Adding new flavour to old songs

The fusion of bangla folk and western music is quite popular these days. Many young artists have created musical magic by blending home ground notes with different world music genres. One such Bangladeshi band Bunokriti is making waves. They are not your run-of-the-mill ‘Bangla band’. The sound of their music is going places. The band describes its sound as Classical Fusion & Versatile. Bunokriti believes in experimenting with different types of genre and trying to make good music with good composition. Bunokriti means The Credit of Creation. Music is a part of creativity and they are here to show their attempt and creativity.

“We mostly sing old bangla songs and folk songs in our style giving them an unique modern touch. We also perform a number of traditional songs which we have rearranged. The songs are really melodious. We keep the flavour of these songs intact and at the same time give them a modern touch.” says Raju, drummer and founder member of Bunokriti.

For Nusrat Jahan Kriti, talented vocalist of the band, the theory is simple- “We are entertainers; we want people to have a good time”. Her dad has been her inspiration and a big fan of Lata Mangeshkar. She believes that more and more female musicians are carving a niche for themselves in Bangladesh.  Nusrat says “We call ourselves a versatile band. We are very creative in our approach to each and every song we perform. As our name Bunokriti suggests we try to weave a new form of dream for our audience through our version of the old songs. Interestingly when I sing old songs most of them feel its our own composition. When I tell them that they are old songs form the 60s/70s they get inspired.”

“We keep experimenting even when we perform live. Actually our music keeps evolving with time and the choice and demand of listeners.  I believe music should be promiscuous and should transcend all sorts of man-made boundaries .We are reaching out to the listeners worldwide and is not just limited to Bangladesh.” adds Raju. Shanto, the percussionist of the band says “our sound mesmerise the mind, captivate the heart and uplift the soul.”

Band Members

Dmr Raju Jami (Drummer & Manager)

Nusrat Jahan Kriti (Vocal) 

Saif Sohan (Keyboardist Music Arrangement) Shawon Rahman (Rhythm Guitarist & Back vocal) 

Nawaj( Bassist) 

Tamim Rifat (Lead Guitarist)

Shanto(Percussion)

Though they have faced criticism initially. “Some people thought we were trying to be disrespectful with our “experimentation,” which was very far from the truth.  They didn’t understand the concept of classical fusion. But our songs have been loved by the audience. Most of our songs have got loads of likes and sharing on social media. Our Official Trailer Song Akash Meghe Dhaka have been a huge hit.”

According to him the members of the band are like a family. They often spend time together-hanging out or shopping or travelling. But while doing music they have a strict professional approach.

Talking about their favorite show till date, Raju says “It was definitely our show at the Ntv old school beats. It was a huge hit. We were flooded with messages and live-in phone calls. Finally the authorities had to stop taking any messages or calls.”

While Nusrat’s memorable moment is quite interesting! Nusrat explains “I joined the band few years ago. After one year or so I had an argument and decided to leave the band. The band members came to my home. I didn’t receive their phone calls initially. After several calls I received their call. They requested me to come to balcony. When I went to the balcony I found them standing downstairs and requesting me to join the band. I found it very sweet. So I joined the band.”

Talking about the present music scenario in Bangladesh, Raju says “Bangladeshi bands are a lot more ahead of Kolkata musically, since they’ve been into this for a longer time. The music scenario in our country is constantly evolving. But for most bands sustaining by making original music only is an uphill task. Even in the age of the internet, where musicians can put up their work online for public viewing, things are not so smooth. The film industry is where the greater chunk of the business is, and hence the greater parts of the funds are invested in movies. Though in the long run only the truly talented bands will survive and others will be filtered out.”Nusrat adds, “The Bangladeshi music scene is very lively and we have brilliant musicians.”

Her word of advice for aspiring musicians- “Be passionate about your music. Learn the kind of music of you like to perform. Music is such an ocean of ideas and philosophies that you have to go towards and chase. It will never come to you easy. “

Bunokriti has been travelling extensively, doing concerts and corporate shows and have performed in Kolkata. They believe more concerts should be organized where artists from both India and Bangladesh get to perform which would promote greater harmony, understanding and brotherhood between the two nations.

