Bhubaneswar, July 27: Odissi danseuse Sujata Mohapatra, who is well known for her immaculate performances of complex compositions, has come up with an Odissi institute in her hometown. The dancer, who hails from Balasore, recently opened the institute in the town and dedicated the dance school to her guru and father-in-law, Odissi dancer Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Named Guru Keerti Srjan, Sujata’s new dance institute is her gift to her hometown, she said. “I want to promote the talent of my hometown which once groomed me for the stage. It is here that I learnt the first steps of dance from my mother. The dance school is a gift for the people of my hometown,” she said.

“In fact, if all of us took steps in our respective towns or villages, the talent from small places would get a chance to make it to the international stage.” The dance school will provide training in the guru-sishya tradition to young dancers from the age of five. Enthusiastic teenagers who want to learn the classical dance form of the state will be trained by the disciples of Sujata and her husband Ratikanta Mohapatra, an eminent dancer himself, who runs his father’s dance institute, Srjan, in Bhubaneswar.

“We are beginning with Odissi, but in future might begin teaching other dance forms such as Gotipua,” said Sujata. Ratikanta and Paramita Mohapatra, directors of a corporate house, inaugurated the institute. They also announced that they would award scholarships to talented students. “It is very heartening to see Sujata contribute to the promotion of Odissi in such a great way,” said Ratikanta. Bhubaneswar-base flautist, Jawahar Mishra, performed a beautiful flute recital.

Sujata’s students also performed Odissi at the event.

Among them were performances of Amanda Geroy from the USA and Rashmi Rani Das.

Sujata’s mother and first dance teacher, Kumudini Mohanty, was felicitated on the occasion.