The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a global gathering - showcasing the talents of musicians and performers from across the globe, and the Edinburgh Mela, a celebration of world music and dance, have joined hands with Delhi-based entertainment company Teamwork Arts to bring Bollywood glitz to Edinburgh’s festival scene this year.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will start from Friday and will go on till August 29. It will present a nightly five-minute ‘street version’ of a Bollywood dance extravaganza as part of the its ‘East Meets West’ theme.
The Tattoo, a global gathering that combines military spectacle, cultural performance, vibrant music and international colour - all in a historic Scottish setting, is in its 66th year and will be held at the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.
Followed by the performances at the Tattoo, the Main Stage at the Edinburgh Mela will showcase the famed musical ‘Bollywood Love Story’ on August 30 in Leith, Scotland.
Teamwork Arts’ 'Bollywood Love Story' is a timeless tale of romance with pulsating dance tracks and foot-tapping music that transports the audience to the whimsical world of Bollywood.
Played to packed houses across Asia, Europe and South Africa, it has staged 150 shows globally ever since it first hit the stage four years ago. With support from the Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, a company of 12 performers and a choreographer have travelled from New Delhi to here where they will join 40 dancers drawn from Asian dance groups across Scotland.
“Once again The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will place Scotland on the world stage, showcasing our rich cultural heritage to thousands of people across the world.
"Through Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, we are pleased to support The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s collaboration with The Edinburgh Mela to bring Bollywood to the Esplanade this August.
"These dancers will be a great addition to the performers from Australia, United States, Canada and New Zealand that make The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo a global event. Scotland looks forward to welcoming people from across the world to celebrate the music and entertainment that’s on offer," Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said in a statement.
‘East Meets West’ theme of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will celebrate the contrasts that exist in our world and those elements that are largely consistent and on occasion similar.
Performers from all over Europe, America, Asia, Australasia and Canada will share the stage with some of the finest British Armed Forces performers and musicians, who will, among other features, mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.