0

Going Beyond Boundaries

Nirab Hossain is the second Bangladeshi actor after Ferdous Ahmed to have acted in a Bollywood movie. Nirab played the lead role along with Kavita Radheshyam in the horror thriller film, Sheitaan .The film revolves around two lovers who besides being Muslim were from two different communities Shia and Sunni, how they struggle to survive is shown in this film. Jointly produced by controversial film maker Faisal Saif and Ali G, Sheitaan it also stars Pakistan actress Meera.

Model-actor Nirab Hossain talking about his experience said, “The character (CBI officer) was quite thrilling .It’s been a great experience working with Faisal Saif. He is very talented and mostly chooses controversial themes and stories for his films.  Bollywood is more professional. My director read out the whole script infront of our whole team the night before our shooting started. He encouraged us to share our views and opnions. You have people with specialisms. Specialist people are taken for specific jobs.”

Nirab is also very proud of his pivotal role in the Malaysian movie Banglasia by controversial director Namewee. Namewee is one of Asia’s most well-known entertainment personalities, being multi-talented and wearing many hats as singer, songwriter, director, actor and YouTuber.

The film was made in the context of prevalent animosity towards Bangladeshi workers in Malaysian society after the 2013 elections. The film was banned in Malaysia after 31 scenes in the movie that were deemed inappropriate were cut off by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board. Nirab said “The film received worldwide attention for being the first Malaysian banned film to screen at major international film festivals.”

                                                      SHEITAAN - Movie

Talking about his journey in the glamour world, Nirab said, “I went to a friend’s house and was impressed by the photographs of his hanging on the wall. He had done a photoshoot for modeling. It got me interested in doing a portfolio for myself. I managed to collect some money from my mom, brother and sister and did a photoshoot. I started doing ramp modeling. I came in touch with Amitabh Reza Chowudhury, a prominent advertisement and filmmaker in Bangladesh.   He liked me a lot. I am the only person who has done 9 TVCs for him. Whatever I am today is because of him.”  

Nirab won the heart of millions of people by performing in advertisement of Banglalink. “The response was beyond imagination” laughed Nirab. He started getting offers from theatre. In 2009, he signed 5 films and all of them were with Shakib Khan. All of them were super hit. So far 24 films of Nirab have been released. “Some of my memorable roles were in the movies- Mon Jekhane Hridoy Sekhane(Nirab’s first film), Shaheb Name Golam,  Raja Surjo Kha and Guru Bhai. 

Nirob feels technology has brought about a sea change in the quality of films. The Bangladeshi cinema industry is only beginning to explore its potential. “Today the storyline incorporates the use of digital content and visual effects. More digitally enabled movie theatres are needed in Bangladesh” said Nirab.

                                    BANGLASIA - Movie

Excessive amount of entertainment based films being churned out these days. Does the audience prefer mass films over movies with a message? 

“People come to cinemas for entertainment. People in the subcontinent love to live in the realm of fantasy. The middle class audience has been watching and patronizing cinema which reflect the middle class emotion, sentimentalism and nostalgia and a feel-good factor. Commercial films help you to reach a wider audience and doing independent films keeps your artistic side happy. Producers are skeptic about unconventional movies.” said Nirab. Nirab feels that cinema can be a very important tool of regional co-operation and social harmony and welcomes joint production of films if done in a proper way.

0

Spreading Smiles, Breaking Stereotypes

Ismail Roqai Chaoui is 23 years old and is from Morocco. This year he decided to
take a break from university to travel around Asia. Having a very limited budget, he uses hitchhiking for his transportation and that helps him to know more about the culture of the countries he visits. He documents his travelling experiences in his blog I Smile Around TheWorld.

What inspired you to start the blog-I Smile Around The World?

