early 2000's.

Our show started off with our Pre Juniors grooving with precision and grace to the tunes of Rangeela Re, the chart buster from 1995 which propelled A.R. Rahman and Urmila Matondkar to new heights of stardom. Our Pre Juniors put in their heart and soul into this routine which was a perfect start to the evening.

Raising the bar for Pre teens all around the world, our Squad Junior blew up the stage with their rendition of Prabhu Deva’s iconic tracks from Urvashi and Muqabla (1994). Dressed as the iconic Michael Jackson lookalikes, Prabhu Deva’s idol, these 3 rockstars switched from from Hip Hop to Bharatnatyam to Hoedown dance forms in split seconds and received a thunderous applause. It is a matter of utmost pride for us to observe how these students who started with SDA at a young age and have grown to emerge as such amazing dancers.

Our next act was filled with sugar and spice and all things oh so nice. Our tiny tots from the BGC Bollywood batch performed their act beautifully and won over everyone’s heart with their act Masoom Masti. This mix of 2 iconic motivational tracks, Papa Kehte hain (1988) and Aaj Mein Upar (1999), with a perfect blend of cutesy moves made for an effervescent performance by our little ones.

Following close on their footsteps, were the tiniest performers of SDA’s Winter Recital from the PS5 school 4pm batch. They had no problem in recreating the fun 80s moves of the famous track Tirchi Topiwale (1989). Their outfits and moves were a replica of the movie track and had the audience humming Oye Oye throughout the song. We are amazed at what these tiny 3-4 year old students managed to achieve in such a short time.

Retro Bollywood would be underrepresented without the mention of the next song in our line up - My Name is Lakhan. This track is synonymous with the style and charimsa of Anil Kapoor. Our PS37 3pm kids did justice in bringing Anil Kapoor’s style and Madhuri Dixit’s grace to the stage. They stayed true to their character and delivered a brilliant performance that garnered a thunderous applause. This was one of the largest groups on stage but it did not deter each and every student from shining on the stage.

RD Burman is a legend in Indian Cinema. His voice quality and flair for music direction is unparalleled. We couldn’t go retro without including 2 of his unforgettable tracks Dil Lena Khel Hai (1981) and Yamma Yamma (1980) to make our very own R.D Burman Duet. Our PS5 3pm students did a fantastic job performing this complex routine with energy and grace. They played their individual parts beautifully and exemplified teamwork, a very important aspect of dance. We are very proud!

Sridevi and her yellow saree from the movie Chandani, dancing on the snow capped mountains of Switzerland, is stuff Bollywood dreams are made of. Yashraj films sell us dreams; dreams that SDA strives to convert to reality! Our PAW Bollywood I students rocked the stage and looked adorable doing so, while dancing to a mix of Rang Bhare Badal Se (1989) and Chanda Chamke (2006). Their little feet stepped to the beat of the music perfectly and their tiny hands moved with precision to create Yashraj Magic on the SDA stage.

This recital was SDA’s first foray into the BollyHop genre, which is now at the forefront of the Bollywood Dance scene in India. Our BGC BollyHop students, despite their varied ages and original styles, came together beautifully as a team to recreate the magic of Salman Khan songs - Oonchi Hai Building (1997) and You’re My Love (2007). Their isolations, waves and formations had the audience cheering loudly and clapping along the with the beat. The energy that these rock stars brought to the stage was infectious.

Continuing with our Khan streak, we now give props to the last of the trio, Shahrukh Khan. Om Shanti Om, the iconic song enacted by Rishi Kapoor (1980) was remixed and repackaged by Shahrukh Khan (2007) to bring the glitz and glamour of Bollywood cinema to the forefront. Our Primary Prep I students loved their song selection and did complete justice to both songs. Their disco was on point and our mini Rishi’s owned the stage with their sharp disco style while post transition our little thumka queens created a huge stir in their silver outfits.

Changing gears, our next act was a soulful rendition of the song Albela Sajan (2017). Our BGC Classical Fusion students looked elegant in their brocade and silk sarees, swaying gracefully to this mesmerizing track. Their expressions emulated the arrival of a loved one as the song depicts and their mudras recreated the charm and grace of apsaras (angels) welcoming us into ancient times. They took this complex choreography, no easy feat for a beginner, and made it their own. Kudos to these young aspirants for delivering an ethereal performance.

Reliving and recreating Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge songs (1995) is every Bollywood movie buffs dream. Our PS37 4pm kids, in their colorful Punjabi style outfits, brought their charm and cuteness to the stage with the fun song Mehendi Lagake Ke Rakhna. These little students worked very hard all through the semester to bring their energy to the stage and it paid off in the end. Their charisma and cute smiles left the audience speechless and their twinkling eyes didn’t fail to express how much fun they were having on stage.

Madhuri Dixit’s dance, her smile, her grace and her charm created waves in Bollywood cinema over the 90s. We just had to include one of her chart toppers in our Retro Bollywood show. Chane Ke Khet Mein (1994) created a ripple effect in Bollywood cinema in the 90s much similar to the one the next performance created in our hearts. Our BollyHIIT ladies learnt and performed this choreography to perfection in a matter of weeks. They exuded the charm grace and expressions of Madhuri while bringing their own style to the stage.

