Prita Chhabra to Perform in Milton, Ft. Lauderdale

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Fresh off a live performance on CBS Tampa's morning talk show "Studio 10" in Florida, recording artist Prita Chhabra will be back in Canada to perform at Milton's Low Key Fest on August 27th at Karlovac Park.

Prita will then return to Florida to perform at Florida's biggest annual South Asian festival, IndoPak Fest, taking place September 18 at Ft. Lauderdale beach.
Prita was also recently chosen "artist of the day" by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, and was interviewed for “The Ron Seggi Show” at Universal Studios in Orlando. Known as the “Tonight Show” of radio with over 15,000 celebrity interviews to date, “The Ron Seggi Show” broadcasts to over 1,100 radio stations around the world, including Armed Forces Radio.

Pic by Projected Life Photography

Trip to the CN Tower - A Story by Anisha Vatti

Anisha Vatti

Anisha is a 9 year old

 up  coming, young &

bright story writer.

She lives in Mississauga

with her parents 

and is a Grade 4 student.

She is also a student of

creative writing program

at LEARNA HEARTLAND

EDUCATION CENTRE

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Jack burst through Annabelle’s room.  Jack is a 7 year old who’s full of energy and very enthusiastic who has an eighteen year old sister named Annabelle.  Annabelle was sitting on her bed putting on nail polish.  “Lets go” Jack shouted from downstairs.  “To where?” she asked.  “Mom agreed for us to go to the CN tower, come on” Jack said.  “Wait” said Annabelle, she grabbed a pair of shoes and ran out to the car bare feet.  It’s time you got here”, Jack said.  “I came as fast as I could, now don’t touch my toes they’re drying.  “Fine” said Jack as soon as the car started.  Soon they were on their way.  “Where are we going again?” asked Annabelle.  “To the CN tower, duh” replied Jack. 

When they got there the two rushed to the ticket center.  There was a very short line for tickets so they quickly got them and went upstairs but it was almost closing time.  “Woah” said Jack “look at the view”.  “I’ll be in the bathroom putting on makeup if you need me” said Annabelle.  The two were paying so much attention on what they were doing, they didn’t hear the announcement that the CN tower was closing down in 5 minutes for summer break.  When Annabelle came out everybody was gone.  “Jack look” said Annabelle “nobody is here”.  “Now look at what you got us into’’ said Jack.  “It’s all your fault, you were looking at the window and not paying attention to what’s happening” said Annabelle.  And before they knew it they were in a fight. 

At the end of the fight Annabelle started to chase Jack.  They ended up in the little corridor when Jack said “na na na boo boo, ouch” and he fell down and broke his arm.  “Ow” he said “it hurts.  “Don’t worry, I know how to fix your arm but you will have to repay me” said Annabelle.  “Anything, it hurts” said Jack.  She put a bandage on his arm from the first aid kit right beside the fire hose.  When Annabelle was finished Jack said” Lets jump out the window”.  “Are you crazy?  That will ruin my makeup.  You are just so annoying” she said.  “I will get us out of hear” he coaxed.  “Fine” she said.  Jack found a hammer and smashed the window.  “Let’s go” he said.  “No” said Annabelle.  Meanwhile their parents were getting worried.  They called a security guard to come look for them.  Then they got hold of them and waited for their parents to come pick them up.  When they came their mom said “Oh my babys are you okay?” and hugged them so tight they couldn’t breath.  Then they hopped in the car and drove home together.        

GRAND EVENING WITH ABHAY DEOL at Tandoori Flame. M!M!M! ROCKS TORONTO

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-

Sampradaya after TAJ

Artistic Director Lata Pada in Conversation with Celebrity Cultural Critic Samita Nandy for StarBuzz

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-

The word ‘Sampradaya,’ for Artistic Director Lata Pada, represents the transmission of tradition.  Commissioned by Luminato for 2011 festival TAJ showcased Sampradaya Dance Creations’ distinct voice in Canada’s performing arts.

Lata Pada contends that the four sold out performances highlight the potential of this production to tour beyond its world premiere in Toronto in June 2011 at the Fleck Theatre of the Harbourfront Centre. A premiere is an opportunity to get the work ‘ on its feet’; preparing it for a remount is a wonderful chance to revisit the production, find deeper meaning, look at what worked and what did not, and how effectively all the elements came together. Sampradaya is now preparing to take the work across Canada and hopefully to India as well.

Currently, her company Sampradaya Dance Creations is doubling studio space.  It is acquiring the studio next to the existing one and is in full swing of reconstruction and enhancement of its facilities.  The new studio is a 7400 square foot facility.  Pada reveals that this will be a “performance hub of music, dance, and theatre for young South Asian performers – musicians, dancer, and actors – to find an opportunity for their art to be seen.”  Sampradaya Dance Creations will “mentor and guide emerging talent in their art.”

