(Top) Students of Orissa Dance Academy stage a group composition Yatra Baramasi and (above) Rama Baidyanathan presents a Bharatnatyam performance. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, May 9: Different shades of dance and spirituality were explored through an array of performances on the concluding evening of the two-day Nrutyambada dance festival. The Rabindra Mandap auditorium echoed with applause for the captivating recitals on Sunday.

While the senior disciples of Orissa Dance Academy weaved magic with their intricate performances, prolific Bharatnatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan cast her spell on the audience of Bhubaneswar with some awe-inspiring sequences.

The much appreciated composition of Aruna Mohanty, Bijay Kumar Sahu and Ramesh Chandra Jena on the religious festivals of Orissa that define her culture, Jatra Baramasi, gave the perfect opening to the second evening. The recital depicted 13 Oriya festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, Raja, Rath Yatra and so on through a choreography that was a blend of some pure Odissi steps and specks of folk dances including the Sambalpuri dance. The artistes showed brilliant coordination and executed the group composition deftly.

New Delhi-based Bharatnatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan, with her spectacular control over the body and striking balance of movements, mesmerised all during her performance. The ace dancer appeared grace personified with her gentle feet and rhythmic swiftness coupled with effortless expressions during her rendition of the Nabarasa Mohana. Her recitals on Debistutee and Purandar Das Kriti were also exquisite.

“Her performance was indeed enthralling. The ease with which she executed her movements, was a delight to watch,” said dance enthusiast Sanghamitra Beuria.

The mood that Vaidyanathan set in the auditorium, continued with the concluding item, Shravan Kumar, an Odissi dance drama.

Choreographed by Aruna Mohanty, this periodic sequence presented the tale of the famous teenager son from mythology, Shravan Kumar, who carried his blind parents on his shoulder, across the country, to fulfil their wish. The enactment in the form of an Odissi dance, was a touching reconstruction of the tale on stage and the dancers won many hearts with their stirring abhinaya.

“The tale of Shravan Kumar was perfect to be staged on Mother’s Day. The dedication of this mythological hero towards his parents was well-portrayed by the artistes,” said Sonali Mohapatra, a viewer.