Dr. Vinod Hasal has won several awards in India like the Menaka Trophy(1989) for the best dancer of Maharashtra,First Place in Classical Kathak at the Inter-Collegiate Competition (1989-90) conducted by the University of Bombay as part of 22nd Annual Youth Festival ,First Place in Mood Indigo 1989 an annual youth National cultural festival of IIT Bombay,First Place in Malhar 1986 an Inter-Collegiate Youth Cultural Festival and many many more in India before leaving for South Africa in 1991.In South Africa Dr. Hasal has had an honour to perform for the First President of Republic of South Africa former Late President Dr. Nelson Mandela, 2nd President Mr. Thabo Mbeki, 3rd Mr. Jacob Zuma & present president Mr.Cyril Ramaphosa several times. The students of the Academy in India and South Africa along with Dr. Vinod have performed extensively National and Internationally.
Mrs. Aliya V. Hasal wife of Dr. Vinod Hasal is CEO and Director of Dr. Hasal’s Academy (Drum Cafe) You can contact Aliya Hasal on +91 98332 46696.
The Academy believes that arts especially dance are of vital importance in articulating the experiences of all areas of society. While developing Indian Classical dance, a strategic role is also to bring about awareness and understanding of the dance forms of other cultures. Through bridging cross-cultural differences and re-shaping our concept of dance and life, new opportunities for the enrichment of International dance can occur.
Dr. Vinod Hasal was the first Indian and still is to have started free INDIAN dance and music classes in the heart of AFRICAN TOWNSHIPS like Soweto , tembisa and Alexandra in the year 1998/99 . The INDIAN culture center (icc) of Johannesburg South Africa & ICCR (Delhi) joined hands with Dr. Vinod Hasal in helping him spread the Indian culture amongst the African Community which was never attempted before. As Former Directorate of the ICCR Mr. Himachal Som on his visit to South Africa aptly puts it after watching the African children perform Indian Classical Kathak and Folk dancing “At the Council we spend millions of dollars, but today seeing you dance has been one of the happiest moments of my almost 5 year tenure as Directorate General of the council. Most of our efforts abroad are to promote Indian culture,but they are usually taken up by people of Indian origin living abroad. They come from a similar culture and background, but when I saw people from a completely different background and culture make the effort to learn something new, it makes me think that the world is a small village, where we can share the best that we have with each other.”
Dr. Vinod wants to bring out the hidden talents of these students who may be materially poor but are rich in talent and culture. Dr. Hasal goes personally to the Townships to teach at the school every week, students from these groups will be performing at our show this year. The Academy believes that one must extend out to understand others cultures and what better way to do it than to bridge together with dance and music, as it does not segregate between people on the basis of race, colour, religion and sex. The Academy is very well established in India & South Africa since 1992 and has many students and centers all over the world.