Lata Pada draws on rasa theory in Indian aesthetic studies and sheds light on the success of her performances.  For her, “the rasa [essence of aesthetic experience] is one that performer and audience member must participate in equally. It is that process of mutual and synergistic sharing that creates the magic of the moment. For any artist, that can translate into something quite transformative and ultimately needs to be the goal of any artistic communication.

The interplay of Lata Pada’s stagecraft and performances exemplifies this in her latest production TAJ.  Pada contends that “training, experience, maturity, personal connection to spoken words, scenes, sensitivity and vulnerability on stage” plays an emotional role in performance arts.  The tactile experience that you face then and experience on the stage is communicated to the audience.  The audience is brought into the space, the world of the play. During the world premiere of TAJ, the theatre and its stage were not large and, hence, created conditions for immediacy and proximity with actors Kabir Bedi and Lisa Ray.  Pada states that if the theatre was “bigger and larger, that would have distanced” the actors.  Instead, TAJ brought “proximity and synergistic relation between actors and audience.” At that time, Pada reveals, “you are not thinking star / celebrity on the stage.  Theatre is live, palpable, and ephemeral.  Every performance is different.  There can be flaws and no opportunities for retakes.  All actors recognize this.  If they have acted in films, they know the difference.”

Samita Nandy

To find out more about the upcoming performances of Sampradaya Dance Creations, please visit: http://www.sampradaya.ca/

Toronto author, KAREN LEFAVE, launches novel

Toronto author, KAREN LEFAVE, launches novel one in her debut PSI-fi series, Nemecene, The Epoch of Redress, at The Gladstone Hotel, on Wednesday, September 21st, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Please join author Karen Lefave as she introduces you to a new genre of science fiction she aptly names PSI-fi, where the physical, spiritual, and intellectual facets of humanity synergistically combine, as they do in everyday life, to create a dynamic, mysterious, and ingenious futuristic world in her debut series called Nemecene.  

Come to The Gladstone Hotel’s North Ballroom, at 1214 Queen St West, on Wednesday Sept 21st, 6:30-8:30 PM to enjoy a reading from Nemecene, The Epoch of Redress, entertainment, refreshments, and Karen’s personalized signature on your hot new copy ($15.95 + HST).

In Nemecene, The Epoch of Redress, Earth has been retaliating against her greatest nemesis, the human race, for centuries.  Since 2048, repeated geoengineering attempts have failed, and now the very soul of life, water, is compromised.  Twin siblings, Keeto and Elize, and a third mysterious presence, Nathruyu, open their minds to you as their adventures entwine under the oppressive regime of The Unification.  Will the twins find the answers that they seek in time to save Elize from suffering her mother’s fate?  Or will the questioning lead them down a dangerous path where treachery, lies, and deceit reside?

There’s No Place like Home

“Internationally recognized Dancer/Choreographer Shivani Thakkar a Finalist for Miss India Canada

2011”
StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-From Bollywood, to Hollywood, to Bellydance Superstars Japan Tour, could bringing it home to compete for Miss India Canada 2011 be the Big Break needed by this talented performer? Calgary based dancer/choreographer, Shivani Thakkar, is representing all of Alberta in the prestigious Miss India Canada pageant and vying for the coveted title! In its 21 Dil Se) promotes beauty, brains, talent, and camaraderie between Indian Canadian women who possess the promise to be role models and leaders within their community. Sixteen young women between the ages of 18 and 29 have been selected from across the country, and it’s no surprise Ms. Thakkar is among this selected pool.

Her international performance and choreography credits make her a noted individual, but it is her passion for uniting and harmonizing her two cultural identities and using her arts for community out-reach, charitable causes, and mentorship that drive this young woman to compete for the honorable title. “Miss India Canada 2011 provides me a with a platform to really showcase my talent, but more importantly, it affords the opportunity to become a visible presence, reaching a larger audience to initiate social projects that I am truly passionate about. It allows one to connect and collaborate with the movers and shakers in Canada – creating a team that can do some very exciting, innovative work in making a difference” says Thakkar.

Shivani already has a strong team behind her cheering her on to bring home the crown, with her evening gown being sponsored by Hollywood designer Shekhar Rahate (Haute Couture), her Indian wear by Calgary designer Aman Dhalay, Javeda Fashions and Crossover Bollywood Se, and her jewellery by Toronto’s Dagmar Designs “Affordable Luxury”. “I love that my sponsors are from three different cities and are all North American South Asian designers blending both Indian and Western cultures and styles – I can’t think of a better way of representing my community then to be donning their exquisite fusion designs!” The competition takes place on July 23 in Toronto at the Double Tree by Hilton and Thakkar is busy with preparations.

She is hoping to bring home the crown, the credit to Alberta, and hopefully the opportunity to use the platform for greater good. If you would like to support Shivani as the Alberta candidate, please vote for her online for the Yak’s Peoples Choice Award (www.yak.ca/MIC/Shivani.html), and/or sponsor her with a donation by visiting her public facebook page at www.facebook.com/mic2011shivani where she has a pay pal donation set up. For voting and sponsorship details please visit Shivani’s public facebook page at

www.facebook.com/mic2011shivani or e-mail Shivani at shivani@shivanithakkar.com

Christa Couture Returns With Two New EP's!

