Rhythm Rewritten
Festival Accès Asie is pleased to present its International component in collaboration with the Kabir Center, Rhythm Rewritten, a performance by the artists Seema Mehta and Jason Samuels Smith.
Description
Rhythm Rewritten is an Indo-American collaboration with tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith, an Emmy Award-winning New York artist, and Seema Mehta, a Kathak dancer based in Mumbai.
This dynamic, improvisational show links two cultures, two traditions, and two artists who communicate through their powerful footwork, accompanied by talented musicians, Ian de Souza from Toronto, Satyaprakash Mishra from Mumbai, Debashish Sarkar and Jayanta Banerjee from Calcutta and Theo Hill from New York.
On Sunday, May 19th, Mehta and Smith will be pleased to share their art and knowledge with all who are fascinated by the collaboration of Kathak and tap dance.
Medias
Seema Mehta
A fine artist, Seema Mehta graduated from the San Francisco Academy of Art University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree specializing in painting and sculpture. Since 2000, she has been practising kathak with Pandit Chitresh Das. Her lineage goes back to the great gurus of Lucknow and the gharanas of Jaipur. Seema’s style establishes an admirable balance between the subtle and graceful yet powerful, especially in her footwork. Seema practices Kathak Yoga, sings and plays harmonium. Director of Chhandam Nritya Bharati School (Mumbai and Calcutta), she teaches more than 100 students. Beyond the traditional perception of dance, Seema’s vision is to touch lives through her art.
Jason Samuels Smith
Artiste talentueux dans l’art des claquettes, Jason Samuels Smith a notamment reçu un Emmy Award, un Dance Magazine Award, un American Choreography Award et un Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award. Jason est le directeur fondateur du LA Tap Festival et des Tap
Family Reunion à New York. On le retrouve au cinéma et à la télévision dans Black Nativity, la série télévisée Psych, Secret Talents of the Stars (MYA), So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with The Stars, UPAJ:Improvise, Tap Heat de Dean Hargrove, Idlewild de Outkast
Jason Samuels Smith, is a dedicated champion of the Art form of Tap Dance. He is the recipient of an Emmy, Dance Magazine Award, American Choreography Award and Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award among others. Jason is the founding director of the annual LA Tap Festival and Tap Family Reunion in NYC. Choreography and film credits include Black Nativity, Hit TV series Psych, Secret Talents of the Stars (MYA), So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with The Stars, UPAJ:Improvise, Dean Hargrove’s Tap Heat, Outkast’s Idlewild, and Debbie Allen’s Cool Women. Stage Credits include Soul Possessed, Broadway’s Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk, and Imagine Tap! in addition to his own projects and successful touring company. He founded the Tap programs at Debbie Allen Dance Academy and The National Museum of Dance and also developed a professional tap shoe. Using his art for social justice, he supports organizations including Groove With Me, AHF, Tied To Greatness, amfAR, The Actors Fund, and Broadway Cares/DRA to name a few. Jason promotes respect for the art form and creates opportunities for upcoming generations as he continues to travel as an ambassador for tap around the world.
With
Seema Mehta – Dancer and choreographer
Jason Samuels Smith – Dancer and choreographer
