Well, we’re in luck. India might be on the other side of the globe, but PDX offers flights that take travelers in one of the most direct routes possible. Delta Air Lines offers flights through the Amsterdam gateway to Mumbai, India. While in India, take advantage of the opportunity to learn about some of the country’s most interesting cultural contributions.

Yoga

While yoga has evolved in the US to include styles like aerobic yoga and even aquatic yoga, the practice traces it origins back to ancient India. Yoga is more than just  a series of poses, it is a complete spiritual, mental and physical exercise. Yogis across the world find their center through the meditative practices of yoga. Today, yoga is associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, but people across all denominations enjoy the descipline’s physical, mental and spiritual benefits. While in Mumbai, be sure to visit a yoga studio and meet some true life yogis to see what traditional yoga is all about. Namaste.

Indian Cuisine

If you’ve ever had traditional Indian food, you know that the cuisine is much different from any other Asian dining experience. Characterized by its diverse spices and flavors, Indian food is gaining popularity across the world. Spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander and curry are common flavors that are used in Indian dishes. Indian food is incredibly diverse, and each region in India claims its own style and flavor of traditional dishes. In Mumbai, a bite-size delicacy called panipuri is a popular snack. Don’t leave Mumbai without sampling the diverse cuisine of the Maharashtra region, or taking a cooking class!

Bollywood

Bollywood is the name given to the culturally unique film-industry based in Mumbai, and is one of the largest film-producers in the world. The name is derived from a combination between Mumbai’s former name, Bombay, and Hollywood. Bollywood films are inspired by cultural aspects of Hollywood movies as well as traditional Indian culture, theater, music and dance. Most Bollywood films have musical elements, where characters sing and dance in a way that is unique to the Bollywood film industry. When in Mumbai, check out a masala film (literally meaning mixture of spices), which is usually about 3 hours long (with intermission) and includes comedy, tragedy, action and romance.

Photo Credit: Masala Dabba, jo-h; Yoga Journal Conference, Lululemon Athletica; It ain’t Bollywood without a little song and dance, tajai

A green spot in the heart of North Holland which every year is the host for a diverse dance festival in the open air. A musical celebration where once a year the national and international club- and DJ scene comes together. Both grounded and surrealistic, mainstream and alternative, but also a short festival vacation that feels like coming home.

Dance Valley is so much more than the sum of varying dance styles. It is a magical musical playground in an enchanting landscape, the combination of electronic music and provocative entertainment that will wash away your daily troubles and worries. A day of Dance Valley means twelve hours of enjoyment in an environment that is synonymous with freedom. The surrealistic Velsen Valley recreational area will stimulate all senses and let everyone do and be what they want.

Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Dance Festival – August 27-28th

This festival falls in line with two other major festivals in Tokyo: the Sumida River Fireworks Festival and the Asakusa Samba Carnival, all held throughout the summer in Tokyo. This year, 188 different dancing groups gather to perform a traditional Japanese style of dance called Awaodori. The dance is performed with performers assembled in straight lines as they move forward in synchronized movements. Exciting costumes are worn by all of the groups as they parade down the streets of Tokyo. The festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010 and gathers large amounts of Japanese spectators each year.

Dance Valley, Amsterdam – August 6th, 2011

This festival brings in visitors from far and wide that all share one thing: an unconditional love of electronic music. For 15 years, Dance Valley has been the largest outdoor dance festival in the Netherlands. This year, over 100 famous artists, DJs, actors and dancers will gather to put on a show unlike any other. Set in the picturesque, rolling landscape of Velsen Valley, carefree visitors are enchanted by the music, dancing amidst a magical outdoor panorama. Dance Valley is one for the books.

Here’s a trailer for Dance Valley 2011:

White Bird Dance, Portland – Performances throughout 2011-2012

White Bird Dance, based out of Portland, OR, aims to gather a diverse range of dancing groups and styles from all over the globe to perform for eager local art patrons. Dance groups that have performed with White Bird come from as far as Australia, Israel and Sweden. The 2011-2012 calendar includes a wide range of genres including contemporary, jazz, hip hop, ballet and foreign styles. All performances with White Bird collectively highlight the beauty of the movement of the human body. After a performance, you are sure to be left moved and inspired.

Preview the 2011-2012 season for a taste of what White Bird brings to Portland:

Photo credit: Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Dance Festival, d. FUKA

After its very successful first edition, the second International Gamelan Festival Amsterdam (IGFA2010) will be held from 2 to 11 September 2010. The IGFA2010 consists of two principal parts: Opera Java (2 to 5 September) and three gamelan presentations from Java and Bali (9, 10 and 11 September), performed in the monumental Light Hall of the Tropenmuseum.

Taiko’s origin is in debate, but most scholars agree that the style was developed between 1,600-2,000 years ago. Traditionally, taiko was performed during wars and Buddhist ceremonies, but today’s taiko has a modern twist, often including contemporary influences like jazz, rock and hip hop into their performances. This transition began after World War II in no small part to jazz drummer, Oguchi Daihachi.American-based taiko group, TAIKO PROJECT exemplifies how these influences harmoniously blend together:

To learn this fusion of rhythm and dance, there are four fundamentals to practice: grip, stance, strike, rhythm. Below is a brief introduction to the art of taiko.

1. Grip – With the bachi (stick) laying on the ground, How you hold your bachi is very important. Your grip needs to be loose enough that the bachi can move, but firm enough that you don’t drop it. To get the right grip, lay your bachi on the ground in front of you, then pick them up again with your fingers together and your first finger and thumb forming a V. Grasp the bachi at about a quarter of the way up. Wrap your fingers around the bachi and push your first finger a little higher up the stick – this helps with your control. Always make sure the V is on top. When you strike you should be able to hear the bachi hitting against your palm; don’t make a fist.

2. Stance – Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your knees should be bent, to allow you to move about as you play. Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed and down – remember that they shouldn’t rise when you strike. Your arms should follow a gentle curve with your bachi ending up resting above the centre of the drum. One analogy is holding a basket of rice.  Finally, stand with a comfortable distance between you and the drum, not too much of a stretch and not too cramped. You should be just able to reach the middle.

3. Strike – The tip of your bachi should roughly describe a circle, or an inverted teardrop, the narrow end being at the drumskin and the round end being the apex of your strike. Your elbow should not go backwards and forwards at all, only up and down, with the circular movement coming only from your forearm.

As with many things, it’s all in the wrist. Keep it loose as your bachi comes down, then tighten it quickly as you hit the drum. To use another analogy, it’s like gently flicking paint off a paintbrush. Most of the energy used in striking the drum is in the form of lifting the bachi and the final flick at the end. Don’t force the bachi down – let gravity do the work. You can then use the bounce off the drum to get the bachi back up for the next strike. By keeping this in mind, you use less energy and can drum for longer without getting too tired. The final point to remember is don’t leave the tip of your bachi on the drumskin after you hit. This deadens the sound, and then what’s the point of playing great big drums?

4. Basic rhythms – There are three basic rhythms that I’ll mention here: san doko, doko doko and don ko.  These words are kuchi-showa, a phonetic system used to describe the sound made by the drum.

San doko – This is the rhythm most commonly played on shime, a small drum used to count time. San is a crotchet beat, or quarter beat, and doko is two quavers, or eighth beats. In other words, there are two doko beats for one san beat. It is played as right right-left.

Doko doko – Two quaver or eighth notes, played in progression.

Don ko – A “swung” beat. The don is given heavier weighting than the ko. This is used for songs with a jazzier feel.

Now that you have the basics, start planning your taiko lesson!

Photo credits: Women playing taiko

Taiko how to’s from Wikihow