Bhubaneswar, June 10: Dedicating their performance to the grand old man of Odissi, dance Adi guru Pankaj Charan Das, tiny tots of Samprada dance institute won the hearts of connoisseurs in the city at the annual concert of the institute. An array of impressive sequences were presented by the tiny students of the dance school at the function Nrutya Samprada held at Rabindra Mandap on Thursday evening.
Trained under the aegis of well-known dancer Suhag Nalini Das, daughter-in-law of Guru Pankaj Charan, the children looked confident and carefree as they lined up on the podium for the opening with a composition on the life of mystic Shirdi Sai Baba.
Carrying out the performance with ease, the dancers moved on to present a Saraswati Bandana, which received much appreciation of the viewers. “Performances by kids are always special and today this was proved again. The confidence and ease with which these dancers performed filled us with joy,” said Pradip Rath, a viewer.
The young disciples of Samprada have been groomed to carry forward the legacy of Guru Pankaj Charan, said danseuse Suhag Nalini Das.
“We are trying to keep alive the traditional and ritualistic style of Odissi that our guru had prescribed. It was heartening to see the disciples of our institute perform so beautifully,” she said.
The juniormost dancers of the institute performed a charming piece on the upcoming Oriya festival of Raja. Wearing traditional make-up and folk garments, the kids illustrated the various games and dances that are held in rural areas where Raja is celebrated with much fanfare. The tiny dancers performed on well-known folk songs like Aa boula khela kheliba.
The Shiva vandana performed towards the end was an enthralling piece that depicted different moods and feats of Lord Shiva. Other attractions of the event were the different genres of Odissi showcased by the senior dancers of the institute. From the rhythmic patterns of sthayee to the intricate and vibrant sequences of pallavi, the dancers regaled the audience with a variety of compositions.
