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Naughty but nice: Choirs can Cabaret too. Plus 4 more must-catch events

Naughty but nice: Choirs can Cabaret too

On: Saturday, 7 pm
Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 22824567
Tickets: Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 300

Cabaret -- Think of yesteryears' dancing queen Helen in a dress with a knee-length slit, lustily shimmying away and calling out to her lover. Choir -- Think of a bunch of people singing hymns in praise of the Lord. This might be the general perception for most of us. No wonder it might appear as strangely bizarre to imagine a choir perform cabaret numbers.

"We confuse cabaret with something sleazy, but that's a narrow-minded view. Cabaret is actually an art form," says Alfred D'Souza (or Alfie as he's lovingly called by close friends in the fraternity), conductor of the popular Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble. "We are putting class back in cabaret. It's naughty, of course, but it's also nice."

And so, when actor-singer-dancer Delna Mody, who has collaborated with the choir for this performance, takes the stage with tongue-in-cheek numbers like Paris Makes Me Horny and I am not Getting Married, you won't quite be scandalised. Instead, you'll laugh your guts out. "I will be performing songs of various composers that people in India have not really been exposed to," says Mody.

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As for The Stop-Gaps, they intend to take you on a South American-esque carnival, with upbeat Latin-American numbers in Samba and Rumba type styles, change of wardrobe and sets and props like Venetian masks. The junior ensemble will see kids between five and thirteen years sing and dance to numbers like Digga Digga Dog from 102 Dalmations. And no, you won't be denied entry if you're an atheist. "Usually, people associate a choir to classical music and singing from an open book," says D'Souza. "We've dispelled that image long ago. This is all about having fun."

Move it like Shakira, feel like a princess

On: Sunday, 5 pm to 7 pm
Where: Arts in Motion Dance Studios, 39, TV Chidambaran Marg, Sion (E).
Call: 9820183231 (Pre-registration required)
Belly dancer Veronica Simas de Souza's aim is quite simple. All she wants is for you to feel like a goddess, like the most beautiful woman out there. And you can achieve this kind of self-esteem, or rather, self-realisation, on the eve of Woman's Day. Switch off your Blackberry and drive away all thoughts of impending deadlines, to step into a zone that is simply about the Hafla, or the celebration. Exactly what are we celebrating here?

"Womanhood," replies Veronica, "and that all of us are goddesses, that we are all divine at heart. It's about the joy that comes with discovering ourselves, coupled with the thought that we are so very beautiful." This comes with the shedding of inhibitions as Veronica teaches you a couple of sensuous belly dancing moves, and her advanced-level students perform to a couple of numbers. The theme is being mystic, so let your eyes do the speaking through mysterious veils and make your movements subtly sexy. A tarot card reader will add to the mood. Moms, daughters, daughters-in-law, cousins, aunts, grandmas, secretaries -- all are welcome, as long as they are women.

Get the sunburn vibe in Mumbai

On: Saturday, 10.30 pm
Where: Blue Frog, D/2 Mathuradas Mills Compound, NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel.
Call: 40332300
Entry: Rs 700 per person
Can't get over having to miss out on the Sunburn Goa Festival 2009 because you were cooped up in that darned office all week? Hop over to Blue Frog for an experience that might not be comparable, but shall at least slightly appease your sorrow. The Sunburn Post Party brings you Canada-based DJ Sultan who did considerable damage at the original Sunburn, dreadlocks in tow. Sultan has scratched records at the world's
top clubs and continues to set new trends along with his DJing and production. Following him are Sunburn veterans, DJs Nikhil Chinapa and Pearl, taking you on a trance trip.

These kids will take you on a reality tour

On: Sunday, 10 am to 1 pm
Where: Ravindra Natya Mandir Auditorium, Sayani Road, Prabhadevi.
Call: 9821110940
It's always heartwarming to see kids enjoy being in the spotlight. At Peek-A-Boo preschool's 11th year celebrations, students from the Lokmanya Tilak Institute for Deaf and Mute will be the stars of the show. "We strive to give these kids stage presence," says Darshini Shah, owner of the playschool. "Their performance is amazing because they are perfectly in rhythm without being able to even listen to the music." As for Peek-A-Boo kids, they will take you on a trip across India in a theme-backed show titled Sanskriti: Colours of India. Marvel at India's monuments,u00a0 meet our freedom fighters, see urban and rural India, our diverse dressing, languages and festivals, from the idealistic eyes of kids.

Be instrumental in paying respect

On: Friday and Saturday, 6.30 pm onwards
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 22824567
Tickets: Rs 50 per day
Musical instruments have always held a place of prominence in our land. Shiva, in his role as Natraja holds a damru in one hand and a veena in another, while goddesses are commonly portrayed as carrying an instrument in one of their multiple hands. To pay tribute to musical instruments, NCPA has organised a two-day festival of instrumental music: Saz-e-Bahar. This comes as a concurrence to a festival on vocal music held last year. Featuring instruments from different periods -- ancient (flute), post-medieval (sarangi), modern (sitar and tabla) and contemporary (mohan vina), indulge in sounds coming out of our musical lineage.