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TALENT SHOW in the NEWS

SARATOGA's GOT TALENT, AND PROVES IT AT SHOW

Saratoga's Got Talent, and proves it at show

By Khalida Sarwari

ksarwari@ community-newspapers.com

Posted:   07/01/2013 07:31:46 PM PDT
Updated:   07/01/2013 07:31:47 PM PDT

Dancers, musicians and entertainers took to the McAfee Center stage on June 14 to showcase their skills for a good cause.

A talented group of 88 performers participated in the second annual Saratoga's Got Talent event.

Judges awarded first, second and third prizes for the most talented competitors in the 5-to-12 and the 13-and-over age groups.

In the first group, the first-place winner was Nevin Richards; second place went to Rebecca Lofis and third to Mohini Dutta.

In the second group, the first-place winner was Tracy Sarmiento, who took home the grand prize of $2,500; second-place winner was Samantha Rose, and third place went to Esha Krishnamoorthy.

The winners of both age groups won for singing operatically. Nevin, 12, sang "Queen of the Night" by Mozart, and Sarmineto, 22, performed a number from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera.

Contestants also had a chance to win in two other categories: a judge's singing award and, for the first time this year, an audience choice award, with the winner selected via online voting. Those winners were Nina Sabharwal, Raquel Boales, Ankita Sarvesh and the Dancing Divas from Argonaut.

The panel of judges included Saratoga Union School District superintendent Lane Weiss; Saratoga High School principal Paul Robinson; Vickie Wyant, a retired Redwood Middle School music director; Keith Banks, a dance director at Studio 10 Dance; Alka Bhatnagar founder of Sur Bahar; Redwood Middle School music director Jon Jow; and San Jose City Councilman Ash Kalra. Redwood Middle School students Shivaum Kumar and Ayush Aggarwal served as emcees.

Rishi Kumar, founder of the Saratoga Cares Foundation, said the event was attended by more than 500 people and ultimately raised about $19,000. The money will be divided between the Saratoga Education Foundation and Saratoga Senior Center.

The foundation supports science, physical education, computer instruction, library, music and art programs at Argonaut, Foothill and Saratoga elementary schools, as well as Redwood Middle School.

Last year, the event drew nearly 300 people and raised about $18,000 for the Saratoga Senior Center. The winners of last year's contest donated their prize money of $1,000 to the senior center and returned to compete again this year.

Saratoga's Got Talent was organized by a local nonprofit agency, Saratoga Cares Foundation. The foundation was created in 2010 to honor the compassionate and caring spirit of the late Susie Nagpal. The organization began by holding singing competitions on a small scale at Blue Rock Shoot on Big Basin Way, and out of that grew the talent show.

This year, the organization also recognized Saratogans who have recently excelled in various fields. The list included Anushree Dugar, who placed third in the country in the National History Day Competition held in Washington, D.C.; Eesha Khare, an 18-year-old Lynbrook High School graduate who invented a device that charges a cell phone battery in under 30 seconds; Nicole Bowman, a Saratoga High student who placed third at the Southwest District Rowing Championships and qualified for the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships; and Sean Shi, a USA Junior Math Olympiad champion.

PUBLISHED BY THE INDIAN EXPRESS WESTCOAST NEWSLINE - JAN 11, 2013
(Download the image and ZOOM 150% to read)

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PUBLISHED BY THE INDIAN EXPRESS WESTCOAST NEWSLINE - SEPT 14, 2012

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Town's GOt Talent - published 9/25/2012 - Saratoga News

TOWN'S GOT TALENT: Saratoga's Got Talent, a monthly competition at the Blue Rock Shoot, crowned three young people with superlatives and prizes for their performances in front of a standing-room-only crowd this month.

Sisters Sandhya, 10, and Kavita Panchapakesan, 7, won top honors. They did a song and dance routine to Rihanna's "Umbrella." Patrick McCauley won second with his "Howl at the Moon," an animal song that included a wolf call and a monkey screech so lifelike that people were looking around in fright, presumably. Patrick even has albums to his credit. Isha Yeleswarupa, 11, captured third with a soulful rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing."

Those who sang their own compositions included Zelly Mae, a Saratoga High senior, whose song, "Blue Rock Shoot," was sung with a Lady Gaga coolness, while strumming her guitar.

