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All set for Ekamra dance festival from today

Correspondent

Nrutya Mahotsav to conclude on Tuesday

BHUBANESWAR: Showcasing several young and talented soloists of different Indian classical dance styles, the stage is set for the three-day annual Ekamra Nrutya Mahotsav (dance festival) in the city commencing on Sunday.

Into its fifth annual edition, the three-day event is being hosted by the Capital-based Suravi dance institution set up by young Odissi guru Pitambar Biswal.

"The solo dancers' genre is dying in Indian classical dances for an increasing focus on group presentation although solo dance alone can bring out the best in an artiste. Moreover, there is little platform for scores of budding young solo dancers. Our festival aims at projecting those future faces of Indian classical dances," explained Pitambar.

Group presentation

The inaugural evening will kick off with a unique group presentation of the typical percussion instruments of Orissa, `tala vadya kutchery', led by versatile mardal player and rhythm composer Dhaneswar Swain. It will be followed by Odissi by `Suravi' dance school's most promising dancer Lipsa Das. The other performers of the evening are Aparupa Chatterji, a Kolkata-based artiste and a student of late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's Srjan Dance School in Kolkata, and Shikha Patnaik of the State-owned Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar.

Monday evening will start with Mumbai-based Leesa Mohanty's Odissi performance. A disciple of Akademi awardee Odissi exponent Durga Charan Ranbir, young Leesa has been the co-director of well-known cultural body Bansi Bilas of the city and had recently tried her hand in choreography as well besides being a sensible writer on Odissi dance matters.

The next segment of the evening will be Kathak recital by Kolkata's Suchismita Dutta followed by Odissi dance by Sangita Chhotray of Utkal Dance Research Association, Bhubaneswar and host organisation Suravi's Amrita Patsani.

The concluding evening will commence with the ritualistic Mahari dance by Puri-based budding dancer Somalina Mishra. Odissi is believed to be an offshoot of Mahari dance associated with Jagannath temple of Puri.

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