Mandala Makers Festival is an annual celebration that supports multidisciplinary South Asian performing artists. The festival provides a professional platform for artists to progress and renew traditions of the South Asian diaspora.
Events take place throughout the Devon Avenue neighborhood in “Little South Asia”, Chicago. Experience art at community spaces such as parks, shops, street corners and social service centers. This year the Devon Avenue free festival culminates with the finale of music at Harris Theater on June 27 led by Ambi Subramaniam. Seating is limited for some events. Please register to reserve your seat at www.mandalaarts.org
This festival is made possible with major support from The Richard Driehaus Foundation.
JUNE 2
WORKSHOPS
Maya Rau Murthy 10am- 10:45am
Debnita Talapatra 10:45am- 11:15am
Vaneetha Veeravalli & Sutikshna Veeravalli 11:15am- 12pm
DANCE PERFORMANCES
Maya Rau Murthy 1:30pm
Varsha Vijayan 1:55pm
Sonali Skandan (Jiva Dance Collective) 2:20pm
Ishami Dance Company 2:45pm
Mandala Ensemble 3:10pm
PANEL DISCUSSION
Lauren Warnecke | Ameera Nimjee | Pranita Nayar 3.30pm – 4.30pm
JUNE 9
Samarth Bhat & Jaydeep Kulkarni 1pm
Bhargavi Thakur 1:15pm
Saurabh Kumar & Arun Sabapathy 1:30pm
Maninder Singh 2:30pm | 3:05pm | 3:55pm
Jayashree & Venkatesh Padmanabhan (Monsoon Showers) 1:50pm
Association of South Asian Cappella 2:10pm
Sonny Singh (Red Baraat) 2:40pm
Mandala Music Circle 3:15pm
Riyaaz Qawwali w/ Markeyta Sconniers (Qawwali & Gospel) 4:05pm
JUNE 16
Indira Frietas Johnson w/ Devon Community Advisory Council
Mural Opening at 11am
Artist Line Up 2024
Sonny Riyaz
As an award-winning American artist, qawwali music, compositions, and videos are Sonny Mehta’s mediums for sharing immigrant narratives. He composes music, performs concerts, and produces videos with his ensemble, Riyaaz Qawwali, which was founded in 2006. Qawwali is motivational spiritual music, rooted in South Asia and Islam. His work as a community advocate is evidenced by his productions around our common humanity, and using his art to garner civic engagement. Many interpret his art work as a message about community and spirituality. He creates and performs to engage audiences and highlight shared humanity regardless of race, religion, national origins, or creed. His linguistic fluency in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, and English establish him as a cultural ambassador for South Asian Americans, first-generation immigrants, and beyond. He has been awarded grants by the City of Houston, State of Texas, Indo-American Association, BIPOC Arts Network Fund, and Mid America Arts Alliance. His work has been at the White House, and has been featured on NPR, Huffington Post, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, and NY Times.
Mandala Music Circle
The Mandala Music Circle, led by multifaceted musician Chethan Anant, is an eclectic jam group that weaves a tapestry of cultural harmony through music. This multicultural ensemble blends traditions from the soulful melodies of Hindustani classical to the vibrant rhythms of African drums and Western folk harmonies. Their sessions transcend typical performances, transforming into immersive experiences where the audience actively participates in the evolving soundscape. Emphasizing spontaneity and unspoken dialogue, the Circle showcases music’s power to transcend cultural barriers and unite diverse traditions. It’s a celebration of diversity, unity, and the infinite possibilities that emerge when the world’s musical traditions converge in one circle—a Mandala.
Fareed Haque
Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation. Haque has toured and recorded with Joe Zawinul, Billy Cobham, Dave Holland, Paquito D’Rivera, Sting, Zakir Hussain, Bob James, Joe Henderson and many others, in addition to co-leading groups with Tony Monaco, Paul Wertico, Goran Ivanovic, Garaj Mahal, and The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra. Haque has released numerous albums as a leader, in jazz, classical, world music and fusion styles, and is the recipient of numerous accolades and awards including Best World Guitarist, Guitar Player Magazine 2009, 2004 Acoustic Album of the Year, 2007 Independent Music Award, and Best New World Music Group in Chicago Reader Poll 2020.
