FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
January 31, 2011
The Arts and Culture Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) will be hosting ‘Thaalam,’ an inter-university/college dance competition together with the Tamils Students Associations (TSA) from various colleges and universities in Canada. The competition is dated for June 19, 2011.
Dance, a form of art that allows individuals to explicitly express themselves and their views; a form of art that engages all individuals regardless of their age, gender, culture and language; a form of art that many of our young Tamil youth are involved in. Being an art form with such qualities, hosting a dance competition would fall directly within the mandate of CTYA’s Arts and Culture Council, and thus, CTYA agreed to the request by Tamil Student Associations to host a dance competition.
“We are humbled and honoured by the request of various Tamil Students’ Associations that the Council host a dance competition on their behalf” quoted Arthi Velupillai, one of the Directors of Arts and Culture Council of CTYA. “Through Thaalam, we hope to instill an appreciation of dance as an art form” and encourage students to recognize, experience and master the originality, creativity, and variety of movements associated with dance, she further added.
“McMaster Tamil Students Association is really excited and looking forward to this dance competition that will allow Tamil students to showcase their talent, passion, and teamwork in a friendly competitive manner” expressed the TSA Co-president Arjun Rajakumar.
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. 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.
For further information regarding the dance competition, please feel free to contact CTYA’s Arts and Culture Council at arts.culture@ctya.org or 647-865-CTYA (2892).
Thaalam is a joint youth effort currently endorsed by the following University/College TSAs:
Team Name: MacFlow (McMaster University students partnering with Mohawk College Students)
Signed by: Arjun Rajakumar, Co-President, Tamil Students Association at McMaster University
Team Name: Ryerson Royalty (Ryerson University students partnering with George Brown College students)
Signed by: Valayini Rajasingham, Vice-President External, Tamil Students Association at Ryerson University
Team Name: UTSC Assassins (University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus students)
Signed by: Kajan Devamanoharan, President, Tamil Students Association at U of T Scarborough
Team Name: UTSG Phoenix (University of Toronto, St. George Campus students)
Signed by: Newtan B. Thevarajah, Vice President External, Tamil Students Association at U of T St. George
Team Name: YUTSA/SENECA Huskies (York University students partnering with Seneca College students)
Signed by: Sharmila Srinithiananthasing, President, Tamil Students Association at York University
Tags: CTYA Arts and Culture Council, Dance Competition, Tamil Students Association, Thaalam, University/College
i thought kalaikal was part of your alliance.
didn’t know that ctya takes other organizations events too
isn’t kalaikal part of your alliance? didn’t know that ctya steals member organizations events
ctya is just back home, no wonder they fought
tamils will never rise above with all this
Is this competition only for University or College student? Can high school students participate in this competition?
Hello Thavam,
Thank-you for your interest in Thaalam.
Thaalam is a project that was initiated by CTYA’s Arts and Culture Council due to the requests of our member organizations. Our member organizations approached us and asked that we host an event that would allow them to display their artistic talents and creativity. In order to discuss this further with our member organizations, we held a meeting. Since you asked, Kalaikal was also invited to attend this meeting; however, they did not attend the meeting. As we conduct our major organizational decisions in a democratic way, we held a vote, and our member organizations voted in favour of CTYA’s Arts and Culture Council hosting this event. If you would like, you may request to view the meeting minutes of this meeting in person.
CTYA’s Arts and Culture Council’s mission concerns itself with the mandate of creating an environment for youth that is inspiring and conducive of self expression through the arts and culture. 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. Furthermore, we as an organization provide a progressive and democratic forum for Canadian youth of Tamil heritage, and youth affiliated with the Tamil language, culture and/or people. The decision to host Thaalam was done so in a democratic way.
If you have any further questions or concerns, you may voice them here, or you may setup a time to meet with one of our Arts and Culture Council Directors who may be able to assist you further.
Regards,
Arts and Culture Council, CTYA
Hello Santhiya,
The competition is only for University and College students.
Regards,
Blogs Editor
and Y not UOIT TITANS?
afraid!!!
All the member TSA’s were invited to the meeting where there was a unanimous vote to host the competition. We invited UOIT TSA reps to be apart of the competition and they also wanted this but later chose to withdraw. They are always welcome to come back and join us. The competition is open to any TSA’s dance team, and the deadline for registration is Febraury 10 2011. If you would like your TSA to join the competition or have any questions regarding the competition, please contact our arts and culture coucil at arts.culture@ctya.org or 647-865-CTYA (2892).
Regards,
Thinesh Ravinthirarajah
Vice President Membersip
CTYA
Hey guys, I don’t know what’s going on in Toronto but you guys should try to figure out something with Kalaikal. They did such an awesome job
with their dance competition last year (Kalaikal 2010) and I think it’s a little underhanded of you guys to challenge their competition at this point. I am worried that this will create a split in the Tamil student community that is counter productive to the goal of these events. I live in Vancouver, BC and see the coming together of the Tamil community in Toronto with hope & , envy, so please try to avoid unnecessary division, we don’t need that.
You guys should come up with some compromise that works for both organizations and don’t try to monopolise running events that cater to the Tamil community.
