Artistes of Gunjan Dance Academy perform at Kala Vikash Kendra in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Aug. 31: An Odissi dance recital by the artistes of Gunjan Dance Academy of danseuse Meera Das was the centre of attraction at a cultural programme held at Kala Vikash Kendra in the Millennium City

The dance recital titled Indradhanu was part of the ongoing cultural extravaganza in the form of Horizon series organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) yesterday.

The dancers began with a mangalacharan — an invocatory sequence in which they paid reverence to God and Mother Earth.

The artistes then went on to perform Nrutta, a fast-paced composition replicating the sculptures found on the famous Sun Temple in Konark, showcasing artistic postures of Odissi like tribhangi and chouka that left the audience spellbound.

The presentation was a pure dance item that was choreographed by Das. The music for the aesthetically beautiful piece was composed by Sumanta Mohanty while the rhythm was composed by Satchidananda Das and Dhaneswar Swain.

“Odissi has been our pride since long. Whenever I watch an Odissi dance performance, it gives me immense pleasure. It is heartening to see Kala Vikash Kendra come alive again since all the major gurus used to practice, train and perform here decades ago,” said a 67-year old Umesh Rath, a member of the audience.

The sequence Indradhanu (meaning rainbow) was the most beautiful presentation of the concert. The artistes left the audience spellbound with their scintillating dance moves.

“Many people are trying too many experiments with Odissi and do not adhere to the guidelines set by the gurus. Though I try to come with new concepts, I always follow the basic rule and grammar of Odissi,” said Das.

Das was thrilled and felt this performance by her troupe was one of the best stage shows by Gunjan as it received a huge applause from the audience. The concluding item by the artistes was on the lines of Mokshya of Odissi, the essence of which is a dancer’s approach towards salvation.

Mokshya Nritya, performed by the artistes, depicted a dance of ecstasy that liberates the dancer towards the final goal.