Thematic Photographic 82: "2009 - The Year that Was" v.3.0 - Nuv Yug, Roller Derby, and The Fourth (and Third) of July

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"Nuv Yug India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

"Carolina Rollergirls"
Raleigh, NC - June 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

"Ooohh... Ahhhh..."
Garner, NC - July 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Actually, around here, the livin' is hot and humid and sweaty and kinda gross. But photo opportunities abound, some of which I expected. Others? Not so much. If you'd told me coming into 2009 that I'd be snapping madly away in Dorton Arena for the Nuv Yug India Fest 2009 in March I'd have probably nodded in agreement. Perhaps even vigorous agreement. (Okay, technically that's not summer, but work with me okay?) Because I think it's important to be exposed to other cultures, and what better place than events where those cultures are on display for you to ... be exposed to them? But if you'd followed that prediction up with one that said I'd be back at Dorton Arena in June madly photographing the Carolina Rollergirls Roller Derby team, I might have questioned that notion. And yet. Then came July, and with it not one, but two Fireworks Displays of Consequence. And everybody knows how much I love shooting those. I could have squeezed in a third one if I could have managed to get myself to Durham on July 2. But getting to Lake Benson for Garner's celebration on the 3rd, and topping that off with the show in Raleigh on the 4th provided me with a fantastic crop of fireworks shots.

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Thematic Photographic 81: "Feet" v.7.0 - So You Think You Can Dance (Part III)

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"Nuv Yug India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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Finishing up "Feet Week" is another dancer from India Fest 2009. This performance was not too long before the one pictured yesterday, and I've featured several photos form the event since March. If' you'd like to browse through them for a recap, this link will search them out for you.

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Thematic Photographic 81: "Feet" v.6.0 - So You Think You Can Dance (Part II)

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"Nuv Yug India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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More dancers will close out the week for me, this shot and one more both taken at Nuv Yug's India Fest 2009. I'm not nearly well versed enough in Indian dance or culture to tell you if this has any special significance other than for the dancers themselves. There are a great many traditional dance styles in India, and it's very possible that specific sequences are defined for specific rituals or other purposes. Whether or not this is such a dance, or simply one choreographed for this performance I couldn't say. I can say that all of the dancers performing that day were quite good, and obviously put a great deal of time into their preparations.

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Thematic Photographic 76: "Orange" v.6.0 - Living Color

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"It Is So Orange!"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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I can foresee another argument on the subject of color here. "That's 'marigold' saffron, not 'orange'!" Fine. The fabric in the dresses themselves is 'marigold' saffron. But the trim is the same orange as in the Indian National Tricolor, and that's as orange as it gets. So pbtbtbtbt.

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Thursday Challenge #48: "Youth"

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"Tradition Passed Down - Nuv Yug India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)
Next Week's Challenge: "Music"

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Thursday Challenge #46: "Clothes"

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"Nuv Yug"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)
Next Week's Challenge: "Food"

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Ruby Tuesday #62: "Nuv Yug"

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"Nuv Yug India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted at Work of the Poet

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Thematic Photographic 54: "Green" v.6.0

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"India Fest 2009"
Raleigh, NC - March, 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Hosted by Written Inc.

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Usually I don't know anything about the performers I shoot at these small local events, but in this case, that's not entirely true. It seems that a co-worker of mine knows this dancer and mentioned when she saw the photo that she's been studying Indian classical dance practically since she could stand. Watching her perform I could easily believe it. Despite the fact that I know slightly less about the various styles of Indian classical dance than I do about nuclear physics. According to my friend, she's even forgoing the usual wife-and-mother path to focus on her art. In Western cultures we'd think "and...?", but for her this is a big deal.

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Shutterday #22 - Theme 111: "Not Boy"

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"Nope. No Boys in This Act."
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)
Next week's theme: "Rain"

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Kay's Seven Deadly Challenges #5: "Envy"

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"Is It Envy? Or Is It Lust?"
Raleigh, NC - March 2009 (Click to embiggen)

 Find out more here

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Envy, contrary to some opinions, is not the same thing as jealousy. I could get into the differences, but Kay probably did it way better than I could in her introduction of the Sin of the Week. But I really don't have much to offer in the way of Envy, because envy requires coveting and there's not really all that much I covet. Sure, there are things I'd love to have (Dear Santa, I have been a very good boy this year and could you please bring me an EF 400mm f/2.8L super telephoto lens?) but I honestly can't think of to awufl much that I want so badly that it would make me dysfunctional and obsessive. But I guess if there's anything I could say I envy it would be the ability to create something like this painting, a print of which I saw at India Fest 2009. The print I could have afforded easily enough. And if I'd had a place to hang it, I would have bought it. (And it's still not outside the realm of possibility that I'll go back and get one.) But the skill and talent required to create it isn't something one can purchase.

Oh... let's be honest here, it's actually the model I covet. ;) Does that make it envy or lust? Guess I'm screwed either way, huh?

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Neat Way To Spend a Saturday

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Or a Sunday for that matter. This weekend the J.S. Dorton Arena at the NC State Fairgrounds is host to India Fest 2009, organized by Nuv Yug, one of the Triangle's Indian cultural organizations.

Full-resolution version of the slideshow avialable here

I was there this afternoon for a few hours (regrettably few actually, I missed the headliner, Prashant Tamang the winner of Indian Idol 3). But in the time I was there I did get some pretty cool photos of the local performers. Most of these were young people, and all of them quite good! If you're in the Raleigh area, or will be on Sunday 29 March, consider coming out for the second day. Details are on the Nuv Yug website, but the short version is that Sunday's party runs from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, admission is $3 (children under 3 free) for the day. and hand stamps allow for pass-outs if you want to take a break to tour the Flea Market just next door.

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