I always loved to travel and discover other countries, other cultures. When I travel, I try to live in the local way. That starts with little things like taking city buses or eating in popular places. I also hitchhike and find local hosts using the website Couchsurfing.

That helps me understand how the locals live and I learn a lot about the culture and the country this way. My blog is a tool I use to share this vision of traveling. I write about what I do, but mostly about the people I meet. I try to break stereotypes. People are more and more scared about others. That fear starts with lack of knowledge of the other cultures. For example when I decided to go to Russia and to Siberia, some of my friends told me : "Are you crazy to go there ! People are very racist in that country; you will not be safe etc..." But I only met very friendly and helpful people there and got one of the biggest support of my trip in Siberia. Some of them even spent their day off helping me get out some bureaucratic issue. Instead of being leery and suspicious, I try to trust in every person I meet and that makes my experience of traveling much richer.

Of all the places you've been, which country have you found to be the most hospitable?

It is hard to choose one country. In every country I have been to, people opened their homes to me and treated me like family. Everyone I have met has been incredible with me especially when I talked to them about my project. They make this question really hard for me... I will pass!

What has been the greatest joy of your journey so far?

My biggest joy was fifteen days after I had a motorbike accident in Vietnam. I had several injuries, broke my left arm and had to wear a plaster cast for six weeks. But the hardest part was that I had to stop hitchhiking because my movements were limited. For me, it meant also I had to abandon one of the purposes of my trip. But after fifteen days, I felt like I could hitchhike again even if that would be a big challenge. So I did, and it worked! It was one of the greatest feelings of my life! I felt like I was reborn again and I almost cried of joy in the truck! Nothing could stop me at that moment! Since that day, I use hitchhiking every time I have to go from a city to another!

What have been the biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge is not to get lazy, always be curious to discover new places, new cultures. Every day is a chance to discover new things and to meet new people with sometimes incredible stories. When I had my motorbike accident in Vietnam, I had to rethink my travel. I had to change all my plans to adapt my journey to my physical condition but keep my objective to always discover more. I also work hard on my blog to share these experiences and conceal it traveling is also one of my biggest challenge.

Was there ever a time you wanted to quit and go home?

I sometimes miss my family and friends of course. But the idea of quitting had never crossed my mind. I am living something I dreamt of for a long time.

Do you agree traveling opens your mind and heart to the world’s challenges?

Of course! The globalization is a reality. The world is getting smaller and smaller. Understanding the different cultures is a start to understanding the challenges of the world today. All my experiences made me realize the importance of strengthening the dialogue between civilizations. Instead of building walls, we should build bridges between people of different communities, religions, and cultures. In that way, we can learn how to live together and face the different challenges the world is facing.

What was the greatest lesson you’ve learned on your travels?

The greatest lesson I have learned on my travels is that from one community to another, there are more similarities than differences. No matter the country, religion, or color of the skin people aspire for the same things, and have the similar joys, sorrows and fears. I learned how to trust people and be more confident about myself.

What advice would you give to young people who are thinking about going travelling, but may be feeling uncertain or intimidated?

Traveling, especially alone, may be intimidating. People can be afraid of the unknown and prefer to stay in their comfort zone. But getting out of this comfort zone has many benefits. It helps to be more confident and do things you would never think possible before. Traveling is the best way to learn about others and about yourself. I learned more in the passenger seat of a car than in any university class I have been to.

20

The Face in the Mirror

Briana Banos graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in English and minors in Anthropology and Mass Communications. She worked as a performer and aerialist with a cruise ship line before she began showing signs of Red Skin Syndrome. Once into her withdrawal, Briana sought to raise awareness about her condition. Through social media, she used her voice and pictures to show others of this extremely traumatic, yet preventable, syndrome.

She has been featured on The Doctors show, as well as accompanied ITSAN (The International Topical Steroid Addiction Network) to Capitol Hill in Sept. 2016 to help build bridges in the dermatology community.