Sonali Skandan
Jiva Dance strives to present work that is inclusive, universal and challenging. Jiva Dance explores the intersections of classicism, modernity and experimental. Jiva Dance is not tied to Bharatanatyam’s cultural specificity, but creates work that reflects our lives in a diverse urban environment. Jiva Dance holds the belief that tradition is a continuum of evolution and hopes to invigorate classical works with a freshness and unique voice. As a Company, we feel the vocabulary of movement and expression has the ability to transcend both time and culture. The work we create seeks to expose the dynamism inherent in Bharatanatyam by incorporating modern ideas, movement patterns and music. The Company creates original works that and reenergizes classical pieces with innovative staging concepts. We believe that Indian classical dance is a living, breathing, holistic art form, and is not fixed but is continually evolving. Jiva Dance has received considerable recognition in the press and has been recognized as a leader in the arts. Jiva Dance presented work in major venues in the US, becoming the first Indian Classical dance company to be presented at the prestigious Victory Dance Series at the New Victory Theater, the first Indian Classical company to be part of the CUNY Dance Initiative (2017 and 2018) at Queens College Jiva Dance was also featured on NBC Learn, in a short documentary titled ‘Why We Dance.’ Jiva Dance’s first dance film short, ‘Urban Nritta,’ has received much attention, and was an official selection in the 17th NY Indian Film Festival. The Company continues to receive choreographic commissions from a wide range of arts organizations. Jiva has been the recipient of National Endowment for the Arts grants, New York State Council on the Arts awards, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs awards and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council awards. Jiva Dance was the inaugural recipient of the Dance/NYC Dance Advancement Fund and receives ongoing private donations to continue its work from its supportive patrons and community base.
Ishami Dance Company- Amit Patel & Ishika Seth
Ishami is an Award-nominated South Asian Contemporary dance company, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, who combine elements of South Asian Classical and Folk dance forms with Western dance forms, treading the line between traditional and modern. Ishami was founded by Amit Patel & Ishika Seth to spark conversations through art. After four sold-out shows in Oakland, they toured their original production “Pehchaan,” to New York earlier this year. Ishami's mission is to explore, unite and amplify the diverse voices, stories and histories of the South Asian diaspora and dismantle social and cultural constructs. They aspire to show the beauty, depth and immense range of South Asian Contemporary movement locally and across the globe.
Indira Freitas
Award winning artist, Indira Freitas Johnson’s art practice has evolved as part sculptor, cultural worker, peace activist and educator. Johnson grew up in Mumbai, India and received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Johnson is the recipient of numerous grants and awards including the Illinois Arts Council, PEW Charitable Trust, the Illinois Governor’s Award for the Arts and Chicago Magazine named her the 2013 Chicagoan of the Year. Johnson has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work is represented in numerous private and public collections including the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL. Chicago Veteran’s Home, City of Evanston, Loyola University Museum of Art and the Chicago Transit Authority.
Vanitha Veeravalli & Sutikshna Veeravalli- Bharatam Academy of Dance Arts
Vanitha Veeravalli is the founder & Artistic Director of Bharatam Academy of Dance Arts, Naperville, Illinois. Vanitha’s performance and dedication to teaching this ancient art of Bharatanatyam have earned her honor grants from Govt. of Tamilnadu, India, as well as the Master Artiste Award from State of Illinois, multiple times. Vanitha is a recipient of 'Acharya Kala Vipanchee' award for excellence in arts education from the renowned artiste Padmavibhushan Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna and Guru Kalaimamani Dr. Saraswati, Director, Vipanchee, Chennai. Vanitha’s mission is that the student not only learns Bharatanatyam, but also nurtures a life-long sense of joy for this wonderful art. To that end, Vanitha and Bharatam students are well-recognized ambassadors of our rich culture. Sutikshna Veeravalli, is a gifted Carnatic vocalist and Bharatanatyam artiste originally from Naperville, Illinois and now from Brookline, MA. Sutikshna has been learning vocal music under the tutelage of Sri R. Suryaprakash. After her maiden concert in Sri Ranjani Sabha, Chennai, she has been performing at several venues in the US and India. She was spot selected as a finalist in the Carnatic Music Idol USA in 2011. She has participated and won several Carnatic music competitions including those in Cleveland Aradhana and Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam. She was awarded the title of “Yuva Kala Vipanchee†for excellence in Indian Classical Music and Dance by the organization, Vipanchee, founded by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna. Sutikshna holds the unique distinction of composing a Thillana at the young age of 14, and later performing it at her Bharatanatyam Arangetram. This was possible because of her rigorous training and well-nurtured manodharma, under her guru. Sutikshna is deeply passionate about these traditional, enriching, and complementary arts and strives to pursue it lifelong. She is also a special education teacher who now works in Brookline, MA.
