SAIIER 2014:CRIPA

Aurohamsadhwani Arts Centre		Auroville Choirs
CRIPA

“To become ourselves is the one thing to be done; but the true ourselves is that which is within us, and to exceed our outer self of body, life and mind is the condition for this highest being, which is our true and divine being, to become self-revealed and active.”

Sri Aurobindo

Multi-purpose rehearsal space

The First Phase of the Performing Arts Centre project is a large-scale rehearsal space called Entity::CRIPA, designed by architect David Nightingale and Ganesh Bala, and acoustically by Didier Weiss (Sound Wizard) and practically in order to benefit all the disciplines. The initial parameters include a wooden, sprung floor, 22x13.5x6 metres, with variable acoustic treatment, a dressing room, storage rooms of various sizes, male/female toilet and shower, and both an internal and external entrance lobby. There is also a 20m long dance mirror and overhead light grid with theatrical lighting installed.

The larger Performing Arts Centre project, (Rehearsal Space is the first phase), an educational project under SAIIER, aims to provide a range of performance spaces, including a theatre, a music auditorium, a ballet and contemporary dance space, a classical-Indian dance space and an open-air performance space.

Activities of the year

CRIPA has been used extensively since its opening in 2010 by Auroville artists as well as guest artists and teachers for performing arts classes, workshops, rehearsals, festivals and performances. We were very happy to receive a donation of a new grand piano for CRIPA! It is already well booked. Some of the more recent activities of CRIPA include:

Classes and ongoing activities:

• Flamenco Dance
• Ballet for Children
• Auroville Adult Choir
• Auroville Youth Choir
• Auroville Theatre Group
• Russian Bells
• Belly Dance
• Awareness Through the Body
• Piano Practice

Special events:

• International dance retreat, August, 2013 with Swapnil Dagliya and others
• Holi Tango Festival, March 2014
• Namami: An Offering of Songs to the Mother by Nandita-di’s students, March 2014

Performances:

• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, performed by the Auroville Theatre Group, April 2014
• The Little Wanderer: A Crooked Tale with Red Shoes, a collaborative performance with Canadian artist Kaeridwyn Eftelya, April 2014
• Auroville Youth Choir with conductor Nuria Casanova, April 2014
• Seraphita, an adaptation of Balzac’s novel (in French) by Ouriel Zohar and Barbara Heman, February 2014
• Hartmut Van Lieres piano concert, February 2014
• Sylvia Hewig-Troescher piano recital, February 2014
• Live Music: Catalan-Spanish songs performed by Nuria, Matt, Martin, Mishiko and Rahul, January 2014
• The Vanaver Caravan’s (U.S.A.) Earthbeat, with Bill and Livia Vanaver, January 2014
• Three Dances in One Evening, with Grace Gitadelila, Savithri Maya, Irene Sposetti and Johan Nilsson, February 2013

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