Her biggest hope with Preventable: Protecting Our Largest Organ is to bring awareness to the medical community and patients about Red Skin Syndrome and to spur a reform in how topical steroids are utilized.

 

Tell me about the emotional/psychological impact of red skin?

 

As time goes on with this condition, the emotional pain and destruction is almost worse than the physical pain. In the beginning, we are focused on the physical because it is the most prominent thing, but when the healing is slow or we find friends and family start to doubt the process, or if it takes away our job or a relationship we are in, the loss of identity sets in. You become so anxious with every encounter, you can't look people in the eye, you start to doubt yourself, the hopelessness can set it, and ultimately, your self-confidence is no longer present. And even when you are healed from this, that anxiety doesn't just go away. You are scarred, and there is a fear that may never leave when it comes to steroids. I know for me the thought of needing a future surgery or if I am ever in a life or death situation and am told I need a steroid to survive, I think the first thought in my mind will be the immense suffering that drug has caused me instead of thinking about my life being saved. That, in itself, is what we are robbed of when we are steroid-dependent. This drug will no longer be a comfort to us in times it is truly needed, but a deep-rooted distress. 

 

What would you tell anyone going through a condition that affects their looks?

 

It's never easy to look in the mirror and not recognize the person staring back at you. It's a sadness that you can see in your eyes, like part of you has died. But, you know what? Looks pale in comparison to the remarkable strength you are gaining through this process. And when you are on the other side of this, you not only get your looks back, but you have transformed into an invincible human being who overcame heartbreaking loss and agony. It tore me up inside the day I shaved my head because I allowed my looks to define a part of who I was as a person, and that's ok, but we must realize that we are so much more than our outer beauty. During this time, let your inner beauty shine. Let these dark hours transform you from within. Focus on that aspect instead of the physical and I think you will be a much stronger and more resilient person for it. 

Where did you find support?

 

I found support in the arms of my family, my friends, and the online community. I am very fortunate to have a family that stood by me 100% and that never allowed me to drown in the physical or mental anxieties. They were compassionate and never made me feel ugly or unloved. And yes, I am now divorced from my husband which happened during this difficult healing time, but even he never once made me feel that I was disgusting or gross. As important as it is to have support for the physical aspect of this condition, the mental is just as important. The online community is definitely there for the mental support of this. It's amazing to be connected to thousands of men and woman who know exactly what you are going through. 

Briana Banos with
 Kolkata-based Dr Koushik Lahiri.

Do they know why getting off steroids triggered this reaction?

 

With anyone curious to my health condition, I try my very best to explain why I have Red Skin Syndrome. Since I am a huge advocate, most all of my family and friends know why topical steroids should not be abused or overprescribed. 

What would you tell someone thinking about using steroids for a skin condition?

 

 Steroids are such a strong drug and do not get rid of the cause of why your skin is irritated. Is it a bandaid masking the true problem and, if over used, it can create even more problems that are bigger than the reason you began using them in the first place. If someone really wants to fix their skin, then they need to see a doctor who will take their time and truly invest care into a patient. You could have an allergy problem or a contact allergy to something, could be weather triggered, stress triggered, could be an infection, could be leaky gut... so many things you can test out before rubbing a steroid on the skin. 

 

What do people from the medical or pharmaceutical establishments think about your campaign? Have you come up against resistance?

 

I haven't encountered resistance to any pharmaceutical companies yet since I am still a very small cog in the machine when it comes to spreading awareness. Have I received resistance in general? Oh, yeah. I've had my fair share of mean comments or pushy comments on my YouTube channel. And I'm sure any pharmaceutical company who sells a steroid would combat our stories as much as possible since it would be devastating to their sales, but I'm hoping as time goes on, the public will become more educated and advocate for themselves and stop relying on these types of drugs. Steroids are not the problem, it's the excessive and blanketed way we use them for everything. They were never meant to be utilized in such a fashion. 

  

Do we have alternatives to steroids? What are the pros and cons of those?

