Profile
Mohammad Navid Bazargan
Nastaliq is the most popular calligraphy style in the Persian-speaking world. Nastaliq is mainly used to write Persian poetry, which alongside calligraphy occupies a significant place in the everyday life of Iranians. Since the ancient foundation of Islam, calligraphy has been the dominant and emblematic feature of Islamic art. The…
Profile
Christopher Low
The lion dance is an important tradition to China. Usually the dance is part of festivities like Chinese New Year, weddings, funerals, cultural celebrations, and other community gatherings. Dating back to the Han Dynasty (3rd century), it was further developed during the Tang Dynasty (716-907 AD) and into its modern…
Profile
Vishnu Tatva Das
Odissi is the oldest of the eight classical dance forms of India, dating back to the 1st century BCE. A devotional dance typically performed by temple dancers in the east Indian state of Odisha, Odissi was suppressed under British rule (the colonial rulers considered it immoral). It was revived in…
Profile
Susheela Narasimhan
Carnatic music is an ancient tradition of South Indian classical music that dates back for centuries. It is a complex system of music that requires both artistic and technical improvisation. The use of the violin for Carnatic music, both as an accompanying and solo instrument, was introduced in the 1700’s. …
Profile
Vishal Ramani
Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance form originating in the South Indian temple dance tradition, which combines the arts of the stage, music, poetry, costuming, and rhythm. Bharatanatyam is characterized by graceful movements, intricate footwork, sculpturesque poses, and deep dramatic elements which require years of rigorous training to perfect. An…
Profile
Ravindra Bharathy Sridharan
The mrudangam is a double-headed drum. It is said to be the “king of percussion” and dates back to 4 or 5 century BCE, with references found in the great Indian epics Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Srimad Bhagavatham. Today it is featured in all South Indian classical music (Carnatic) concerts as…
Profile
Tou Thao
The qeej (a multiple pipe bamboo mouth organ, pronounced kheng) is the quintessential Hmong instrument. Used in ritual practices, the qeej replicates the tones and vowel sounds of the Hmong language and the qeej player uses his instrument to communicate with the spirit world. Ritual movements accompany the music; your…
Profile
Mariko Watabe
Hayashi is a traditional Japanese percussion ensemble. Originating in Noh theater in the 14th century, hayashi also plays an important part in Kabuki theater. The core hayashi instruments are the kotsuzumi (a shoulder drum that produces low sounds), the okawa (a hand drum that makes very high sounds), and the…
The Central Coast Japanese American Legacy Organization’s ambition is to preserve, document, and contribute to the living history of the Central Coast’s Japanese American community, now five generations strong. A grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program in 2015 will support the development of a community…
Chamorro Hands in Education Links Unity (CHE’LU) is dedicated to San Diego’s Chamorro community by strengthening their native language, culture, and health through education and cultural arts programs. The Chamorro people are the indigenous peoples of the Mariana Islands, including Guam. Today, Chamorros are the most…
