GemArts is delighted to launch Masala Festival 2023 on Monday 17th July at Dance City with Sonia Sabri Company.

The Masala Festival is a weeklong celebration of a mix and blend of the finest South Asian Arts and Culture, packed full of performances, exhibitions, events, workshops, pop ups and demonstrations, presented in venues, places and spaces accross the North East.

Sonia Sabri Company will be performing their show Roshni which you can buy ticket for here. Roshni (from the Persian word meaning light or brilliance) is a beautifully intimate crafting of dance and live music, transporting and uplifting the audience on a journey of joy.

In our uncertain world, when everything around us can feel full of pessimism and doubt, Roshni provides us with a ray of light, to put a spring in our step and a warmth in our hearts! World-class artists Sonia Sabri and Sarvar Sabri, alongside an ensemble of skilled musicians, take us on a path to repair and heal.

Sonia Sabri is an award-winning and foremost Kathak dancer of her generation. She is known for her precise, graceful technique, command of rhythm and repertoire, plus, an enquiring approach to developing the art form. Sonia creates work that spans from the presentation of classical roots of Kathak to explorations of contemporary approaches, her productions reflect an appreciation of Western and Eastern cultures. She has created a fresh, unique style of Kathak by reinventing it from within, by pushing boundaries and generating work that is original in concept and exciting and relevant to today’s audiences.

This soul-stirring performance Roshni, is a captivating combination of Kathak dance, with live music and vocals from a global palette of styles, driven by the bold rhythms of Tabla percussion. Kathak is a striking movement language of virtuosic foot percussion, rapid spins, and geometrical patterns, with poignant mime and gesture, all intricately woven with the live music. The music is led by Music Director Sarvar Sabri, who creates a Global soundscape with British roots. Sarvar is an internationally renowned and award-winning Tabla maestro and composer.

Roshni brings together Sonia’s distinctive style of dance, rooted in the traditions of Kathak from Northern India, yet reimagined in the context of her lived British experience, with diverse musical genres and artists, ranging from South Asia, Middle East and Europe, celebrating the rich diversity of our global community.

GemArts is an award winning arts organisation based in the North East of England.  A nationally recognised leader in the South Asian and diversity arts sector, GemArts creates and programmes high quality concerts, events, festivals, workshops and commissions with regional, national and international artists across all art forms. 

Book your ticket for Roshni here.