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Published: March 28th 2011
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I am sitting in a theatre in chaotic unorganized India. I have just ridden through traffic which, were it not so seriously dangerous and life-threatening, is a complete joke. My lungs again absorbed another day of carbon monoxide exhaust, dust and any manner of other toxic fumes. I have trodden in waste and garbage on the streets that, were one to know the origins of, would make one wretch. And speaking of wretching, I have braved street foods and concoctions which might turn a stomach to contort and expel.
The program has been advertised on huge banners around town for weeks as starting at 6.30 pm. I arrived at 6.20 pm to get a good seat, but not untypically, there were just four people seated by 6.30 pm and the program had not started by 8 pm.
But then…….. the first dance begins. I am thrust into the space of the gods. It is perfection manifested on earth. The live music of flute, sitar, tabla, harmonium, pakhavaj and exquisite voice accompany the artistes from stage left. The dancers’ movements are precise and include delicate finger formation and use of eyes and tongue. Their fabric saris and dhotis of traditional
Colleena
American friend who runs Shakti Dance Academy in Pushkar prints of Odisha and shiny embellishment are mesmerizing. The women are wearing head pieces intricately created from dried sola reed. They are adorned with bright fine filigree silver necklaces, bracelets and belts, and have strings of bells attached to their ankles. Just to watch the movement of feet and toes is a delight in itself. The poses are pure yogic meditation in action. The use of head movement, chest and pelvis are sublime. It is a totally emotional experience of sound and sight.
Odissi dance originates from Odisha (Orissa) and is the oldest surviving dance form of India with sculptural evidence from the 1st Century. Odissi dance is devotional despite its secular origins, and is attached to the temple culture of Odisha.
I was first ‘turned on’ to this form of dance whilst in Pushkar, Rajasthan. This is across the other side of the country from Orissa. There, a talented American woman named Colleena had started the Shakti Dance Academy where she offers a one month intensive tuition (with her Orissan guru Padma Cheran Dehury) to travelers, followed by a concert in which they are featured together with more accomplished Odissi dancers. Following my then infatuation with Spanish
Exquisite
Facial expression and the use of eyes is very central to Odissi dance Anna (aka Kwan Yin), one of the 'students' among a group of goddesses , I acted as ‘gofer’ for the lead up to the concert in March 2009, and with my friend Surrender, helped produce a video of the concert.
I have now been living in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa for a year. This is also the capital of Odissi dance, and many dance festivals and concerts are held throughout the year. Some are held outside Bhubaneswar in exquisite outdoor settings such as Dhauli Hills (where Ashoka had his epiphany conversion to Buddhism) and Konark (the site of the famous Sun Temple). All of these concerts have been free to the public, sponsored by government and corporates. There is a passion to keep this ancient dance form alive, and many schools of Odissi dance, some with world class performers, exist in Bhubaneswar,. The relationship between dancer and teacher rests within the Indian tradition of chela and guru and requires years of dedication and application. Foreign students also flock to Bhubaneswar to learn Odissi.
In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is a master dancer himself, and is often depicted as Nataraj, the Cosmic Lord of Dance. The Shaivite temples of
Bhubaneswar display innumerable sculptures in postures of Odissi.
At one of the concerts I attended I had the extreme pleasure and privilege to witness a performance by the celebrated guru Kumkum Mohanty, a legend in her own right in Odissi dance. She held the audience in the palm of her hand as she demonstrated various techniques, stopping to explain the intricacies as she went. It was a tour de force of expertise and knowledge.
Don’t miss the opportunity. Visit heaven now and again!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odissi
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Rajendra
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Odissi dance
Yes. It is a lovely traditional dance form and I am so glad that the Govt. is doing its mite to keep it alive.