Living up to its reputation of bringing the best of Odissi dance to city’s ardent art lovers, Bengaluru’s very own Odissi dance festival, NAMAN, is back with its 8th edition. City’s premier Odissi dance institution, Nrityantar is presenting its 8th annual Odissi dance festival, NAMAN 2017 on Sunday, August 27, 2017 at ADA Rangamandira, J C Road, Bengaluru.
NAMAN that was inaugurated by the iconic Odissi guru, Guru Gangadhar Pradhan in the year 2010, has grown as one of the most sought after Odissi dance events in the country. It’s a humble initiative by Bengaluru-based Odissi dance institution, Nrityantar, to bring together and showcase varied styles and schools of Odissi dance. ‘Naman’, literally meaning ‘salutation’, is a tribute to the Guru, the visible embodiment of God. The festival pays rich tributes to great gurus of Odissi dance for their invaluable contributions in the growth and popularisation of this extremely elegant art. An event where audiences not only get the opportunity to experience beauty, richness & nuances of different styles & schools of Odissi dance by its finest exponents but they also enjoy and appreciate contributions & works of the great gurus & pioneers.
This is one event, most Bengaluru art lovers eagerly wait for, as it offers sumptuous array of finest Odissi dance performances. With fully packed & over-flowing halls, the festival has been very well received by audiences in its previous editions and has featured some of the biggest names in the Odissi world, like Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, Smt. Sangeeta Dash, Guru Bijayini Satapathy & Guru Madhavi Mudgal among others. With the exciting line-up of artistes, the festival promises enthrall everyone again.
Odissi dance is an epitome of fluid grace, lyrical beauty, sculptural sensuality and deep spirituality with curvaceous movements, sculptured poses and impeccable rhythm. Over the centuries, the living tradition of Odissi has been perpetuated by the Maharis (devdasis from Odisha) and the Gotipuas (young boy dancers dressed as girls). The lyrics of the Geeta Govinda written by poet Jayadev form an integral part of abhinaya in Odissi. Complemented by soulful music, this dance of lyrical beauty cast a spell on spectators. The event promises an enchanting evening in store for all art lovers when three finest dancers & choreographers of present times, will bring alive on stage the beauty & elegance of Odissi dance to viewers’ delight.
Sharmila Biswas is a rare artiste, a thinker & innovator. Known for her strong imaginative ability of the abstract, blending it with her dance skills & interpretive storytelling, she effectively narrates both the traditional and the contemporary, within the classical framework. A recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Sharmila Biswas is admired & applauded for her innovative works like Antar Yatra, Aparkaya & Katha Surpanakha. She is sure to touch audience’s minds & hearts with her profound artistry. A recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri & Central Sangeet Natak Akademi awards amongst many other accolades, a torchbearer of Odissi dance internationally, dancer, performer & choreographer, Aruna Mohanty is an artiste par excellence. She will spellbind viewers with the depth, diversity & versatility of her art & her powerful abhinaya. Extremely talented, Surupa Sen from the famed dance village, Nrityagram located at Hessarghatta on the outskirts of Bengaluru, is an epitome of perfection in poise, grace, movement & expression. She is greatly applauded worldwide for her path-breaking choreographies with her acclaimed Nrityagram Ensemble. Surupa Sen will surely enthrall everyone with her captivating moves, powerful imagery & her flawless artistry.The performances will start sharp at 5:30 pm with Sharmila Biswas, followed by Aruna Mohanty and Surupa Sen. The evening will be graced by the presence of senior dancers, art scholars & many dignitaries from the art world.
The event is a must-see for all art-lovers across the city.
