The regional events began with toe-tapping beats played by Scouts and Guides band. The Jamat then witnessed several dance and music performances, and were found swaying and humming to their beats. Within minutes, the environment was filled with the native waves of Gujarat folk music as well as show-stopping performances by the young, and not-so-old.
While Rajkot thrilled to the moves of Zumba and Garba, Ahmedabad grooved to the beats of the ‘drum circle’ with people of all ages playing hand-drums in a circle, guided by an instructor with the objective to share the rhythm, to form group consciousness, to entertain and to resonate. Towards the end emerged a new chorus, a collective concoction from the group drumming together. It was a rare sight to see a teeny-weeny eight year-old sitting next to a seventy year old, enjoying the experience and smiling their hearts out. One could tell that day, that age is just a number!
The audience witnessed extraordinary performances such as a contemporary dance presented by a mother daughter duo, a creative monologue presented by a young lad which was a dedicated to his mother, a senior member enticing the Jamat with his melodious voice, as well as a large group of middle-aged individuals gracefully dancing to the beats of the Garba. One young artist, who performed with her mom, said “Jubilee Arts had provided my mother and me, the confidence and strength to step up. My father is extremely proud and we intend to extend our partnership by showcasing our art work at various exhibitions in Surat from now on”.
The ‘Art Gallery’represented transcending of art form beyond the white canvas, smeared with a spectrum of colours. Various art presentations highlighted the different aspects of time, legacy, aspiration and devotion. The expressions of the artists’imagination mingled with different shades the audiences’interpretation. The ‘Artist Lounge’ encouraged several artists to interact and exchange their ideas on familiar subjects in a relaxed setting.
A significant part of the event, the Guest Experience, created an environment for nurturing, igniting and encouraging the artistic and creative interests of our Jamat. Set up outside the auditorium, it aimed at serving not just visual but sensory accessibility too. Workshop stations such as Warli Art, calligraphy, jig-saw (which included art works from the Aga Khan Museum of Toronto), dot painting, graffiti wall, handicrafts and Zumba were designed conceptually and provided the audience with a hands-on experience. The voice of music, laughter, and joy filled the air as the Jamat from all walks of life and age groups were seen making the most of this unique experience.
A senior member in her early 70s, was initially hesitant to try Warli Art, but later revealed with a huge smile, “I am very happy today, this is my first colouring experience, navo anubhav thayo!” A 12 year old calligraphy artist from Bhavnagar shared that this was a totally unique experience that she ever had; she never dreamt that she would get to showcase her skills at such a young age, and get to teach our Jamat as well!
Jubilee Arts has opened up a new avenue for the Jamat to express their creativity through several art forms and has motivated the Jamat to move towards a more sustainable engagement in the field of Art and Culture! It has acted like a cultural melting pot in bringing together a network of established and aspiring Ismaili artists to groom their artistic abilities.