Maya Rau
Maya is a Konnakol artist, rapper, Bharatanatyam dancer, mridangist, composer, performer, choreographer, curator based in NY and California. She co-directs Natya Anubhava Dance Academy with her mother Dr. Nalini. She has performed widely nationally and internationally as have her compositions and choreographies, including in Seva Sadan, National Gallery of Art, United Nations, Drive East, SafeHouseArts, NYC Hall, Jewish Museum, Hammond Museum, Javits Center, Smith Center, Stanford, and with Akshara Music Ensemble. She directed, choreographed and composed for dance ballets from traditional topics (Tales of Hanuman) to contemporary themes exploring social justice (Ardhanareeshwara: Shattering the Construct of Gender, Anyatha Naasti: Dreams of the Other, and Janani: Ode to Mother Earth). She also enjoys doing rhythmic composition for productions by other directors (i.e. Surabhi Bharadwaj’s “Finding Joy”). She has co-taught over forty students including ten for their solo debut. She co-organizes and curates Chitkala, promoting Indian Classical musicians, with Ashwini Srivatasan. Her gurus are Dr. Nalini Rau (Bharatanatyam, disc. of Dakshinamoorti Pillai), Balaskandan (Mridangam, disc. Karaikudi Mani Sir), Ranjani Venimadhavan (Vocal), Ashwini Srivatsan (Karnas & Natya Shaastra), Rakesh SaiBabu (Chhau).
Varsha Vijayan
Varsha has trained in various styles of Indian classical dance in Oman dance in Oman. She has participated in various competitions and performed at many events in USA, India and Middle east. Her YouTube channel called Malhaar showcases her performances. Her achievements include:Winner at Dance Mania Muscat; Popular Choice Winner at Khafif international Dance Festival; Runner-up at Natya Idol Championship 2017; Popular Choice Winner for Dance Muscat Dance
Ameera Nimjee
Ameera Nimjee (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Music. Her primary research is on the study of citizenship, race, and gender in transnational South Asian performance cultures. Ameera is currently at work on two larger projects: on creativity in South Asian contemporary dance economies and performance traditions that have accompanied the migration of Muslims through South Asia, East Africa, and North America. Her work has been published in the journals Ethnologies and Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, and has been funded by fellowships and prizes from the American Council of Learned Studies, Society for Ethnomusicology, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Ameera has also contributed book chapters to various edited volumes on the topics of kathak dance, Bollywood fitness, and South Asian American weddings. She holds a PhD and MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of Chicago and University of Toronto, respectively, and a BMus also from the University of Toronto. Ameera performs often as a kathak dancer, and remains a member of Toronto-based Chhandam Dance Company under the continued tutelage of her teacher Joanna de Souza. She joins Yale from the University of Puget Sound, where she was Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology in the School of Music and in Asian Studies.
Lauren Warnecke
Lauren Warnecke is a reporter for WGLT, an award-winning NPR member station in Bloomington-Normal, IL. She is also a freelance culture critic, reviewing dance for the Chicago Tribune and contributing to Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher Plus, Chicago Magazine, St. Louis Magazine and Milwaukee Magazine. Lauren is the founder and editor-in-chief of Art Intercepts, a cultural criticism blog on Midwestern live arts. Holding degrees in dance and kinesiology, she teaches part-time at Loyola University Chicago.