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Jul 09, 2011 – CHRISTA COUTURE: FEARLESS & QUIRKY GRACE ON LOVED and LOST + July Tour Dates

"... [With a] gorgeously intimate voice - somewhere between the tough vulnerability of Amy Rigby and the passionate, sophisticated folk of Joni Mitchell - Christa Couture sings with heart-on-sleeve intensity."  - PopMatters

If it feels like you’ve been bombarded with Vancouver based artists lately there’s a good reason for it: The City of Glass keeps cranking out quality musicians with diverse musical visions at an alarming rate. Take Christa Couture, for example. From the start she established herself as a fearless and razor-sharp songwriter comfortable enough in her own skin not to shy away from delivering brave lyrics with effortless, quirky grace and heart-on-sleeve intensity. Though Christa has been on a two year hiatus, luckily for us, she’s returning to work (and form) with the digital release of two brand spanking new EP’s this July: Loved and Lost.

Since her critically acclaimed debut Fell Out Of Oz (2005), and her sophomore effort, The Wedding Singer and the Undertaker (2008), Christa Couture has continued to sharpen her quill, along with her penchant for biting wit and an innate gauge for how deep to plumb the emotional seas of her personal experiences. These first two albums saw Couture developing as a multi-instrumentalist, stretching her limits as a songwriter and, guided by Vancouver producer Futcher, on her sophomore effort in particular, acquainting herself with dense production and orchestration that saw the inclusion of horns and strings. Not surprisingly, The Wedding Singer and the Undertaker hit the Top 10 on CBC Radio 3 and won "Best Folk Acoustic Album" and nominated for "Best Female Artist" at the 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, including performing at the awards gala at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. In addition, she recently played at the 2011 JUNOFest in Toronto, "Brief Encounters 16" in Vancouver, and joined chamber-pop quartet E.S.L. and electro-cellist Cris Derksen on five B.C. tour dates in April.

To say we are pleased to have Couture back and composing is an understatement. Loved features five stunning fan favourites, while Lost is a delectable, eclectic mix of five unreleased songs from the same time period: an alternately arranged song, three tracks from a previously unreleased side project, and an early demo of one of Couture’s first songs. In other words, something for critics, fans and newbies alike.

Download Loved and Lost from http://christacouture.com for free (or by donation).

JULY DATES
July 8-10:Winnipeg, MB @ Winnipeg Folk Fest
July 16: Edmonton, AB @ The Haven Social Club, Edmonton
July 22-24: Brandon, MB @ Brandon Folk Fest
July 26: Vancouver, BC @ The Railway Club, Vancouver

http://christacouture.com
http://www.facebook.com/officialchristacouture
http://twitter.com/christacouture

Anchor Baby feature film premieres in Canada in Home Town debut

Immigration thriller "Anchor Baby" set for Canadian theatrical premiere in Toronto's Albion Cinema

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Jul 08, 2011 – Canadian produced feature film “Anchor Baby” an immigration thriller written directed and produced by  Lonzo Nzekwe is set to open in Toronto's Albion Cinema.

The plotline is as follows: Married, illegal immigrant couple Joyce (Omoni Oboli) and Paul Unanga (Sam Sarpong) are ordered to leave the U.S. but choose to go in hiding instead. They are waiting for Joyce who is five months pregnant, to deliver the baby to guarantee automatic U.S. citizenship for their child. When Paul is caught and deported by agent Mark Castello (Michael Scratch), Joyce is left to struggle on her own to accomplish their dream.

The film features Nollywood star Omoni Oboli (Figurine, Guilty Pleasures), Ghanaian-raised LA-based Sam Sarpong (Street Kings, The Dedd Brothers, Keeping Up with the Steins), Canadian actress/songwriter Terri Oliver and Canadian actor/model Michael Scratch (The Body Machine, Forensic Science). It grossed over 150,000 USD in Nigeria, making it the 3rd highest earning Nigerian movie in Nigeria cinemas after a 10 week run.

Speaking of his choice to cast lead actress Omoni Oboli, writer-director-producer Lonzo Nzekwe said, “That decision is one of the best decisions I made in the earlier stages of production. I wanted someone who could transform the script and bring it to life. When I watched a few of Omoni’s movies… that’s when I decided she was the one.”

“Anchor Baby” won Best Film and Best Actress at the Harlem Film Festival, the Emerging 20 award at the Reelworld Film Festival, the Award of Merit at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood and the official selection of the Africa International Film Festival.

"The film represents a new wave of emerging filmmakers with special appeal to the vast Nigerian diaspora audience, which blend Nigerian culture elements with a strong  North American cinematic style.  The films thus cater to a wide audience around the world." says Dan Shannon of ID Communications, the films international sales agent.