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The country’s largest celebration of world music and dance will  host its 21st edition in style with a packed programme of live music and dance across three stages, plus interactive family shows in the Mela Kidzone and the irresistible sights and smells of street food from around the world in the Global Food Village. 

 

The diverse, internationally-reaching arts festival will see artists from across the

globe entertain crowds of 30,000 locals and visitors in an unmissable two-day celebration at Leith Links. 

 

This year Bollywood glamour comes to Leith in 'A Bollywood Love Story.'

 

An unmissable Mela moment, the main stage will play host to the festival’s  signature show Bollywood Love Story.  

 

Directed by Sanjoy Roy of Teamwork Arts the Edinburgh Mela’s ground-breaking collaboration with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and will see a cast of top Bollywood dance professionals from India perform alongside 40 talented local performers drawn from Edinburgh and Scotland’s diverse communities in a classic Bollywood tale of romance and adventure. 

 

Having performed highlights of the show at Edinburgh Castle every night in August in front of a global audience of millions at the Tattoo, the company will come together to perform the dazzling full-length show which is set to be the defining moment of the 2015 Edinburgh Mela.

 

The 2015 Main Stage supported by Lebara Mobile is the heart of the Edinburgh Mela party, boasting crowd-pleasing live sets from some of the biggest names in world music today. 

 

First Day's live highlights include superstars in the making Raxstar and Mumzy protégé turned electrifying break-out star Junai Kaden, plus extended performances from featured artists Ayrad, six talented multi-instrumentalists from Canada who navigate between Andalusian and Berber rhymes over reggae and Latin grooves with some awe-inspiring improvisational skills, and an intoxicating mix of African desert blues and Indian rhythms from two-time Juno Award winner Kiran Alhuwalia. 

 

Saturday night then goes out with a bang with a show-stopping gig from Birmingham’s superstar bhangra producer and singer-songwriter Sukshinder Shinda. 

 

One can ease oneself into Sunday with Bengali singing sensation Suzana Ansar, young Pakistani Qawaali singers the Chishti Brothers, the inimitable Bollywood Brass Band, mixing up traditional brass band trombones and trumpets with Johnny Kalsi and members of the Dhol Foundation on dhol-drums, and British-Indian Asian Underground bhangra beats courtesy of Swami before the Main Stage climax, the spectacular Bollywood Love Story. 

 

Dance remains a major part of the Edinburgh Mela, with the dedicated Mela World Dance Feste Stage showcasing the best contemporary and traditional dance talent from across the world over the two days. 

 

The Mela continues to cement its reputation as a commissioning body for innovative new dance work with the premiere of its 2015 commission Goddess, an exploration of goddesses across global cultures and religions choreographed by Edinburgh’s Alan Greig. Plus there’s the welcome return of Jenny and Ricardo Oria - stars of the hit 2013 Mela commission Star Crossed- bringing their own authentic Argentinian tango set to the Mela. 

 

Joining them on the World Dance Feste Stage are Quebec’s La Otra Orilla with Moi & Les Autres, a spirited re-invention of flamenco by charismatic choreographer and dancer Myriam Allard and singer Hedi Graja; the jaw-dropping Roadworks, a raucous, laugh-out-loud hip hop battle like no other as B-Boys take on BMX riders; the sensational winner of the South Asian category in this year’s ‘BBC Young Dancer Of The Year’ competition, Vidya Patel with a new interpretation of classic Kathak dance; infectious beats from Glasgow’s irrepressible Desi Bravehearts and South Asian-inspired dance with a contemporary narrative twist courtesy of Edinburgh’s own Dance Ihayami.

 

New for 2015, the Edinburgh Mela is delighted to be working with Scotland’s top Asian Radio Station Awaz FM to host the first-ever Awaz FM Mela Mix Stage. The line-up boasts some of the finest up-and-coming acts from the world music scene. 

 

This is a rare chance to catch them in an intimate festival setting. The handpicked line-up of hotly tipped talent includes G-Town Desi, Krown, Edinburgh’s own Swaryatra, Northern-Exposure, Dangerman and traditional Polish music from Weilkopolska.

 

One of the most family-friendly events in Edinburgh’s Festival calendar, children aged 12 and under come free to the festival and have their very own Mela Kidzone to explore. This year Mela audiences young and old are invited to Go Bananas! and enjoy a host of live performances, professionally led dance workshops, interactive craft sessions and other hands-on activities. 

 

An absolute Edinburgh Mela favourite, the Global Food Village is a must-visit for keen foodies or anyone with a rumbling tum.  Growing every year, it features delicious street food from around the world including sweet and savoury specialities from across Asia.  If you’re thirsty, don’t miss the beautifully decorated Kingfisher beer truck – an eye-catching photo opportunity which handily transforms into a bar serving ice cold pints of India’s No. 1 beer. 

 

Other returning favourites include the Mela Fashion Show as local models strut their stuff on the catwalk decked out in the latest in women’s, men’s and children’s fashions and the Mela Marketplace, the perfect place to browse and pick up beautiful handcrafts and stunning sari fabrics, plus friendly information on local charities and organisations.

 

Chris Purnell, Director of the Edinburgh Mela says “It gives me great pleasure to announce the Mela programme for 2015.  The Mela brings together the highest quality performances from international stars of the world music and dance scene and home grown talent, in a pulsating celebratory mix of everything vital about our many rich and diverse cultures. Our commissioned work continues to enthral audiences drawn from all communities across the city and Scotland, and this year, that trajectory is maintained with some truly inspiring pieces. Together with a packed programme of artists and performances across three stages, representing a myriad of styles, I hope that everyone will take away a special moment of their own."

 

Keen to make the festival as affordable as possible for all, Mela attendees are encouraged to buy the £4 Early Bird ticket, available until noon on Friday 28th August. Tickets for this year’s Edinburgh Mela Festival are on sale now via www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk, on the Ticket Hotline+44(0)131 226 0008 or pop in to the Edinburgh Fringe Box Office on the High Street, Edinburgh. No booking fees are charged. After this time, tickets are £5 on the gate. Children aged 12 and under go free and children’s tickets can be pre-booked alongside your order.

 

For more information one can visit:

 

 www.edinburghfestivalcity.com