The Last Dance Ballet

NOV 7

7:30 PM

The Annex

The Naadaleela Ensemble blends Persian, Indian, Chinese, and North American musical traditions. They feature diverse talents and create a unique fusion that celebrates centuries of cultural exchange, offering an unforgettable musical experience.

In this performance, you will experience the premiere of "The Last Dance Ballet" by Amir Eslami, based on a story about the prohibition of dance in Iran, plus several more pieces by other composers in the ensemble.

The event credits feature a diverse and talented ensemble of artists, each contributing unique skills and cultural backgrounds to create a rich and captivating performance.

The ensemble includes Curtis Andrews (mridangam/kanjira/composer), Jonathan Bernard (percussion), Jared Burrows (guitar/composer), Amir Eslami (ney/composer) from Iran, Dailin Hsieh (zheng) from Taiwan, Lan Tung (erhu/voice/composer) from Taiwan, and Vidyasagar Vankayala (voice/composer) from India. Adding a visual dimension to their performances is Fereshteh Zakery, an Iranian dancer. Their combined talents ensure a culturally diverse and enriching performance.

Curtis Andrews

Curtis is a Canadian musician with global persuasion. As percussionist/composer, he creates music that is informed by decades of experience with world music traditions yet transcends most categories. His personal musical journeys over the years have extended to villages and metropolises of Ghana, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and he has developed a deep knowledge of the history and performance of
music from these areas. His mentors include (the late) Don Wherry, Humegbeda Kwasi Dunyo, and Trichy Sankaran, of whom he is a senior disciple. He has released two albums of critically acclaimed
original world-jazz music with his ensemble The Offering of Curtis Andrews, plays mbira, drums, and marimba with Zimbabwean groups Zhambai Trio and Zimbamoto, explores South Indian classical
Carnatic music with vocalist Vidyasagar Vankayala regularly collaborates with local Bharatanatyam performers and regularly collaborates with various world music and jazz musicians in and around Vancouver, BC. Curtis holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology and is currently an SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-2022)

Vidyasagar Vankayala

Vidyasagar hails from a family of esteemed musicians, as his father and elder brother are noted mridangam masters in India. Steeped in Carnatic music since age 6, Vidyasagar continued his vocal training for 15 years in a very formal, rigorous and highly demanding learning system.
He won the gold medal for Carnatic vocal music for three consecutive years in the Inter-Collegiate music festivals. He is also the recipient of the gold medal from Visakha Music Academy. He has also learnt Hindusthani and Drupad music in Bombay, India. Since moving to Vancouver in
1996, Vidyasagar has been active in promoting Carnatic music in the lower mainland.
He is the founder and president of Vancouver SaPaSa, a non-profit society promoting Carnatic Music and Dance. He is the artistic director of Sangeetamaruti Arts Academy, a school for teaching Carnatic music and dance. Vidyasagar has given many concerts in Canada, the US and India. He has performed for the Vancouver Sacred Music Festival, Victoria Sacred Music Festival, and Caravan.
World Rhythms Showcase, Ragamala and Vancouver celebrate Diwali festivals. He is a sought-after teacher with over 20 students and collaborators working with him on Carnatic Music. Inspired by the emotive features of Bharata Natyam, Vidyasagar has worked with many eminent Bharata Natyam dancers to present unique views of Carnatic music combined with dance and expression.

Jonathan Bernard

Jonathan combines his Western percussion background with a fascination for Asian traditions to create a unique sound palette incorporating various instruments, techniques, and styles.
Active in genres from orchestral music to New Music and world music, he has premiered over one hundred works with ensembles such as Vancouver New Music, Orchid Ensemble, The Fringe Group, Four Gallon Drum, Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra, and Sound of Dragon Ensemble.
Jonathan, the principal percussionist with the Vancouver Island Symphony, has performed with numerous orchestras, including Vancouver, Victoria, National Ballet, and CBC Radio Orchestra.
Jonathan studied at the University of Ottawa and the University of British Columbia. His interest in World Music has led him to explore traditional and contemporary Chinese percussion in Beijing, Arabic percussion in Cairo, Carnatic rhythm in South India, and flamenco music in Spain. Jonathan has toured throughout North America, Europe, and Japan.

