Drebu

Five Elements Chuba Collection presented on Oct 1st for Culture Days 2011 in Parkdale

DreBu — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:47:58 +0000

In celebration of this year’s Canada Culture Days, DreBu presented “Tibetan Chuba: Ancient Dresses in Modern Times”, on Saturday, Oct 1, 2011. The collection of seven original Tibetan dresses was designed and hand-painted by Kalsang Dolma, a Canadian – Tibetan artist based in Parkdale, Toronto.

Seven youth models presented the colorful dresses in a series of orchestrated movements and demonstrations. The show was accentuated by the live musical performances of Tsewang and Kunsang.

More than sixty people attended this show through the course of the day. By paying homage to the traditional Tibetan motifs in a contemporary setting, Ms. Dolma hoped to highlight the importance of cultural understandings and community-based arts initiatives.

The event was held at the Parkdale Public Library.

For the photo album on DreBu’s facebook page, visit/click here.

Five Elements Chuba Collection Exhibit Team Oct 1

Presentation Team Members:Kalsang Dolma – Artist/Designer & DreBu’s Founding Director
Gelek Badheytsang – Photographer and DreBu’s Founding Director
Tseten Lhundup – Musician (male)
Tenzin Choedhen – Musician (female)
Agar Badheytsang – Male Model
Lodoe Gyatso – Male Model
Sonam Dickyi – Female Model

Tenzin Nyidon – Female Model
Jamyang Dolma – Female Model
Tenzin Samten – Female Model
Tenzin Yeshi – Female Model

Comments from Audience and the presentation team members:

Chuba Art and Style Demonstration by Kalsang

Fabulous presentation & creations of dress. Thank you for sharing (Ali)

Thank you for the experience! It was wonderful ! (Tish)

Great Presentation, Kalsang. Very Beatiful. Thank you. Best Wishes (Jennifer)

I love it. Keep up your good job for spirit Tibet. Good Luck! (Dadoen Jangdong)

This was awesome!! Best of Luck (Lobsang Mentuh and Pemme Mentuh Tulotsang)

Congrats on the amazing performance, it was beautiful – both the dresses and music. Thank you for sharing your talent and ART (Glenys)

Chuba Models presenting in graceful Walks

This was simply an amazing experience. I’ve always dreamt of modelling, walking down the aisle with a beautiful dress. Thank you to acha Kalsang for giving all of us an opportunity to be ourselves and portray our Tibetan culture. (model – Tenzin Samten)

I had a wonderful time today, at the “Culture Days”. It was a life time memory experience. It was so inspiring to see the art, and being able to wear it was a privelege. Thank you to all audience for making this happen, and Acha Kalsang for her wonderful art (model, Jamyang Dolma)

This was an amazing experience. Even though I did not model, I still had fun backstage. I can’t wait to experience this in November again. THank you acha Kelsang. (“Teddy” Tenzin Tsetan)

I really like the chubas. It gave the old chubas a modern twist. Thank you. (Musician, Tenzin Kunsang Choedhen)

Five Elements Chuba Collection - Model Girls

Amazing time with amazing people and beautiful dress! (Model, Tenzin Yeshi)

I love all the Chubas. It was fun time. (Model, Tenzin Nyidon)

Love to being part of this show. I loved everything especially the Chubas. I must say Miss Kalsang, U did a great job. Love it. I really enjoyed a lot. (Model, Sonam Dickyi)

Love the Chuba. (Tenzin Sungrap)

The event was awesome, having these events will increase the Tibetan youth’s knowledge about our culture. (Model, Agar Badheytsang)

The event was successful, unique chuba designs. (model, Lodoe Gyatso)

Playing Dranyen to the Five Elements Chuba Presentation

Featuring Tibetan Chuba as the art canvas was unique where it encourages younger generation to participate and feel proud of our heritage. All young people as the model volunteers got to wear the Chuba with the orginal paintings by an artist bringing up the value of traditions in our modern times. It was great to be part of this live presentation by playing the music and helping co-ordinate graceful Tibetan dance movements into the walks. The visual effect of playing to the beautiful cultural art in focus was unique,special and a feast to the eyes! (Musician, Tseten Lhundup)

THANK YOU! We look forward to seeing you at our next presentation/exhibit in the first week of November at Road to Asia Festival 2011.