So reports Rishi Kumar, who produces these shows. Another original piece was from Raquela, singing "Angel Eyes," co-written with her coach, Shelly Franklin. Rishi's son, Shivaum, a middle-schooler, emceed the evening.


The Crew wins top honors in the Saratoga's Got Talent Show

Original link is here
http://www.mercurynews.com/saratoga/ci_21089599/crew-wins-top-honors-saratogas-got-talent-show

The Crew wins top honors in the Saratoga's Got Talent Show

By Mary Ann Cook, for Saratoga News
Posted:   07/16/2012 07:32:43 PM PDT
Updated:   07/16/2012 07:32:43 PM PDT

GOT TALENT: The top winner of the Saratoga's Got Talent Show that benefited the Senior Center was The Crew, singing, "Standing on the Corner Watching All the Girls Go By." They promptly turned their prize winnings, $1,000, over to the senior center.

Crew members are Don Barnett, Bob Cancellieri, Roger Fisher, Rudy Kalafus, Fred Rust, Don Schilling and Bob Stoner, accompanied by Eric Serdahl, percussionist, and Glenda Rasmussen, piano. They regularly sing with the Fun Time Singers, as well as on their own.

"We were overwhelmed by the cheers and standing ovation for a bunch of old geezers," as they describe themselves. "Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine we would be awarded first prize!" Not needing (dubious) career advancement, The Crew sent the award straight to the senior center.

The talent show raised $18,138 for the center, and donations are still coming in, says organizer Rishi Kumar. Other winners were Shouvik Neogi, 16, who won second place and $500 for her break dancing number. Shouvik is from Chennai, India, and will begin her studies at UC-Berkeley this fall.

Harshitha Krishnan, 18, singing "If I Ain't Got You," won third place and $250. Isabelle Simone captured best costume award and a $30 voucher from Agnes Womens Boutique. Ankitha Sarvesh garnered the most applause trophy and a $25 voucher from Florentine Restaurant.

Mithil Chakraborthy, 8, of Saratoga won first place in the 5-12 age roup dancing to a remix of Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" and Bollywood track, "Chammak Challo." The prize was 12 weeks of private lessons from Musicians Mobile.

Second Sun won second place by singing, playing and dancing to "Pricetag." Sun members are Katarina Kelly, 10, and twins Jade and Devon Schreiner, 11. Their prize was three months of group lessons from Guitar Showcase. Mohini Dutta, 11, captured third place with an Indian classical dance called "Kathak" and won a month of lessons from Guitar Showcase.

Evelyn Ha, 11, and Allison Ha, 9, won the "most applause" trophy, and Kiara Parker, 6, won best costume trophy.

All winners received trophies. Younger winners also received passes to the Tech Museum. The show was a wonderful example of the community uniting for a cause, said Kumar.


Have a tip for Sampler? Send it to maryannck8@gmail.com or phone 408.540.7977.

Saratoga's got talent and it will be on display at the senior center

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Saratoga's Got Talent, and it will be on display at the senior center

By Mary Ann Cook, for Saratoga News
Posted:   06/18/2012 07:30:37 PM PDT
Updated:   06/18/2012 07:30:38 PM PDT

TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER: Saratoga's Got Talent, a performance competition that's a fundraiser for the Saratoga Senior Center, will be held June 22, 7-10 p.m., at the center. Previous Saratoga's Got Talent performers will entertain from 7 to 7:30 p.m. and again from 10 to 10:20 p.m., serving as bookends to the June contestants.

The event is sold out, but the public can stop by the senior center to have dinner via the food trucks in the back parking lot starting at 6 p.m. Choices include Louisiana Territory (Cajun food); No Way Jose (gourmet Mexican); Tikka Bytes (Indian); and ScoopsSJ (ice cream).

Wine will be on sale by the glass. Tables will be set up in the patio area. The performance itself will be in the community room. Performers can win prizes up to $1,000. Judges include Lane Weiss, school superintendent; music teachers from Saratoga schools; and nearly all the city council members.

Performers on deck are Cortnee Langlie, Raffy Espiritu, Grace Peng, Tarini Ullal and Seema Kumar, along with some 45 others. It promises to be something like controlled chaos, a lot of movement, promises Susan Huff, senior center director.

