Flamenco India is not something one hears about every day. In fact, it is so uncommon that this writer wondered why she hadn’t ever heard about the origins of Gypsy music. I thought incorrectly, the Romani, otherwise known as Gypsies or Roma (especially in Europe) came from Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia and the like. Nope! It turns out the Romani are an indigenous people of the Indian subcontinent around 1,000 to 1,500 years ago.
Oliver Rajamani, is extremely passionate about his art and the team he assembles which change from season to season. Unique to the multi-lingual performance I witnessed I could easily detect and trace the origins of Flamenco in the Indian Kathak dance. Same hand, arm and feet movements. The difference is in the eyes. The Kathak use their face to exaggerate emotions, almost comic book like whereas in Flamenco dance the dancer’s face is rather stoic. I felt like an explorer mapping out the journey from one country and continent to another, like Columbus.
The annual Hamaro Festival is an innovative musical journey into the Indian roots of Spain’s Romani Flamenco. It is a continuation of culture and music with a common ancient history and Oliver Rajamani’s hybrid creation where Flamenco meets its ancient roots in India while paving new inspiring pathways. Rajamani has been honing his unique interpretations of flamenco and Indian music not found anywhere else. He is one of a few artists in the world who have shed light on the Indian roots of Spain’s flamenco music and dance.
Rajamani’s innovative soul stirring original music adds color, spice and passion to the Texas musical landscape. An Austin,Texas World Music award winner, nominee of the 2008 US Artist Award and the 2014 nominee of the prestigious German music award “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik Oliver Rajamani “BESTENLISTE-Vierteljahrespreis 1/2014 Weltmusik. He has been a featured artist on NPR BBC radio, KLRU PBS and other international radio, TV including Tedx.
Rajamani has toured internationally, recorded and performed with poets and artists including Jeronimo Maya, Gypsy Kings, Willie Nelson, Edie Brickell, L. Shanker, Eric Johnson, Diane Schuur, to name a few.
Labonee Mohanta and Reetu Jain danced at the show. Labonee is the disciple of the late Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das. She began her training at the age of eight and is now a prominent solo artist, regularly performing Kathak concerts to great acclaim throughout the United States, Canada, India, and Europe.
Reetu Jain is of Rajasthani Indian descent. She began training in Indian classical and folk dance at age five including experience in tribal fusion belly dance. As a dancer, choreographer, and producer, she has explored global dance traditions including the Romani traditions through music and movement with international collaboration from deserts of Rajasthan to the Bollywood glamour screen
Building on her deep connection to movement and its expressive power, Reetu is also a dance/movement therapy facilitator and Co-founder & Executive Director of CMTAI.
Accompanying artists included Robert Kazenel on percussion, Steve Husted on Bass
Sameer Kotasthane on Harmonium and vocals, and Anuraag Shah on tabla.
I look forward to next year’s festival. Meanwhile you can visit Oliver’s website here:
Photo by Sean Hopper