Santa Monica Close-up

Falun Gong practitioners  play the waist drums and perform the sword dance at Palisades Park during  World Falun Dafa Day on Sunday, May 11, 2008. Falun Gong (also called Falun Gong, or just Dafa) teaches truth, compassion and tolerance, an exercise practice for the body and mind.  While the exercises have deep inner meanings, they also help to reduce stress and can bring great improvements in health and fitness. 

The Tourism Malaysia Los Angeles Cultural Troupe perform  at the Third Street Promenade during the 'Taste of Malaysia' on Sunday, May 11, 2008.  Taste of Malaysia is a day celebrating the delicious food and colorful culture of Malaysia.

(above) Chef Mior pours Teh Tarik (pulled tea) during Taste of Malaysia at the Third Street Promenade on Sunday, May 11, 2008. Teh Tarik is the national drink of Malaysia. In Malaysia, there are also occasions where Teh Tarik brewers gather for competitions and performances to show their skills in making this drink. This tea is special in that it is prepared using a unique technique. The tea is poured from a hand held high into a container held in a hand below. The tea is poured back and forth in this manner to create a thick froth. Aside from cooling down the tea to drinking temperatures, it is believed that this method mixes the tea with the condensed milk more thoroughly. Chef Mior has competed and won many Teh Tarik competitions in Malaysia and showcased his talents in several Asian countries, Australia, the Middle East and the UK.  (top) Chef Mior tosses and flips the Roti Canai, Malaysia version of the pankake, during Taste of Malaysia.

Ballet Folklorico Nueva Antequera perform indigenous dances representing the seven regions of Oaxaca, Mexico during the 17th Annual Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park on Saturday, May 10, 2008.

(1,2) El Grupo Folkoltico Centeotl (Goddess of Corn) perform the 'Danza De La Pluma'  (Oaxacan indigenous dance) during the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Virginia Avenue Park on Sunday, May 4, 2008. (3) Folkoltico Centeotl perform "Flora De Pina," during the Fiesta. (4) Car judge Mike Holguin, 30, examines a 1948 Chevy Fleetline Deluxe convertible during the Cinco de Mayo Car Show at Virginia Avenue Park. (5) Eddie Franco pushes his daughter Clarissa, 2, in her mini 1962 Checvy Impala on Sunday.

(above) Malathi Iyengar, Artistict Director from  The Rangoli Dance Company   teaches the  'Dance Master Class: Classical Dance of India' at Santa Monica College on Thursday 24, 2008. (photo 1) Anjali Gopalan, 21,  (photo 2)  Shaheen Sheik, 32, (left) and Hema Iyer, 34, (right) perform "In Praise of Krishna" during the Dance Master Class on Thursday. Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture, a non profit organization was established in 1985 by artistic director, Malathi Iyengar to realize a creative vision of presenting visual and performing arts of India. In India, the antiquity of the visual art Rangoli, symbolizes Beauty, Hope and Tradition. Rangoli Foundation is committed to developing cultural awareness and inter-cultural dialogue through the artistic expressions of dance, music, theater and visual arts.