Australian Consulate-General
Chennai, India

Media release

26 November 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          PA-CN/16/23

                                                                                                                               Chi Udaka India Tour 2016

An inspirational meeting of taiko drumming and Indian classical dance, Chi Udaka was staged for the first time in India this November. Chi meaning earth in Japanese and Udaka meaning water in Sanskrit, the characteristics of these two elements form the very essence of this multifaceted story narrative and dance performance. Chi Udaka is a co-production between two Sydney based companies - Taikoz and the Lingalayam Indian Classical Dance Company.

Chi Udaka’s India Tour 2016 is sponsored by the Australian Government, the Australia India Council and ArtsNSW. Performances in Chennai (19 November) and Hyderabad are supported by The Hindu November Fest. The Government of Andhra Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh Tourism co-sponsored the performance in Vishakapatnam (23 November).

Mr Sean Kelly, Australian Consul-General for South India speaking about the Chi Udaka India Tour said, “We are delighted with the successful Chi Udaka India Tour. All performances of Chi Udaka have received good responses and positive reviews. This uniquely Australian cultural ensemble reflects Australia’s diverse and multicultural society and is a potent symbol of the strengthening relationship between Australia and India."

Leading English daily The Hindu after the performance in Chennai quoted, “Chi Udaka is an experience, an emotion. Be it the graceful, energetic drummers from Australia-based Taikoz, who made the Japanese percussion their very own, the dancers from Lingalayam who stuck to tradition while exploring the possibilities of form and movement, or Riley Lee, whose soul stirring performance on the shakuhachi showed you why he was the first non-Japanese grandmaster of the flute, each one of them worked in tandem to leave you amazed at the sheer dexterity and heart with which the show had been put together.”

Chi Udaka’s will perform in Hyderabad at Ravindra Bharathi on 26 November at 7.30 pm.

Chi Udaka will end their India tour in Mumbai with a performance at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA of 29 November 2016.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further information/clarification at the contact details given below.

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