Tenzin Khando - Supporter of the Chuba Presentation on Oct 1st - National Culture Days 2011

Our special Thanks to Ms. Tenzin Khando in supporting us with a generous donation towards marketing cost (posters, printing) and honorarium to our musicians. Thank you for your support!

Art and Design of the collection by Kalsang Dolma

Photography by Gelek Badheytsang

Slide show of more pictures from the event, click below and enjoy!

Click to view slideshow.

Tibetan Chuba: Ancient Dresses in Modern Times – Culture Days 2011

DreBu — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:50:40 +0000

Clouds in Water, a Blue Chuba designed and painted by Kalsang

Drebu will present a live, interactive, fashion, art and live music event in Parkdale Library on Saturday, Oct 1st from 11 to 2 pm; highlighting the importance of connecting with the diverse traditions and cultures that make up the Canadian mosaic.

Models will present a collection of modern Tibetan dresses styled after traditional forms and painted with bold ancient motifs in a contemporary painting medium by Kalsang Dolma, a Canadian Tibetan Artist & Designer . The collection will be presented by models through graceful Tibetan dance movements to live traditional music, along with demonstrations of various styling possibilities.

The online exhibition of the collection (Click here) goes live on September 30th, Friday. It will provide a view of the complete collection and its artistic production process, showing how artistic traditions and heritage tie in beautifully and organically with modern (urban) arts and culture.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the artists and models in a discussion on dress styling, history and meanings behind the painted motif designs.

The presentation highlights the importance of connecting with the diverse traditions and cultures that make up the Canadian mosaic.

This approach in presenting and sharing an integral aspect of our lives to a wider audience will serve to help us appreciate our cultural and artistic diversity through an engaging and innovative process that aims to cultivate a sense of true sharing and inclusion.

The presentation also serves to inspire and encourage our younger generations to have a sense of pride in our arts, traditions and diverse identities.
Open to all age group for a fun and interactive experience!
Program Outline:

11:15 to 12 – First Round
11:15 to 11:30 – Graceful Tibetan Movements to live Music
11:30 to 11:45 – Styling Showcase
11:45 to 12 noon – Public Interaction

12 to 12:45 – Second Round (same itinerary as above)

12:45 to 1pm – Break

1 pm to 1:45 – Third Round (same itinerary as above)

To learn more about the presentation and Culture Days 2011, please visit online.

DreBu showcases Tibetan art and performance at Road to Asia 2010

DreBu — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:44:22 +0000

Over 3000 people from all over GTA enjoyed Road to Asia 2010 festival during its 10th anniversary weekend on Nov 6th and 7th . DreBu was happy to be part of the best of Asian cultures sharing our traditions and arts through music, performance and food.

Tsetan Lhudrup was the featured performing artist for the Tibetan cultural music and dance; he performed a couple of popular songs on his dranyen.

DreBu organized an art demonstration using a cyclindrical pillar-like model (paper board material) where Tibetan architectural and colorful motifs are put up with sculptural clay material using the art of Tibetan butter sculpture known as “KarGyen” in Tibetan. Throughout the festival weekend, Ngawang and Kalsang worked on it from scratch; drawing the design sketch first and then laying and filling them out with the colorful clay. The completed peice will be displayed in 2011.

DreBu sold Tibetan momos and noodles to raise funds in order to meet with the participation expenses to pay our artists and performers. The participants were appreciative of the authentic taste of the beef and vegetarian dumplings!

DreBu believes in supporting our professional artists by compensating for their works which encourages them to continue to work in their artistic skills and to pass on the knowledge through sharing with the younger generation members of the communities and the public at large.

We would like to thank Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre for hosting such an important and wonderful cultural festival which is apolitical by nature and open to all Asian cultures for fostering sharing/collaboration of our artistic traditions contributing to the diversity of Canada and the world. And special thanks to Christine Takasaki for being such an untiring and gracious co-ordinator of this annual event. (photo with Christine!)

Last but not the least, DreBu thank all the volunteers to make our participation at the 10th Road to Asia a success! Thank you to Jamyang Dorjee, Lobsang Rapten, Norbu Samten Naftel, Tenzin Pelmo, Tenzin Namsel, Norbu Dhundup and Tsering Dickyi.

We look forward to coming back in 2011 with a surprise presentation.