Amir Eslami

Amir Eslami Mirabadi was born in Esfahan, Iran, in 1971 and has played the ney since 1987. He studied at the Tehran University of Art, receiving a BA in music in 1996 and an MA in music composition in 2002. He later served as a faculty member at the university, including as
Head of the Iranian Music Department and Dean of Administration for the Music Faculty. He has won multiple Iranian and international music composition prizes (Italy, Australia and Netherlands). He has released four music albums as a composer and more than ten music albums as a Persian Ney (Persian Traditional Flute) player. His pieces have been performed in Iran, Italy, Australia, the US, and the Netherlands. Amir recently published "Montazem Al-Hokama's Radif" (The oldest Persian music repertoire) by Art University in Tehran. Since moving to Vancouver in 2015, he has established a record label (Rumi Records) and founded the Iranian Music Society of BC and the Vancouver Iranian Choir.

Jared Burrows

Jared Burrows is a guitarist and composer in Vancouver, BC, Canada. His music draws on jazz, free improvisation, and the traditional music of many cultures. He leads the Jared Burrows Quartet and Sextet, the Vancouver Improviser’s Orchestra, and is involved with many other ensembles in the Vancouver area, including Naadaleela Ensemble, Thunder Lizard,
Dave Robbins’ Electric Band, Brad Muirhead 4, Colin MacDonald’s Pocket Orchestra, Les Djangophiles, Len Aruliah Quintet, Michael Vlatkovich Quintet, Burrows/Houle/Sorbara, Reliable Parts, and the Offering of Curtis Andrews.
Recent performance highlights include concerts and recordings with saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh,
mridangam maestro, Trichy Sankaran, and legendary Los Angeles reed player, Vinny Golia. Jared also has a parallel career as a teacher and academic. He has taught at Capilano University since 2008 and previously taught at SFU, Douglas College, and the University of Oregon.
Jared holds a Ph.D. in Arts Education, and his academic writing has been published by Oxford University Press and in various peer-reviewed journals.

Lan Tung

Lan’s music often experiments with contradictions by taking culturally specific materials outside their context. Her works embody the rhythmic intricacy of Indian influence, the sense of breath from Chinese tradition, and years of experience interpreting contemporary compositions. Incorporating improvisation and graphic notations, Lan’s compositions are
released on numerous CDs, winning multiple nominations. Lan is the artistic director of the Sound of Dragon Society, Orchid Ensemble, and Proliferasian. Originally from Taiwan, she has studied graphic score with Barry Guy, improvisation with Mary Oliver, Hindustani music with Kala
Ramnath, Uyghur music with Abdukerim Osman, Mongolian horsehead fiddle with Bayar, and her studies of Chinese music from a young age. Lan has appeared as a soloist with Orchestre Metropolitain (Montreal), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia,
Turning Point Ensemble (Vancouver), Upstream Ensemble (Halifax), Atlas Ensemble (Amsterdam & Helsinki), Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra, and Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taipei)

Dailin Hsieh

Dailin graduated from Taiwan’s National Tainan University of the Arts and received a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from the National Normal University. Aside from receiving numerous awards for her artistry, she has premiered numerous groundbreaking works by Taiwanese and
Canadian composers to critical acclaim. The founder of Taiwan’s Augmented Sixth Ensemble, Dailin has performed as a soloist with the Turning Point Ensemble, Allegra Chamber Orchestra, Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taiwan & European/China/Canada tours), and the
Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra. Dailin is a JUNO-nominated Orchid Ensemble, BC Chinese Ensemble, and the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra member.

Fereshteh Zakeri

Fame Art Group, founded by Fereshteh Zakery and initially established in 2014 when Fereshteh and her husband, Navid, immigrated to Canada, has a rich history of uniting communities through the captivating medium of Dance. Fereshteh's journey into Dance began at the age of four with gymnasts, which she pursued for a decade. After a significant knee injury, her teenage years led her to discover her passion for Dance. Alongside her impressive credentials as an energetic, physically fit, and confident dance instructor, choreographer, and performer, Fereshteh is also a certified yoga instructor, further enhancing her ability to promote physical and mental well-being. This holistic approach aligns perfectly with her mission to foster community unity and self-expression.

