More to dance than movements
SHYAMHARI CHAKRA
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Leela Mohanty takes pride in promoting the Debaprasad Das style of Odissi.
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FLAG-BEARER Leena Mohanty has the ability to experience the joy of dancing.
By winning the Sangeet Natak Akademi's Ustad Bismillah Khan youth award for performing arts, Kuala Lumpur-based dancer Leena Mohanty has brought laurels for Orissa and Odissi. "It's an honour for the distinct Debaprasad Das style of Odissi dance that we have been preserving and promoting despite all odds," says the Mahari award winner who was a disciple of late Debaprasad and Akademi awardee Odissi exponent Durga Charan Ranbir, the flag-bearer of the Debaprasad `gharana'.
She was born in a family that nurtured artistic pursuits — her industrialist father was an arts promoter, mother was a gifted singer and her uncle Surya Mohanty studied at the National School of Drama and became a theatre personality. Young Leena took to dance as fish to water. "I feel doubly blessed today since my in-laws are equally supportive. And I must acknowledge the role of my gurus who have groomed me so well," adds the artiste. Despite being a University topper in physics and having acquired an MBA degree, she opted for a career in classical dance. What makes her gharana unique to Odissi? "Unlike the other founder-fathers of Odissi who believed that the dance form evolved within the temple tradition, Guru Debaprasad was an extraordinary scholar who explored how dance had its roots in folk and tribal traditions. He was a thinking guru who harmoniously combined elements of lasya and tandav in his style. His abhinaya was unique for use of minimal expressions," explained Leena who along with her Mumbai-based dancer-sister Leesa Mohanty has been hosting international Odissi dance festivals in New Delhi and workshops abroad at regular intervals.
"My guru died young two decades ago. During our performances in different Indian cities and abroad, we were shocked to see that his style was marginalised due to his untimely death. This prompted us to host such festivals under the guidance of Guru Ranbir besides making a documentary on the late guru's life and works through our Bhubaneswar-based arts institution Bansi Bilas," explained Leena.
She has also worked with Kuala Lumpur-based versatile dancer-composer Ramli Ibrahim, who was also trained in Odissi by Debaprasad. "My association with Ramli's Sutra Dance Theatre in Malayasia helped me gain a new vision of dance. I realised that dance is more than mere movements. It encompasses several aspects and dimensions like space exploration, stage craft, costumes, body language and even an apt attitude towards dancing," she acknowledged.
What makes one a great dancer? "The ability to experience the joy of dancing," pats comes the reply from the dancer who was a frequent performer in the temples of Vrindavan during her formative years.
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