Original link here http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20886413/saratogas-got-talent-and-it-will-be-display?IADID

Saratoga's Got Talent - Entertains Saratoga's seniors

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20569818/free-tap-lessons-lead-an-impressive-dance-career

The Saratoga's Got Talent team entertained Saratoga's Seniors. This was based on an old program agenda that I had sent to our reporter from Saratoga News – but the coverage includes almost all our performances. I specially like the last line of the article “The place was sold out and the crowd so enthusiastic it sounds like a repeat is surely in the offing.” - Rishi

HERE IS THE NEWS SNIPPET  By Mary Ann Cook, for Saratoga News

Posted:   05/07/2012 07:34:21 PM PDTUpdated:   05/07/2012 07:34:21 PM PDT
The Saratoga Cares Foundation and Saratoga's Got Talent organizations brought a talent show to the Saratoga Senior Center's lunch program recently with a decided Indian slant. Providing food was the Mynt, a nearby Indian restaurant.

Mayor Chuck Page and Shekhar Joshi both performed standup comedy; Grace Peng, Nina Jayshankar, Cortnee Langlie and Vijay Parmar each sang popular songs; Julianna Pollifrone and Katie Burns sang original songs; Raffy Espiritu sang high tech parodies; and Sankhya Ghirnikar sang a Bollywood classical song.

Dancers included the Argonaut Elementary Girls with boogie woogie and Spanish Bollywood renditions; the Jollywood group Dandia; and Rishi and Seema Kumar, who performed a Bollywood dance. The place was sold out and the crowd so enthusiastic it sounds like a repeat is surely in the offing.

Got Talent? Show it off at the blue rock shoot

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Got talent? Show it off at the Blue Rock ShootBy Brian Babcock
bbabcock@community-newspapers.com
Posted:   02/27/2012 07:33:03 PM PSTUpdated:   02/27/2012 07:33:03 PM PST
Click photo to enlarge Photograph courtesy of Rishi Kumar

Grace Peng, Saratoga Resident and Kevin Lynch (Palo Alto...

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Saratogans hoping to show off their talents without having to take a trip to Hollywood now have a forum to do so in the city. Those looking to massage their vocal chords with a little singing, show off their wit with some comedy or bust out some James Brown dance moves can do so during the monthly "Saratoga's Got Talent" performance event at the Blue Rock Shoot in the Village.

The idea came from resident Rishi Kumar.

"It originally was supposed to be an extension of the weekly Village Marketplace. People were sticking around until about 6 p.m., but then they just headed home. So I was trying to think of something we could do to keep them in the Village and have them eat at one of the restaurants or shop," Kumar said.

The event was initially titled "Saratoga Village Karaoke" and envisioned as a weekly happening. The first event took place at the Bell Tower Bistro in July.

But with the new school year starting, the event was moved to every first Saturday of the month to accommodate families' schedules. It was also moved to the Blue Rock Shoot where there was a cozier environment for children and adults to hang out, Kumar said.

It's become more than just a clever way to bring foot traffic to downtown Saratoga.

"It's become a celebration of cultures," Kumar said. "What we want is an intermingling of people in Saratoga. We want a good representation of Saratoga's demographics."

Kumar, who is Indian, said those attending the event at first were friends of his with similar ethnic backgrounds. But recently the event has been "trending toward a good mix," he said.The talent show has become an event for families, Kumar said. It was so popular with children that adults didn't want to interrupt them. So the event's organizers decided to give children the first portion of the show and leave the second half for adults.

The performance show has attracted those who can sing, dance, and like Mayor Chuck Page, tell a few jokes.

Page performed a stand-up comedy routine at the Feb. 4 event. He was able to poke some fun at the parking issue in downtown Saratoga at night.

"The parking out here is hard sometimes, right? I've never seen a place where every restaurant has plenty of tables open, but there's no parking. I don't know what these people are doing. It's like they're coming here and dropping off their cars and carpooling to Los Gatos," Page joked.

Page said he likes the idea of the event.

"It's good to see people come out and show off their talents," he said. "I think it has potential to bring more people into the city to partake in what we have to offer."

Kumar said people from Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Cupertino, Palo Alto, San Jose, Belmont and even East Bay cities like Pleasanton and Danville have attended the event.

"It's a win-win for everyone," Kumar said. "There's new foot traffic from people from all over who are getting introduced to our Village and they're having fun."

For more information on Saratoga's Got Talent,
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