Thaalam: a youth celebration of dance

 
The Arts and Culture Council of the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) presented its much anticipated annual dance competition on Sunday June 19 at the prestigious John Bassett Theatre.

‘Thaalam’, the interuniversity and college dance competition featuring youth dancers from across Canada, and was hosted with various Tamil Students Associations (TSAs) from academic institutions across the country.

Teams put on energetic and colourful performances, cheered on by supportive contingents from their respective institutions. A common theme was the celebration of the Tamil identity and homeland.

“Thaalam seeks to provide Tamil youth with a reputable platform to unite in common passion for dance and music and exhibit their talents to the community,” the Art and Culture Council said in a statement.

“Through Thaalam, we hope to instill an appreciation of dance as an art form” and to encourage students to recognize, experience and master the originality, creativity, and variety of movements associated with dance, Arthi Velupillai, one of the Directors of the Council, said when this year’s competition was launched in January.

The Arts and Culture Council of CTYA is “responsible for creating an environment for youth that is inspiring and conducive of self-expression through the arts and culture,” a statement said.

Among its key objectives are the improvement, re-orientation and expansion of programs that promote the arts and Tamil culture to Canadian Tamil youth and the broader Canadian community.

The winners of Thaalam 2011 are as follows:

Champions York University - Huskies
Second University of Ontario Institute of Technology - Titans
Third McGill & Concordia University - Maniacs
People’s Choice Winners University of Toronto Scarborough - Assassins
Best Choreography York University - Huskies
Best Theme University of Ontario Institute of Technology - Titans
Best Cheer Squad University of Ontario Institute of Technology - Titans
Best Costumes University of Ontario Institute of Technology - Titans
Best Sportsmanship McGill & Concordia University - Maniacs
Best Cultural Representation York University - Huskies

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