Africa Is a Rhythm House of the World
BY: SUN STAFF
Dec 27, SOUTH AFRICA (SUN) — Dr Vinod Hasal trains South African children in the Indian classical dance form, Kathak. Not only does he dance, he also makes others dance to his tunes, training fortunate South African children in the classical dance form, Kathak.
Dr Hasal is the founder of the Radha Krishna Academy of Dance and Music in Kengray, South Africa. He has dedicated his life to promoting Indian classical dance around the world.
Eighth in the line of a family of dancers from the Jaipur gharana, Hasal contends that "Africa is a rhythm house of the world, music is in their blood." Invited on a six-month scholarship to South Africa by ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), those six months turned into 15 years.
"Kathak is a Krishna conscious dance, it's all about the life of Krishna. The dance intrigues me and I decided to take Kathak to South Africa just as Ravi Shankar took sitar to America," says Hasal.
According to Hasal's website, "The original goal of the Radha Krishna Academy were to exchange ideas within the Indian dance sector, to give this art form a public profile and to make the Classical Indian dance discipline accessible to a wider audience. Dr. Vinod Hasal has from the very beginning pursued his vision of integrating Classical Kathak and Indian Folk dances with other indigenous South African dance forms. The Academy works to reflect a profound sensitivity, respect, understanding and knowledge of the cultures they engage with through dance."