Sonny Singh
"Steeped in Sikh devotional themes, with an anthemic Punjabi sound." - NPR Music Simultaneously spiritual and rebellious, Sonny Singh's music is a reminder that hope, love, and devotion are crucial to our struggles and our collective survival. Sonny’s debut solo album is entitled Chardi Kala, the Sikh concept of revolutionary eternal optimism. Gothamist calls it “utterly irresistible.” JazzTimes calls Sonny’s music, “vibrant, ebullient, and energized...a prayer for our ailing world.” Live Mint says, “Singh has done that rarest of rare things as a musician—he has actually charted new ground, pushing the idea of South Asian fusion music down a new, previously unexplored side path.” As a singer and trumpet player, Sonny has been central to the sound and raw energy of Red Baraat since the band's inception in 2008, touring globally and recording 5 studio albums. He released his debut solo album, Chardi Kala, in May 2022. Chardi Kala is a return to Sonny’s Punjabi & Sikh roots, but with the lens he’s developed over the course of his life as a touring musician, educator, and activist. His new music has been featured on GRAMMY.com, NPR Music, Rolling Stone India, HuffPost, Songlines Magazine, and WNYC’s New Sounds. Sonny’s band has performed at the Brooklyn Museum, MASSMoCA, O+ Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and The White House for President Joe Biden’s 2023 celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage.
Shanta Nurullah
Shanta Nurullah is a storyteller, musician, and teaching artist. Her career spans over four decades of promoting African and African-American folklore, spoken word performance, children's and improvisational music. Shanta has performed across the U.S. and abroad and has received numerous awards, fellowships, and grants. As a storyteller, Shanta presents programs of stories with music for youth and adults in schools, arts and community centers, libraries, museums, parks, colleges, churches, prisons, and festivals. Her repertoire includes traditional folktales, personal stories, historical lore and inspirational material. Shanta has told stories at the National Storytelling Festival, the National Festival of Black Storytelling, National Geographic, and the Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Las Vegas, and Yukon Storytelling Festivals. In 2014 she received the Zora Neale Hurston Award - the highest honor given by the National Association of Black Storytellers. As a musician, Shanta Nurullah has distinguished herself as an improviser on sitar, bass, and mbira. A member of the legendary Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), Shanta co-founded the all women's bands Sojourner and Samana. In addition, she has played with Nicole Mitchell, Dee Alexander, Junius Paul, David Boykin, Tomeka Reid, Saalik Ziyad, and the AACM Great Black Music Ensemble. Shanta owns the independent label, Storywiz Records, which released Sitar Black (2017), the debut album by Sitarsys, her current band. This music, categorized as Spiritual Jazz, is available on this website, and on iTunes, amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify.
Maninder Singh
Born in Punjab, raised in Canada, and now rooted in Chicagoland, Maninder is a multi-instrumentalist, percussionist, producer and digital artist who has been performing, recording and creating for over two decades. Maninder is one of the founding member of Chicago’s very own Afro-Indo-Caribbean band Funkadesi. Maninder’s passion for collaborating with various artists from different backgrounds and delving into different genres led Maninder to found IO Records, LLC in 2020. Maninder is also a collaborator with Kochuveettil Beats wedding and events entertainment company. As a perpetual student, Maninder has studied with tabla masters including Zakir Hussain, Samar Saha, Shyam Kane, and Arshid Sayed. As a seeker, Arhatic yogi, Pranic healer, musician, digital artist, empath, and tech geek, Maninder’s personal mission is to build bridges between people, technology, and cultures through music
Jayashree Venkatesh and Venkatesh Padmanabham
Venkatesh Padmanabhan trained for over 10 years under Late Shri. RK Venkatrama Shastri, the renowned violinist from the Chowdiah school and Shri. RK Shriramkumar, one of the leading violinsts today. His style of playing tries to mimic the human voice as closely as possible. Jayashree Venkatesh is a senior management professional, who has also been teaching vocal music in the Chicago area. She started her training from her mother Smt. Shantha Visvanathan, also furthered her training from Smt.Savithri Sathyamoorthy and then took advanced training on raga and manodharma rendition under Dr. Nithyasree Mahadevan. Jayahree emphasizes the bhava aspect in her teaching style. She has performed concerts in India and USA and accompanies for Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi dances. She has released a carnatic album 'Amruthavarshini' in 2009 released by the Consulate General of India, USA. The two have started the the Sampradaya Foundation to spread awareness and appreciation for Indian Classical and Contemporary Music. The foundation strives to achieve this through various activities such as live performances, live-streaming performances, recordings, in addition to training students in Indian vocal music and Carnatic violin.
