Parliament of Worlds Religion 1999 Capetown SA

Author(s): Parliament of the World’s Religions
Publisher: USA Parliament of the Worlds Religions

Page 42

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9 9 9 PARLIA MENT OF
PERFOR MANCES
ACCE
TEPPERERIKANars
SUNDAY, 5 DECEMBER
10:00-10:30 A.M.
South Africa in Music and Drama
Mina Nawe Drama Group
Their performance portrays a history of conflict and peace in South Africa through drama and music. Their goal is for the audience to connect with their South African heritage.
Mina Nawe Drama Group performs a number of productions that focus on the story of South Africa and they encourage the audience to take responsibility for changing the future of the country. The group works alongside the Institute for Healing of Memories and plays a crucial role in the beginning of the workshops.
11:00-12:00 NOON
Sharing Spiritual Traditions From Japan
Shinji Shumeikai Shumei Taiko Ensemble
The Ensemble will perform traditional selections, using the famous Japanese taiko drums. The performers represent Shinji Shumeikai, a Japanese spiritual organization attending the Parliament with over 150 members!
The Shumei Taiko Ensemble performers and staff have performed at the Lincoln Center, the United Nations in New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Europe, and Japan.
12:00-2:00 P.M.
2:00-2:45 P.M.
The Red Dazzlers
Phillip Dlabantu and Group
The Red Dazzlers are an African group of 6 members specialising in Scatamiya music. Having originally come from Hanover and Colesburg, they now all reside in Somerset West and Strand (Lwandle Township). Their concert programmes are a combination of Gospel and Traditional music with lots of colour, movement, rhythm, exuberance and humour. They sing in the Acapella style.
Mr Philip Dlabantu, the dynamic lead singer, composer and founder of the group, says of the music they sing: "Our music is called Scatamiya Music. It started in the mines, practised by men who had left their families to work in the gold and diamond mines, men alone in strange places... yearning for home. Scatamiya Music incorporates a kind of dance by walking on ones toes, softly and touch the floor while they are singing."
BREAK
3:00-4:00 P.M.
Sounds of District Six
Moravian Church Brass Band and Choir
Traditional music of District Six, performed by a 30-piece brass band and an 30-voice choir.
4:00-4:45 P.M.
In Love... Will Our Tolerance Be Found
Sarita Stern
This performance uses music to create a meditative atmosphere for the audience. The music during the performance will primarily consist of voice solos and a string quintet.
THE WORLD'S
RELIGIONS
Ms. Sarita Stern is a mezzo soprano, a voice teacher, an opera singer and a concert lecturer. The composer and arranger is Christian Vander Vyuer. who also an arranger of sufi songs for the string quintet.
MONDAY, 6 DECEMBER 10:00-10:30 A.M.
Dance For Peace
Deborah Testa Bennett
Deborah Testa Bennett's South African Dance Troupe, composed of sixteen youths from various ethnic religious backgrounds, will present a fifteen minute program of dance and meditation that will include a prayer for peace. Led by the children, the program will conclude with the entire congregation sitting in silent meditation for three minutes. The dance theme is drinking spiritual nectar together, at the level of soul we are all one.
Deborah Testa Bennett was born in South Africa and began dance training at age three in Johannesburg. She received her BA from University of Natal, Durban, South Africa in 1980. Ms. Bennett started teaching at Fairview Academy at sixteen. In 1982, she opened her own ballet School in Soweto. Later, she moved to America and opened her own ballet school in New Jersey. In 1994, the dance company she founded performed at the Conference on World Religions in Queens. New York. Currently, she teaches at M&S Studio of the Performing Arts. Fredericksburg, Maryland.
10:00-11:30 A.M.
Dance the Cosmic Way
Dada Madhusudan
This performance will feature Kaoshiki, a dance is based on an ancient yogin dance developed by Sadashiva's companion, Parvati. Kaoshiki refers to the sanskrit term kos'as, which means "layers of mind". Through repeating the steps in this dance, various layers of the mind are opened up until the subtlest layers are discovered. It will also feature Tandava, which is also an ancient yogi dance developed by Sadashiva himself. This dance is danced by males only. Traditionally, this tantric dance is performed in the cremation ground/cemetery with a skull placed in the left hand and a dagger in the right. The skull represents death/staticity and the dagger represents the overcoming of death/staticity through a pactless fight. The dance is a celebration of death as life.
Dada Madhusudan is a full-time teacher of Ananda Marga Yoga and meditation.
12:00-2:00 P.M.
2:00-2:30 P.M. Traditional Jain Raas The Jains
In traditional attire, Jain women will perform the stick dance of Gujarat called the Raas. The striking of sticks complements the prerecorded music which will be played in the background at the time of performance. The Jain women perform this dance with tremendous grace and rhythm.
BREAK
Presenters are Mrs. N. Shah, Mrs. Sudha Kapashi, Mrs. Sonali Mehta, Mrs. Meena Chandaria, Mrs. Usha Shah, Mrs. Ila Mehta, Mrs. Mina Mehta, Mrs. Kumud Chandaria and others.
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