Surbahaar 2009 Bollywood Night is our eagerly awaited annual musical extravaganza featuring music by the Hidden Gems and dance performances by Seema Iyer and Ciara Manchoon, the members of the ICS (East Brunswick) Dance Troupe and our very own Asha Volunteers! So buy your tickets now! Don't miss the live dance performance on this year's Oscar Winning Score, Jai Ho by Seema and Ciara!

Hidden Gems is a group of about fifteen individuals dedicated to track singing with the philosophy of "Sing with Passion, Support a Cause". Although the group was established to raise funds for the victims of the 2005 tsunami, they continue to raise funds and provide monetary support to other non-profit organizations that serve social causes and help the underprivileged. Besides their signature tune Bambaiyaa, they also perform other Bollywood hits and classics.

Seema Iyer has been classically trained in the Indian dance style of Bharathanatyam, since the age of four. Seema’s primary Guru was South Indian film actress/dancer Ambika Sukumaran. Seema also received extensive Bharatanatyam training from renowned film star Padmini and has had starring roles in many of Padmini's dance dramas such as Ramayana, Dasavatar, Krishna Leela and Sakunthalam. Seema has also studied Mohiniattam with Sri Krishna Kumar and Kuchipudi from the legendary Vempati Chinna Satyam and Mrinalini Sadhananda. In 2001 Seema created the first of its kind “Bollywood” dance class at Lotus Music & Dance in New York City which combines semi-classical, folk, bhangra, jazz and hip-hop to replicate the grand productions of Hindi films. Ciara Manchoon also received significant training in Bharathanatyam from Padmini Institute of Fine Arts. Ciara has performed Bollywood in many venues across the country and overseas. Currently, Ciara is a member of Seema’s troupe, the Lotus Bollywood Dancers. Both Ciara and Seema study Bharathanatyam with Sonali Skandan, disciple of CV Chadrashekhar.

ICS East Brunswick is the Indian Cultural Society at East Brunswick. The performers from ICS are talented and enthusiastic high school students that have already performed at various ICS shows including the ICS Diwali Show in 2008.

Tickets are only $12 for adults, and $10 for students and children (free entry below five years). Snacks will also be available at a token cost. All proceeds from sales will go towards educating children in India.

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2009, 6:30 - 9:00 pm.

Venue: Lucy Stone Hall, Livingston Campus, Rutgers University, 54 Joyce Kilmer Ave, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

Tickets: Buy online here. Call Chandru (732-986-4766) or Aravind (908-327-0443). Or buy them on-site at 6pm!