 

There are definitely alternatives out in the world other than steroids for our skin problems. Alternative medicine has been coming a long way and integrative medicine is a mix of both worlds. These avenues may take longer than conventional medicine, but they can be safer and better for the body. As of right now, there are other Western drugs as well that are being researched and used on eczema and psoriasis patients instead of steroids. However, they are very new and could also come with dangerous side effects in the long haul. It's up to the discretion of the patient to use these drugs. If someone needs to be able to provide for their family and continue living life, then one of these newer drugs may be a better option for them. 

What we need, in general, is better patient care and more time understanding that each and every human is made differently. One thing will not work for everyone. 

 

 

0

"Miha Rodman: Passion for Truth"..

Miha Rodman, is a leading Slovenian actor, with  major credits on stage. As part of the Prešeren Theatre  Company in Kranj, Miha has toured all over Europe with  theatre shows, winning multiple awards.

He was recently cast as the  main supporting role in the  feature $lm Amre (2018)  directed by Je- Vespa, starring  alongside Abbie Cornish, Sanjar  Madi and Ben Aldridge. Recently he was here to perform  'The Jewish Dog'  directed by Yonatan Esterkin at the Kalindi Bratyajon's sixth International Theatre Festival.

Pic courtesy - http://www.miharodman.com/

What excites you about theatre?

Oscar Wilde said "I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." What excites me is the energy and connection with the audience that happens during a play or performance. The power an actor has, that there in that moment and time, he can effect the audience , change them in a way.

You have acted in several films. Is it easy for you to switch between mediums? What are the advantages and challenges that come with each?

For me acting is acting. No matter if it is infront of a live audience or a camera. You always try to give them the truth. Make them believe. But, when you are on stage I feel an actor has more control over the whole performance. You go from beginning to the end without stopping. And you know exactly what your character is going to go through. While on film, a lot is done in the editing room. Scenes are shot in different timing, so you might shoot the end of the film on your first day of filming, then the beginning and on your last day you shot the middle. So it's harder to keep your characters story in check.

Pic courtesy - http://www.miharodman.com/

As an actor, what kind of opportunity excites you? Is it working with a certain kind of director? Is it a certain kind of screenplay?

I find the most important thing for me is the people involved in the process. If I know the director and co-actors are good and there is a creative energy between us then I know the end product will be something we can be proud of. I always see myself not just as an actor acting in a film or play,  but as  a collaborator working with a team. Always thinking and searching for new ideas how and why to better the project. Sometimes directors won't let you get too involved in the development process and those kind of project I try to stay away from.

What was a great moment for you as an actor?

Last year a got a chance to act in my first Hollywood movie along side a big director and some incredibly talented actors. It was the first time I was in such a big international project and it felt amazing and very creative. The director allowed me to fully take control of my character and there were a lot of things we ended up changing from the original script. I can't tell you more at this moment as it is still in post production. But hopefully it will come out next year and I can't wait to see it. Be on the lookout ... 

One film character you would love to play...

Oh, there are so many brilliant characters written and already played. I don't think I would like to play a character that was already performed by another actor. Then people always compare the two and I hate that. A character always comes from within the actor and of course they are always different. But who is to say which is better? Who is more "right"? Otherwise I would love to portray any character of Quentin Tarantino. I think his characters are just genius and so much fun for an actor.

How challenging was it to play in The Jewish Dog? What do you hope the audience will get out of this play?

The Jewish Dog was a very tough process for me physically and mentally. Firstly, because we only had one month to prepare the play in two languages – Slovenian and English. My director Yonatan Esterkin came from Isreal to do the play and so we only had this small window of time. And secondly because of the enormous amount of text. It is about 40 pages of just text for one language so around 80 pages altogether. I had a different theater premiere just two days before and therefore didn't have any time to prepare before we started. We planned our rehearsals to try to do 4 pages each day. We needed to go through the text and clean it a bit, stage it, develop different characters and accents, work on the emotional journey of my characters and then I would go home and study. We worked eight to ten hours a day, every day, even weekends. And on the final day, on the day of the premiere, we finally got to the end. It was nerve wrecking. But the show was a great success and the audience in Slovenia and abroad seems to love it. I hope it touches the audience and shows them man-kind from a different perspective. A dogs perspective, but it is only a metaphore. A dog does not understand racism, war, etc.. he only sees the world as good or bad. To give food or not to give food, to help or not to help. I wish more people could see the world in that way.