Up next, our PAW Bollywood II students brought the house down with their Raas Leela act. Our little Baal Krishna and Gopis grooved to the lilting Radha Kaise Na Jale (2001) track in true folk style. They enacted the subtle nuances of their characters to perfection. Their Garba circle was on point. Their expressions brought all the emotions of the song to the forefront. Each and every one of these students worked hard to make this song and choreography their own. It makes us so proud to see how far these kids have come in the past 3 years with us.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) was a Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ode to Gujarati culture, music and folk dance. The sets, costumes and dances of the film were a bench mark for future movies. The Manmohini track from this film, which is Aishwarya’s introduction number, describes the beauty, grace, innocence and strength of a lady. Our Primary Prep II divas stayed true to their choreography and the message we wished to portray through this song. They were the epitome of grace. We are so proud of these little divas for putting their heart and soul into this challenging routine and coming out so strong at the end of it.

Sangeet Nights at Indian weddings are full of fun, frolic, laughter and of course dance. Our Stevens’ students recreated a beautiful wedding choreography for our audience-one full of pomp and flair. Our little bridesmaid lookalikes grooved and shimmied their way into the audience hearts dancing to the beats of the Sajan Ji Ghar Aye (1998) and Bole Chudiyan (2001). Their style, moves and expressions were in perfect sync and the high energy sequence of their track had everyone clapping in unison. It was truly a pleasure to watch them perform.

Our next act, performed by our PS16 3pm students was a total blast and had the audience in total Bhangra mode. Our rock stars, dancing to Tera Rang Balle Balle from the film Soldier (1998), brought the house down with their energy and precision. Their shiny blue outfits and hand held scarves added that extra zing to their act. The girls landed their thumkas to perfection while the boys shone through bright with their strong moves. Despite being the second largest group of kids on stage, our students delivered an energy packed, fun performance that was appreciated by all.

Talking about iconic tracks, our next one is a true delight! Dancing on top of a train to the tunes of A. R. Rahman made for a fantastic visual. Chaiyya Chiayya (1998) was performed to perfection by our PS16 4pm students. We challenged the students with complex choreography, loads of floor work and several isolations. These students did not disappoint and rose to the occassion. Their moves were precise, sharp and energetic. They dedication shone through, impressed the crowd and had them snapping and clapping throughout the performance.

Our final kids’ performance of the night was phenomenal! Our PAW 3 students worked tirelessly to master this complex choreography over the semester. It was a mix of classical Bharatnatyam mudras and footwork with Mere Dholna (2007) followed by a complete Bollywood choreography to the chart busting track Dhoom Tana (2007). Each and every one of them played their individual parts well which made them shine bright as a team. They were graceful, nimble and full of energy. Their transitions, formations and expressions wowed the audience and their high energy finale culminated in a thunderous applause. Our PAW 3 students never fail to impress us with their grit, determination and talent!

Our final act of the evening was a SDA Team Medley aptly titled A Dance Journey. Our aim was to take the audience through a journey of the various dance forms we are trained in and have to offer. Our medley combined the grace of classical Indian dance forms like Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Bhangra, HipHop and Bollywood to showcase our team’s individual and collective talents. Our dancers brought the house down with their stylized and catchy choreography blending the above styles of dance to create a fantastic act.

Each and every student that took to the stage has left us speechless! Their smiles, performances, stage presence and confidence is commendable and fills us up with pride. We are thankful to our wonderful audience that encouraged our performers with their enthusiasm and thunderous applause throughout the show.

A special thank you to Baker’s Hut for the generously sponsoring the treats for all our performers. We are deeply appreciative of the support from our community and local businesses: Mithaas Jersey City, Lotus Smiles , Academy House Child Development Center, JEI Learning Center Jersey City, Nukkad Restaurant, Scarlet Organizes and Meggem . Thank you to Tangle Time With Anushya for sponsoring the supplies and activities for our performers backstage so that they could create wonderful cards personalized notes for their families.

A huge thank you to our wonderful photographer Beauty Captured who worked tirelessly to get the perfect image of our performers. Our emcee Mr. Harveer Singh brought his charm and wit to the stage and kept the audience engaged throughout the show with his friendly banter. The costumes by Sketchboard4Kids created a film star aura for each student and allowed them to shine brilliantly on stage. We want to recognize and thank our schools PS5, PS16 and PS37, Primary Prep and Stevens Cooperative (Newport) for making us a part of their school families.  A special thank you to Performing Arts Workshop, Boys and Girls’ Club of Hudson County and the Jersey City Board of Education for all their support.

We attribute the success of our Winter Recital 2019 to Team SDA and our hardworking backstage volunteers and staff who took such good care of our students and managed their coordinated appearance on stage seamlessly to provide the audience with a professional recital experience. A show of this magnitude is impossible to create without their dedication and hard work. A special mention to our SDA Teachers, who worked tirelessly on each and every student throughout the semester. We are extremely grateful for the support and encouragement of our SDA families and patrons. Looking forward to seeing you all at our Spring 2020 Recital!