Road to Asia Festival 2010

elzilcho — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:12:36 +0000

DreBu is excited to participate in this year’s Road to Asia festival at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

When: Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7
Where:
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Garamond Court, Toronto, ON M3C 1Z5

Direction by bus:
Take the #100 (Flemingdon) bus
from Eglinton or Broadview subway station

The Road to Asia Festival 2010 is a two-day festival celebrating the richness and exciting diversity of Asian culture, all under one roof. The festival creates a thriving multicultural atmosphere in which individual cultures are highlighted through their traditional Food, Arts and Crafts, Music, Dance and Martial Arts.

Last year’s festival created a rich mix of the cultures of 9 different Asian nations and was visited by approximately 3,000 people. We are hoping to see all of our previous participants returning this year including Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, China, India, Tibet, Taiwan, and, of course, Japan. We hope to celebrate this fantastic milestone with more of everything that makes The Road to Asia Festival so much fun.

Free advance Tickets! (pay $ 5 at gate)
Each ticket admits two and can be used for either Saturday or Sunday.
Pick up at two locations in Parkdale:

1. Tibet Kitchen 1544 Queen St. W.
416-913-8726

2. The Mascot (Cafe) 1267 Queen St W
(416) 533-2888

Note: Those who live far from Parkdale can email us for free electronic passes.

Hope to see you there! Kalsang & Gelek

DreBu on Facebook

elzilcho — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:37:29 +0000

Please like us here.

It’s another way for you to keep up with the latest updates, events, photos, videos and discussions and that sort of thing.

Culture Days Reflections

elzilcho — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:30:59 +0000

To the folks at DreBu: a fantastic event! Please continue doing all the great work that you are doing. – Bob

Beautiful – thank you for showing us your culture! P.S. We are artists too and have done butter sculpture at the Royal Winter Fair. – Joanne

Very happy and proud to see our culture being represented in this way for the culture days. – Jamyang

Thank you so much for your hospitality and kindness. – Maria

Thanks so much for sharing! Great food. Great music. Beautiful art and great company. I can’t wait to come back and try on more food. Thank you for the beautiful afternoon. – Keane

I enjoyed all your food. More music next time! Food is great! I wanna learn to dance next time. – Robbie

Thank you for showing us an aspect of the Tibetan culture we hadn’t seen before – the butter sculpture. The music was very good too. Susan and Ray

Great job and keep it up! – Palden

Butter Sculpture Art & Music

elzilcho — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:35:13 +0000

What: Butter Sculpture Demonstration and Live Music
When: Sunday, Sept 26 [12:30 - 4pm]
Where: Tibet Kitchen, 1544 Queen St. W [map]

dreBu is proud to celebrate Ontario’s first Culture Day Weekend by presenting the ancient art of Tibetan butter sculpture. Live demonstration by artists, including hands-on activities for aspiring butter sculptors.

Also featuring a live performance by accomplished Tibetan musician, Tseten.

The event will be capped off by a sumptuous offering of authentic Himalayan cuisine by the most popular Tibetan restaurant in town, Tibet Kitchen.

The event is free and open for everyone. The buffet is $10 per person.

Please bring along your whole family for a fun and delicious Sunday afternoon.

Drebu’s “the Search” Screening Takes Off on a Resounding Note

elzilcho — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:40:02 +0000

Drebu successfully launched its “Tibet in Film” series with the exclusive screening of “the Search” by famed Tibetan director Pema Tseden.

Held in the Mascot Cafe in Parkdale, the screening was attended by nearly 30 people. It was the first time that the cafe was hosting a film screening.

The screening kicked off with a live musical performance by Tseten la, a traditional Tibetan musician. With his strong instrument, he played two songs from the region that was the backdrop of the film.

“It was a great event,” remarked Eddie, one of the three owners of this new cafe/art space, at the end. Earlier in the evening, Eddie was asked to share a few thoughts before the start of the screening, where he mentioned that helping Drebu by donating their space was one of the ways in which they wanted to give back to the community. “We want to create a space for beautiful things to grow, and we hope this is one of the ways by which we can accomplish that,” he said.

The movie was well-received by the audience. Owing to the art-house style and deliberate pace of the film, along with the screening location, many of the attendants felt that it was a unique experience. For some, this was the first time they had been exposed to Tibet and Tibetan works of art.

“The opportunity to watch such a film, with an audience dedicated to learning was fantastic,” said Melida. “If there was one critique I could add, it would be to have a roundtable discussion. The message[s] from the film could be made more clear and the discussion could definitely bring more taste to the journey home.”

