Madhuban Performing Arts Society started in 2016 with just four dancers — look at it now.
The company of volunteer performers, artists, and instructors has grown to over 40 fold and it’s show, ‘Katha,’ debuting on Sept. 28 at The Grand, sold out over two weeks before the curtain rises.
Founder and artistic director Ishita Singla says while the mandate of the company is to showcase, share and develop South Asian art, it’s not limited by that jumping off point.
Singla explains Bollywood itself is a marriage of so many different folk forms and styles.
” A lot of people typecast it into something it is actually not,” she said.
Singla adds Madhuban is not limited to just people of South Asian heritage.
“We have a good mix now that I am really proud of,” she said. “I think that is the point of integration we were trying to reach.”
She says the society would like to see South Asian art more broadly in Calgary,
“So it’s just seen as art, it’s not seen as Bollywood, or South Asian, or ethnic, it is just seen as art,” Singla said.
She invites Calgarians to experience the world of South Asian performance art, saying it is authentic, local, inclusive and integrative art. Singla says performances are both in English and in ethnic languages.
Calgarians may have seen Mudhaban around — the artists have been performing at open mics, festivals, community events and holding workshops for years. It has even been featured at sporting events, like the half time show for the Calgary Surge.
The sold out show, ‘Katha,’ is a combination of all the society’s artists and disciplines into what Singla calls the Bollywood Cirque Du Soleil. It’s the second time the society has put on a show like this, so the sell out is very welcome news as the group continues to grow exponentially.
Singla dreams one day of putting a show on tour.
“I want to do what New York Broadway has done for some of these Bollywood shows, I want to bring that to Canada,” she said.
More information about Machuban Performing Arts Society at can be found at madhubanperformingarts.com