Sincerely,
Sutharsan
Hi there,
Thank you for expressing your concern, it is great to know that you have been following up with Toronto events
. However, due to issues that the TSA’s were unable to sort out with Kalaikal Creative Arts, we were left with the only option of not continuing to participate for the best interests of our organization. The TSA’s had infact asked CTYA to take on this competition and execute it with the help of the various participating. This new competition has strived to unite the TSA’s more as we are now part of the decision making body. Also, I’m not sure if you were informed but the Kalaikal creative arts organization had chosen to not continue with their competition. Also, just to repeat this competition was not created to create division within the community, but to establish an event where tamil students across various schools where they can have a platform to compete, as well as be part of an organization that serves in their best interests.
Thanks,
Jessica
York University
Hi
it seems to me like this ctya organization is here to make more divisions within the community then to unite. Under handedly taking on a competition originally run by kalaikal doesn’t make for an organization thats mission is to be an alliance. I agree with Sutharson and its very country productive on the part of our community to allow such behaviour and not question it. If kalaikal was contacted why is it that they have not endorsed or said anything in regards to this?
ctya i think defeats the purpose of uniting the tamil community and is using divisive politics and tactics to accomplish their agendas
the schools who have agreed to participate and allow such behaviour shows the integrity of their dance teams and tsas
Thavam
i for one will not support this and i will not attend this show
i encourage all my brothers and sisters in the tamil community to stand up against injustices such as this and send a message to the perpetrators
its a shame that after our leader, this is the state our community is in
Thank you for sharing your opinion Thavam. We’ve given you a clear picture from our side. We also believe the readers will take your suggestions into consideration and use their own judgement.
Just wondering if dance crews can perform, not compete because we’re not part of a university team but we’d like to give a performance to promote ourselves more.
-Narcotic Vibez dance crew
To all those backing up Kalaikal Creative Arts
I understand that Kalaikal Creative Arts was the initial group to commence this dance competition. It is unfortunate that they had chosen not to continue with such a great initiative during the peak of it’s success. To those people commenting continuously attacking CTYA that they are mimicking the show once held by Kalaikal, have you questioned K.C.A. As a dance member, I was informed that Kalaikal will return to address all issues and concerns that the dance teams had from when their show was abandoned, and they yet have come out to show any care in what they previously accomplished and merely left the dance teams hanging. Leaving no other option, and the desire to dance amongst teams, various TSAs approached CTYA in order to mediate and help with a competition and create a platform of this kind. If Kalaikal truly cared about what they did, and wish to gain support, then they should step up, have a meeting, and address EVERYTHING! It’s hard to support Kalaikal when they themselves did not respond to this creation of this competition. Replying on blog’s of a third party does not say that Kalaikal is doing something. As far as I am aware, CTYA answered the call, by helping to create this event. Like CTYA and Jessica from York, said TSA’s and CTYA had invited Kalaikal to the meeting, yet they did not show up, further reinforcing their lack of care in this matter.
By Boycotting the event, your being a hypocrite after arguing about CTYA splitting up the community.
I truly hope that K.C.A can confront their issues, and come to terms and re-create what was once a great success.
And, the Oshawa Titans are now apart of the show, to those who think we’re “scared”
We’re Not.
Rubin
Oshawa Titans Coordinator
Thanks for your reply. When I initially posted my comments I think it was removed from your site but I am glad that you guys (I think namely, Jessica) have decided to be open and let people have their say. I think it shows good judgment on your part to have open discussion and let people voice their concerns without resorting to censorship.
Like I mentioned in my earlier comment, I live in Vancouver (moving soon to Toronto!!!) and don’t know first
hand whats going on in Toronto but I have sent an e-mail to Kalaikal asking for feedback on this matter and
so far haven’t gotten any response other than an automated “Thank you for your comment” type message.
Also, I didn’t know that Kalaikal had dropped their Dance competition which is unfortunate and I think, if
true, a big mistake on their part.
Anyhow, I hope that (if you guys are the only ones left standing at the end of all this) you try to meet or
exceed the level of professionalism and organization that I saw with Kalaikal’s dance competition. Keep in
mind that the events you guys put on and publish on Youtube are watched by Tamil Youth everywhere. So do a good
job and do more 5 -10min long promo videos!!!
Good Luck and check out these links from Tamil youth in Europe.
————————-
JR MediaWorks
http://www.youtube.com/user/jrmediaworks#p/u/1/9wBknF-ijLA
———
TS Prod
http://www.youtube.com/user/TAMILSOUND#p/u/12/mmsp6zCnPv8
———
TN Productionz
http://www.youtube.com/user/TNproductionz#p/u/2/ynWInE_WIZY
———-
————Very interesting, MUST SEE!!!!———————–
Deepam TV (Ilayavalam) interviews with Eelam youth in Europe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeYiNPHolN8&feature=related
(France, part 1 of 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MFJNFTfF0&feature=related
(Switzerland, part 1 of 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJr_SnmdI3Q&feature=related
(Switzerland, part 1 of 3)
—————————————————————————————————
Sutharsan
Vancouver, BC
this is only for uni and college students right?
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, Thaalam is a competition that is open to Tamil University and College Dance Teams across Canada. If you would like more information regarding Thaalam, you can contact CTYA’s Art’s and Culture Council at arts.culture@ctya.org.
post-Nice. Merci