Do you think film training is important for theatre students?

I think any kind of education for actors is necessary. An actor needs to learn different techniques and tools that he can use in his work. I studied at the Slovenian National Academy for Theatre, which focuses mostly on theatre acting. I took it upon myself to get the training needed for film. Applying to different courses and workshops. Film acting is very different from theatre acting, and there are a lot of »tricks« that an actor must know how to use. But someone needs to teach you. Also there are a lot of good books on film acting that students can find online, and a lot of material can be found on YouTube and the internet. You don't need to spend a lot of money for courses. But you must make a plan and study. And enjoy the process with all your heart.

0

Kathak is not only an art, but also a philosophy of life

Nathalie Masson is a Kathak dancer born in Geneva (Switzerland), the city of Calvinus. At a young age she started training in classical dance and modern jazz. After several years trying different dance styles, she realized that her beloved style was Bollywood dance that she practiced for some years.

​

Then, during a Kathak dance workshop in Geneva, she met the dancer who was soon to become her guru, Smt. Sushmita Banerjee, a celebrated Kathak exponent (belonging to the Lucknow Gharana) based in Kolkata, and the sparks flew. Since then she is totally focused on Kathak and she had the incredible opportunity to follow with her guru the traditional way of teaching: guru-shishya paramparā. She currently travels several times a year to Kolkata in order to attend Smt. Sushmita Banerjee’s teaching and to participate in Kathak performances across the country.

She has launched her own association in 2017 (Vidhya - Cultural Association) to promote Indian arts, and she also performs Kathak in Geneva and surroundings in the local scenes with the aim of letting a larger audience discover and appreciate this ancient art.

How familiar were you with Kathak before you started 
learning it?

Being raised in Europe, I was exposed to classical dance such as ballet and modern dance. I had no exposure to Kathak at all. I discovered it when I did my first workshop in Geneva in 2007.

What / who inspired you to take up Kathak?

My guru-ji Sushmita Banerjee inspired me when she taught me my first Kathak items in the first Geneva workshop. She noticed that I was staying back and asked me to come forward upon noticing my expressions in the thumri item. In this workshop I fell in love with this dance and its richness.

What’s the core spirit of Kathak as you feel it?

I feel the spirit of Kathak is dual between the technical (nritta) and expression (nritya) parts, and between tandav (Shiv, masculine) and lasya (Parvati, feminine). The entire art of Kathak is striking a balance between these two energies (as it is believed it happens with the world itself in oriental beliefs such as Taoism).

Learning Kathak is a lot of hard work and requires perseverance. How challenging were your initial days?

In my case the real challenge came when we did our first workshop in the summer of Kolkata. Coming from Geneva in Switzerland the very first hurdle was the weather with extreme temperatures. Of course adaptation to the Bengali culture (language, food, customs) was required (I am happy to report that after almost ten years coming regularly to Kolkata, I have become almost half-Bengali).

Definitely from the perspective of a western artist one of the main challenges is the need for repeated and persistent practice before results start to show: there is really little instant gratification, which is a challenge I guess particularly for the new generations (even in India, I am sure). As the saying goes, the pleasure comes first in drops and then you swim into the ocean.

Any memorable dance performances?

Of course my very first performance in India (Shilparamam in Hyderabad) will always remain special. Not only was it the first performance, but it also turned out to be a solo performance in a quite big amphitheater, which made the challenge all the more daunting and rewarding.