Fereshteh's experience extends to various dance styles, including Iranian Folklore (Azerbaijani and Kurdish), Adult Ballet, Persian Modern Dance, and SAMA (Iranian classical and Sufi dance). She has developed a unique style that seamlessly blends Iranian dance moves with the spiritual essence of Sama, incorporating Iranian poetry, traditional instruments, and symbolic aƫre. Her unwavering dedication to achieving the highest standards in all curriculum key stages is reflected in her role as a board member of the Evergreen Cultural Center and her continued service on the Multiculturalism Advisory Committee in the City of Coquitlam for three consecutive terms. At Fame Art Dance Productions, we view Dance as a vital means of fostering unity and communication, akin to spoken language. We are a creative hub for professional Persian Dance productions, offering a captivating collection of shows that can elevate any festival or event. Iranian Dances encompass various styles deeply rooted in Iran's diverse cultures and languages, from refined court dances to spirited folk traditions. Iran's population includes a mosaic of ethnicities, including Kurds, Azerbaijani, and various tribal groups, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Iranian Dance.

One of our signature creations at Fame Art Group is the fusion of traditional Iranian Dance with the profound essence of Sama. Sama, a Sufi ceremony meaning "listening," is a transformative experience
incorporating singing, musical performances, Dance, poetry recitaƟon, and symbolic rituals. Sama holds a special place in Sufi worship, representing a spiritual journey of ascension, love, and self-
realizaton. As the practitioner turns towards the truth, shedding their ego along the way, they attain a profound level of perfection and return from this journey as an enlightened individual. Beyond her deep
commitment to the arts, Fereshteh boasts over 15 years of experience in the Energy and Environment sectors. Her impressive academic background includes master's degrees in Energy and Environment
She is Engineering from Iran and Canada and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Sustainable Energy Management. Fereshteh excels as an Energy Specialist, combining her passion for Dance, yoga, and environmental sustainability while continuing to inspire individuals on their unique journeys toward physical and spiritual well-being.

Ashvini Sundaram

Ashvini Sundaram (BSc, MFA) is a Singaporean-Canadian dance artist. She received Bharatanatyam training under the multi-award-winning dance artist Rama Vaidyanathan.
Ashvini’s work addresses topics related to ancestral knowledge systems and diasporic identity. Her choreographic research “Art of Time” examines " cyclical time&quot, as seen in the Indian classical music system, to transcend normative framings of time, body, and presence as seen in Western scholarship and dance writing. In Dec 2022, Ashvini was selected for the Dance Artists in Residence program at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to examine how tradition lives in the body and what embodied relationships exist to land ancestry and togetherness.

Chengxin Wei

Chengxin Wei, A native of Dalian, China, Chengxin graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy in 1997, where he studied classical Chinese dance for eleven years and received his BFA degree. He subsequently worked for three years as principal dancer of the Guangdong Provincial Dance Theatre. Upon immigrating to Vancouver, BC, in 2000, Chengxin appeared with numerous dance companies, including Company Erasga, EDAM, Joe Ink, and Judith Marcuse Projects. Hailed as a “powerhouse performer” (Georgia Straight), Chengxin also danced with Ballet British Columbia for six seasons, where he appeared in works by John Alleyne, Agnes De Mille, Dominique Dumais, Nicolo Fonte, Mark Godden, James Kudelka, Jiri Kylian, Lar Lubovitch, Wade Madsen, Bebe Miller, Alwin Nikolais, Crystal Pite, Oskar Schlemmer, Danial Shapiro, Joanie Smith, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, and Peter Wyss, among others.

In 2004, Chengxin co-founded Moving Dragon, a contemporary dance company focusing on cross-cultural fusion between Eastern and Western dance styles. Moving Dragon has performed in venues across Canada, including the National Arts Centre (Ottawa), the CanAsian Dance Festival (Toronto), the InFrinGinG Dance Festival (Nanaimo), and CorresponDANSE (Quebec City). Chengxin received the Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award and the David Leighton Arts Fellowship Award, administered by the National Arts Center of Canada. He holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington, Seattle and worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at Ohio University for two years, where he taught Modern, Ballet and Dance Composition. He is also teaching Advanced Modern at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.