Bhubaneswar: On the evening of August 9, eight promising young Odissi dancers eagerly waited to take the stage at 7 pm, and showcase their immense potential and talent in front of stalwart Gurus and well-wishers at the 10th edition of the ‘Under Sixteen’ programme, organised by the Odissi Dancers Council (ODC) at Bhanja Kala Mandap, Bhubaneswar.
Since most dance festivals offer solo platforms to artistes only over the age of 16, ‘Under Sixteen’ was instituted with the aim of providing an exclusive platform for youngsters under 16 years to discover their passion for the Odissi dance, encourage them as future performers, and inculcate in them the spirit of professionalism and dedication to the Art and culture.
The programme for the evening was inaugurated by esteemed guests, Guru Aruna Mohanty, President, Odisha Sangita Natak Akademi; Smt. Sikata Das, Chief Executive, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre; Dr. Itirani Samant, Editor, Kadambini; Dr. Snehaprava Samantaray, President, ODC; Dr. Ileana Citaristi, Secretary, ODC; and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Executive Member, ODC. After the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, the much-awaited performances for the evening commenced.
As per the tradition of an Odissi Margam, the first presentation was Mangalacharan or the auspicious beginning an invocation to the remover of all obstacles, Lord Ganesha, seeking the treasured blessings of the Almighty and bowing in obeisance to the Supreme Being, who is known by his many illustrious and endearing names. The first performer, Sushree Athena Mukherjee, pupil of Smt. Poulomi Mukherjee presented Vinayaka Smarane, choreographed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and set to Shri Vinod Kumar Panda’s music composition, in praise of the 12 glorious names of Lord Ganesha, who protects his devotees in many troubled passages of life.
This was followed by the presentation of a nritta piece, a Pallavi, characterised by the lilting beauty of the Raga and Tala on which it is based. Sushree Anushka Saha, under the able tutelage of Smt. Swapnarani Sinha, presented Bajrakanti Pallavi, set to Raga Vajrakanti and Ekatali, choreographed by Guru Durga Charan Ranbir.
Following this, Sushree Shivangi Praharaj, a disciple of Smt. Rajashri Praharaj, performed ‘Bhangi Chahan,’ choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra to traditional music. This traditional Odia Abhinaya, a composition by Kabisurya Baladev Rath, features the Sakhi describing to Radha the beautiful posture and aura of Lord Krishna.
The underlying sentiment of Bhakti was carried through into the next presentation by Sushree Sagnika Sikdar, pupil of Smt. Arpita Venkatesh, who presented the fourth prabandha from 12th century poet Shri Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda, Haririha Mugdha (Chandana Charchita) composed by the legendary duo of Guru Shri Kelucharan Mohapatra and Pt. Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra.
This was followed by the presentation of another nritta piece, Yugmadwanda Pallavi, an exploration into the spirit of repartee between dance and music, set to Raga Bageshri and Ekatali, an evergreen music composition of Pt. Raghunath Panigrahi choreographed by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. Sushree Shrinika Purohit, guided by the able mentorship of Smt. Sonalika Purohit performed Yugmadwanda Pallavi.
Thereafter, Sushree Manyata Rath, disciple of Dr. Ileana Citaristi presented Nachanti Range Srihari, a vibrant song of celebration, portraying the glories of Lord Krishna as he dances in ecstasy with the gopis. This dance presentation was choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and set to the music composition of Pt. Bhubaneswar Mishra in Raga Arabi and Ekatali.
The penultimate presentation of the evening was by Sushree Dimle Rajnandini Patra, who, ably mentored by Smt. Namita Ray, performed the Odia Abhinaya Nagara Raja, choreographed by Namita Ray and set to the music composition of Shri Sukanta Kundu.
The evening concluded with a performance by Sushree Arpita Satapathy, pupil of Shri Manoranjan Pradhan. She presented Ahe Neela Saila, the prayer of the eternal devotee, poet Salbeg, who prostrates himself at the lotus feet of the supreme lord of the universe, Lord Jagannath, whose divine grace is the greatest blessing for the ardent devotee. This timeless presentation was composed by the legendary duo of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Pt. Bhubaneswar Mishra, set to Raga Arabhi and Jati Tala.
The performances by these versatile young dancers left the audience and the Odissi dance fraternity assured that the future of Odissi is bright if such young talents continue to pursue their passion with sincerity and dedication. The young artistes, Athena, Anushka, Shivangi, Sagarika, Shrinika, Manyata, Dimle Rajnandini, and Arpita, all displayed a maturity far beyond their years and made their Gurus proud, as they confidently and proudly presented the dance pieces that they had learnt and practiced. They can surely look back to this performance many years later, and be proud of their achievements, while continuing to pursue their Art form with the same hard work and humility.
The presentations of these young dancers were vastly aided by the brilliant, intuitive, and supportive light designing of Shri Debiprasad Mishra, who played an instrumental part in the festival. The entire programme was organised and coordinated to characteristic perfection by the immaculate execution of Guru Shri Ratikant Mohapatra, who tirelessly works towards the resounding success of each and every event that he is a part of along with other esteemed members of ODC, who have contributed to the success of the festival. The proceedings for the evening were seamlessly conducted by Dr. Srinibas Ghatuari.
Instituted in 2009 in Bhubaneswar, ODC was formed to address varied aspects of Odissi performances, including the passing of resolutions on performances, establishing standard criteria, safeguarding the purity of original Odissi compositions, and discussing the boundaries for creative and experimental innovations to the style, among other pertinent issues. The success of each edition ‘Under Sixteen’ is yet another milestone for the Odissi Dancers Council as they continue their fulfilling journey in the service of Art.
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