The money raised from this pay-what-you-can screening will help with the upcoming Culture Days event on Sunday, Sept. 26. The event will feature a live butter sculpture demonstration, Tibetan music and food (courtesy of Tibet Kitchen).

Drebu would like to thank Pema Tseden for blessing us with the screening of his film, the Mascot Cafe for donating space and drinks, Tibet Kitchen for donating the food, our volunteers, and all the participants who came to the screening and generously donated their time and money.

“The Search” Movie Screening

elzilcho — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:23:35 +0000

Drebu invites you to a special screening of the highly acclaimed Tibetan movie, “the Search”.

What: “The Search” by Pema Tseden, a movie screening
When: Tuesday, Aug 17, 7:30 pm
Where: The Mascot Café, 1267 Queen St. W (2 blocks west of Dufferin St.)

Directed by Pema Tseden and featured in TIFF 2009, this movie has been lauded by critics from all around the world and has been screened in many film festivals, including the Shanghai International Film Festival 2009, where it won the Grand Jury Prize.

The movie follows the journey of a director and his crew in search of actors to play an ancient Tibetan opera, especially the two main roles of the Prince and the Princess. Through the breathtaking landscape and the struggles that the crew come across, the movie, shot entirely in Tibetan Amdo, presents a compelling portrait of Tibet that is often overlooked or missed by most people.

This special screening is a Pay What You Can event, with proceeds going towards artists who will participate in Drebu’s upcoming Culture Day presentation on Sept. 26.

This event is by invitation only, so please be sure to RSVP by emailing drebu.org[at]gmail.com, or confirming with either Kalsang or Gelek.

Snacks and refreshments provided courtesy of the Mascot Cafe and Tibet Kitchen.

Our big thanks to the Mascot Cafe for donating their space and supporting our event.

Asian Heritage Month: Tibetan Performance “DraNyen Shabdro” in Parkdale

elzilcho — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 22:12:24 +0000

On Saturday, May 15, Drebu organized a special presentation of Tibetan music, dance and youth breakdancing to commemorate the national Asian Heritage Month in May. This annual event is sponsored by Toronto Public Library all across the GTA. The event in Parkdale was held in Parkdale Public Library since this community is a major Tibetan hub in North America. This was also the first free public Tibetan musical performance arranged by the library. The hour-long event started at 2 pm, and was attended by nearly 80 people.

Kushog (Tibetan for monk) Ngawang la recited a prayer called “Mani Monlam”, using the Buddhist ritual instruments Drilbu and Damaru (a bell and a hand-held miniature drum-like instrument). The Drilbu and Damaru’s sound represent the speech/teachings aspect of an enlightened mind to help dispel bad energy while bringing in positive vibes and peace of mind. The prayer was dedicated to universal harmony and to those who suffered in the tragic earthquakes in Haiti and Tibet.

Two Parkdale youth, Vinoth and Norbu, performed a break dance routine to Asian beats.

Tsetan la, a master traditional Tibetan musician who graduated from the Tibetan Performing Arts Centre in Dharamsala, India, performed three songs on his “Dramnye”, a traditional Tibetan string instrument. This style of performance is also called, “Dramnye Shabdro” meaning “dancing to the sweet and melodious sound”. The first song was titled, “Kalpa Sang So”: a song calling us to remember our past generations and their contributions. He also performed a traditional Western Tibetan song, “BangZoe”: a song about identifying the real treasures in our lives. The last song was, “Dolma Lhakhang” in dedication to the female Buddha and Protectress.

Two young female performing artists, Tenzin Choekyi and Sonam Choekyi, presented two dances. One demonstrating the lives of farmers working in the fields and another on appreciating nature.

The event concluded with light snacks and refreshments.

All performers received a modest honorarium offered by Toronto Public Library in appreciation for sharing our culture and taking part in keeping the diverse Canadian culture dynamic and thriving.

Thank you to Miranda Huska, Parkdale Library Branch Head in initiating this program. Thank you to Dolkar and Kalsang in volunteering as the gracious ushers for the event. Thank you to Kalden for being the DJ of breakdancing.

Drebu would also like to thank all the performers and the attendants who came out in support of the event to celebrate Tibetan Culture and Asian Heritage as part of Canada!

Kalsang Dolma, Co-founder and Director

Gelek Badheytsang, Co-founder and Director