Carols on pointe

One doesnrsquot usually associate Christmas with ballet or vice versa Besides in India Christmas is filled with joy laughter and the spirit of giving but definitely not light chilly snowflakes raining down on you A Classical Christmas an upcoming concert at the Royal Opera House aims to shatter all your preconceived notions with a novel take on the festivalThe concert is the comingtogether of two worlds choir music and ballet both interspersed with each otherThe carols will be sung by the Harmony Chorus which features 32 students from Bengalurubased Harmony The Music School Meanwhile ballerinas from the National Youth Ballet Company will twirl to the melodies sung by the childrenrsquos choirThe carols will be sung by the Harmony Chorus and the ballerinas from the National Youth Ballet Company will twirl to the melodiesldquoI donrsquot remember a cold Christmas anymore my aim therefore is to recreate the Christmas in London Irsquove grown up withrdquo says Yana Lewis founder of the National Youth Ballet Company and the Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet Lewis who originally hails from the UK says that shersquos grown up with the idea of a magical white Christmas replete with snowflakes and chilly nights Ever since settling in India nearly 25 years ago however shersquos had to accept the idea of a warm ChristmasThe Harmony Chorus founder Sandra Oberoi says that it is not so much a musical or a fusion as much as it is a collaboration ldquoI was keen on introducing the choir and Indian audiences to something different something they hadnrsquot heard or seen beforerdquo she says ldquoThis is possibly the first time a childrenrsquos choir is performing Brittenrsquos entire Ceremony of Carols in IndiardquoLewis and Oberoi who are close friends decided that a ballet set to classical Christmas carols was apt to showcase the spirit of ChristmasYana Lewis Sandra Oberoi and Tiana and TiaraThe Ceremony of Carols is a collection of 11 short pieces that Britten is said to have written on a ship in 194243 while travelling from the United States to England ldquoThis composition written for treble voices has a feel of rounds and canons structured musical pieces composed of repetitive elements for children to lsquoplayrsquo withrdquo Oberoi notes ldquoSeveral sections with thrilling rhythms and exquisite harmonies bring together the lyrics written in Old English and Middle EnglishrdquoOther pieces include Rutterrsquos Shepherdrsquos Pipe Carol which tells the story of a shepherd boy on his way to meet Jesus and Candlelight Carol which ldquofocuses on the aura of Mary and Jesus and the relationship and love of a mother for her babyrdquo as Oberoi puts itFor Oberoi it is also a proud mommy moment as her two daughters Tiara 20 and Tiana 18 are also performing solo acts and duets at the concert Tiara who currently studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London says ldquoItrsquos a blessing to have grown up around music from a young age Itrsquos always a treat performing with my younger sister itrsquos a case of iron sharpens iron I learn a lot performing with herrdquo Tiana whorsquos a firstyear student at the Royal College of Music in London has been singing since she was three ldquoMusicrdquo she says ldquois my life I breathe and live musicrdquoLewis adds that she was surprised to see little girls in India associate ballet with Barbiemdashtheir first introduction to the dance form For her however Christmas ballet is synonymous with Tchaikovskyrsquos Nutcracker which is set during the season The ballet for the Ceremony of Carols features original elements and movements from The Sleeping Beauty Swan Lake and Nutcrackermdashdelicate sugarplum fairies dancing across a snowy white winter wonderlandWHAT A Classical Christmas An Evening of Carols and BalletWHEN December 20 7 PMWHERE Royal Opera House Mumbai Girgaum PRICE Rs 300TO BOOK insiderinChristmas FleaGet into the holiday spirit and immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere as you explore a myriad of unique stalls each offering handcrafted gifts vintage treasures and festive decorations Find the perfect presents for your loved ones or treat yourself to something special this holiday season The flea also has live music and carol singing throughout the day along with other performancesgtgtgtWHEN 17 December all dayWHERE Jeff Goldberg StudioPRICE Rs 59TO BOOK insiderinGamer Factory Xmas gamingSpend your Christmas day with fellow gamers The day would start with games like Blood On the Clocktower a game of murder and mystery deduction and deception for 9 to 12 players and one devious storyteller This is followed by an evening filled with board games and strategizing Although it features heavy games for geeks the event also has newbie friendly options You can go as a group or a couplegtgtgtWHEN 25 December 2 PM onwardsWHERE Rajhans Helix 3 GhatkoparPRICE Rs 150 onwardsTO BOOK insiderinComedy For Comedyrsquos SakeWhat better way to ensure your Christmas Eve is as merry as can be than to spend it with comedy stars The Christmas Eve special lineup presents comedians such as Jeeya Sethi Raunaq Rajani Shreeja Chaturvedi Prakhar Pramod Pavitra Shetty amp Mohd SuhelgtgtgtWHEN 24 December 7 PMWHERE Experimental Theatre NCPAPRICE Rs 500 onwardsTO BOOK bookmyshowcomUnder the Peepal Tree DadChild FestivalSet against the backdrop of Indiarsquos vibrant folk and artistic heritage this festival is a celebration of the timeless bond between parents and children Fathers can share their experiences and stories Other activities include Rajasthani handicraft workshops and a folk dance performancegtgtgtWHEN 23 December 4 PM to 7 PMWHERE Sunken Garden and Experimental GardenPRICE Rs 500 onwardsTO BOOK bookmyshowcomChristmasthemed dance partyWhether yoursquore a dance enthusiast or just love soaking in the holiday vibes this dance party is the perfect way to celebrate the season Dance away your Christmas day to some classic beats Expect an event filled with infectious energy joyful rhythms and the warmth of holiday spirit The only rule is you must wear green red or goldgtgtgtWHEN 23 December 9 AMWHERE Tarang Studio BandraKharPRICE Rs 845TO BOOK insiderin