Another performance that will always stay in my memory was one concert we did with my guru-ji in the jail of Calicut. It was extremely humbling to perform before the entire population of the jail (or at least what looked like it!), feeling that through our performance the inmates were getting a glimpse of the light and freedom they were missing.

Finally, my most recent performance in ICCR in May 2017 will also be always memorable, because it allowed me to present my first choreographic work, ‘The 7th sense’. Coming from a performance in Geneva the week before, we had very little time to finish the last details of the choreography with guru-ji, which once more added to the thrills and the satisfaction brought by the performance, particularly taking into account the very good response it elicited from the audience.

What do you think on experiments in Kathak?

I am ok with experiments, as long as they come from experts in the classic Kathak field wishing to push the limits of the expression that the classical form can provide.

However, I feel there is currently a trend for people that are far from proficient in dance to experiment for the sake of the experimenting, with no real goal of enriching the art, but more to create an impression and provide a sort of ‘pop kathak’ (also with commercial goals in mind, probably).

Many wannabe Kathak dancers are influenced by the Kathak performance they see in films, especially Hindi movies. Do you feel that the originality of classical dance forms is getting lost because of the influence of Bollywood and alteration of the conventional patterns?

Unfortunately, a lot of what is shown in movies nowadays is a whittled down version of kathak: actors who are not really proficient with the dance art basically don a glitzy dress and ‘go through the motions’ mimicking the real dance.

I think it used to be better in the past where the real dance items were shown in the movies. We recently watched Jalsaghar from Satyajit Ray including state of the art music and dance numbers that make it worth watching for their sake only. Other examples may be Umrao Jaan (the original), Pakeezaa, Mughal-e-Azam, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, and many others.

On the other hand, attracting the new generation of young people which will become the new dancers is also important. If Bollywood movies allow for some of this young people to get in touch with the dance form (be it a diminished version of it) and get interested in it, I am all for it.

Has Kathak in any manner enriched your life, your personality, your daily living?

Of course it has, in many ways. As any oriental art form, Kathak is not only an art, but also a philosophy of life, which breeds character, self-confidence and a certain way of apprehending the world. After continued practice of kathak for more than ten years now, I can confirm that I have been infused by the philosophy. I personally believe I have become a better person, much more realized, thanks to Kathak.

2

Art and humanity

Nui Yaikabtaa is Director /Coordinator at Yaikabtaa Group. Yaikabtaa Group is founded in 20th October 1993 by a group of youth who interest in education, environment and culture. They use stage performance as a tool to communicate with the community in term of reflecting the change of society through classical and contemporary plays until today. Nui is a social worker and believes “do little good things everyday, it will become great things one day.”

Who/what inspires your work?

Regarding shadow play, Prakrupitaksilpakom is the one who inspires me. If we talk about social works activities and Yai Kab Taa group, I established in 20 October 1993.  We focus on environment, education and culture which we set target on children and youth. I have my friends, senior advisors and networkers who started this works as my inspiration.

Shadow theatre is a traditional, rural form of entertainment. In the big cities, Western forms of media entertainment like movies or television have, for the most part, taken the place of traditional art forms. What are your thoughts?

Personally, I don't worry about that.I believe that people will choose what they want to consume and if they want to keep the traditional ones alive or not.

What is the present scenario of the art community in Thailand?

From my point of view, hence it is normal for some changes and developments, on the other hand there are still people admire traditional art and cultures as we have strong beautiful cultures.

Do you think that an artist has a sort of obligation to society?

Yes indeed. The artists are the connection that link and tell people about social situation in the form of art. Some paintings will send various messages to the audiences. The performances may leave lots messages to audiences even for short moment of the show may lead to better change if that performance means to serve the social.

What kind of social activities are you involved in?

We focus on environment, education and culture.

What are your future plans?

I would like to open alternative shop for friends and make it as a hub for volunteers to share and exchange their social activities and products and use the money they earn for further activities.

I strongly believe that there are still many people in this world interested in voluntary work learning hand in hand with us Yai Kab Taa group.

0