10th Annual Diwali Festival
Nov 2, 2024
NOV 2, 2024
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
12pm- 2:30pm Family Workshops & Dance Performances
2:30pm-4pm Dance Party with DJ Rekha
Indian Food for sale throughout the day
In-Person Tickets:
$20 adults/$15 member adults/all children FREE
Flushing Town Hall is proud to present the 10th Annual Diwali Festival
Celebrate Diwali with this all-ages festival and dance party, featuring DJ Rekha and Kathak classical dancer Abha Roy, Srijan Dance Company with special guest dance troupe ADDA and Dr. Santa R. Nandi! With family friendly workshops, including: block printing with Alka Mukerji, rangoli making with Joshua Roychowdhury, Indian cooking with Chef Nupur and Queens Curry Kitchen, as well as henna by Bella Beauty, Hindi calligraphy and more.
Our afternoon begins with family friendly workshops, and the dance drama Navadurga choreographed by Abha Roy and performed by Abha Roy, Srijan Dance Company and Dr. Santa R. Nandi. This piece portrays aspects of the Durga, goddess & protective mother, who is also referred to as Navadurga in Hindu mythology. The aspects of the divine feminine, such as innocence, love, compassion, righteous anger, chaos, sensuality and spirituality are portrayed through different forms of the goddess. Now that you are inspired, it’s time for you to hit the dance floor with DJ Rekha and continue the celebration.
Artist Bios:
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Abha Roy, the artistic director of Srijan Dance Center and master teaching artist, has led the Flushing Town Hall Annual Diwali Festival since its beginnings. A master of Kathak dance, she studied under the guidance of late great Guru Kundan Lal Gangani and attained professional precision under the training of Pt. Durgalal when she completed her specialization in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. She represented the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and has taught and performed in South America, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. She has also performed throughout Europe and venues such as Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Museum, NYC Cultural Festival, and many more.
Born in London and raised in Flushing, DJ Rekha is a musician, educator, curator, and activist. Rekha wants to get people dancing, which they’ll do at a Flushing Town Hall’s celebration for Diwali. Named the “Ambassador of Bhangra” by the NY Times, Rekha founded and led the Basement Bhangra dance party for twenty years. Rekha also worked as the sound designer and producer of the TONY award-winning Broadway show “Bridge and Tunnel”, and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for their work on the play “Rafta Rafta”.
Nupur Arora, owner of Queens Curry Kitchen. Fashion designer-turned chef, Nupur started Queens Curry Kitchen as a way to explore her creative endeavors with food and a diverse palette. What started as a hobby soon became hugely popular amongst Indian students of a prestigious New York university who loved her home-style food that reminded them of food made by their moms. Today Chef Arora is the author of a book, “The Vegan Indian Home,” with many others in the works, but continues to share her flavors with her food through catering and events, and weekly meal delivery service, all from her Queens Curry Kitchen.
This program is generously sponsored by the Guru Krupa Foundation.
NOV 2, 2024
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
12pm- 2:30pm Family Workshops & Dance Performances
2:30pm-4pm Dance Party with DJ Rekha
Indian Food for sale throughout the day
In-Person Tickets:
$20 adults/$15 member adults/all children FREE
Flushing Town Hall is proud to present the 10th Annual Diwali Festival
Celebrate Diwali with this all-ages festival and dance party, featuring DJ Rekha and Kathak classical dancer Abha Roy, Srijan Dance Company with special guest dance troupe ADDA and Dr. Santa R. Nandi! With family friendly workshops, including: block printing with Alka Mukerji, rangoli making with Joshua Roychowdhury, Indian cooking with Chef Nupur and Queens Curry Kitchen, as well as henna by Bella Beauty, Hindi calligraphy and more.
Our afternoon begins with family friendly workshops, and the dance drama Navadurga choreographed by Abha Roy and performed by Abha Roy, Srijan Dance Company and Dr. Santa R. Nandi. This piece portrays aspects of the Durga, goddess & protective mother, who is also referred to as Navadurga in Hindu mythology. The aspects of the divine feminine, such as innocence, love, compassion, righteous anger, chaos, sensuality and spirituality are portrayed through different forms of the goddess. Now that you are inspired, it’s time for you to hit the dance floor with DJ Rekha and continue the celebration.
Artist Bios:
Abha Roy, the artistic director of Srijan Dance Center and master teaching artist, has led the Flushing Town Hall Annual Diwali Festival since its beginnings. A master of Kathak dance, she studied under the guidance of late great Guru Kundan Lal Gangani and attained professional precision under the training of Pt. Durgalal when she completed her specialization in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. She represented the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and has taught and performed in South America, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. She has also performed throughout Europe and venues such as Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Museum, NYC Cultural Festival, and many more.
Born in London and raised in Flushing, DJ Rekha is a musician, educator, curator, and activist. Rekha wants to get people dancing, which they’ll do at a Flushing Town Hall’s celebration for Diwali. Named the “Ambassador of Bhangra” by the NY Times, Rekha founded and led the Basement Bhangra dance party for twenty years. Rekha also worked as the sound designer and producer of the TONY award-winning Broadway show “Bridge and Tunnel”, and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for their work on the play “Rafta Rafta”.
Nupur Arora, owner of Queens Curry Kitchen. Fashion designer-turned chef, Nupur started Queens Curry Kitchen as a way to explore her creative endeavors with food and a diverse palette. What started as a hobby soon became hugely popular amongst Indian students of a prestigious New York university who loved her home-style food that reminded them of food made by their moms. Today Chef Arora is the author of a book, “The Vegan Indian Home,” with many others in the works, but continues to share her flavors with her food through catering and events, and weekly meal delivery service, all from her Queens Curry Kitchen.
This program is generously sponsored by the Guru Krupa Foundation.
