THE MELTING POT
Bhubaneswar, Dec. 20: If Shakespeare were alive today and had come down here for the dance festival being held at Bhanja Kala Mandap, he would have rephrased his "all the world's a stage" to all the world's Odissi.
About 50 dancers from 12 countries have gathered for the sixth Odissi International that started here today.
The dancers, though of various nationalities, say their love for Odissi makes them feel one with Odisha's culture. Their love for the dance form is such that they want to spread it across the globe.
Moria Chappell loves to wear Odia handloom, while Brazil-based Taina Maitri has become Taruni Dasi in her new avatar. Argentine and Odissi dancer Anandini Dasi doesn't even want to mention her birth name.
From Lord Jagannath to the Odia cuisine, various features of Odia culture are making Odissi dancers from abroad feel at home when they are here.
Eiko Shinohara can stun anyone with her Odia speaking skills that the Japanese Odissi dancer has picked up during her regular trips to learn the dance form. American dancer Douglas Riding loves Odia food.
"I love chhena poda and dahi baigana. All elements of Odia culture are beautiful and I love to keep coming back to Odisha. With every visit and more understanding of Odissi, I feel more and more connected to this place," said Douglas Ridings from Seattle, USA, who is here with Ratna Roy's troupe Urvasi dance ensemble.
These international Odissi dancers are happy to be identified with the dance form. At the same time, it is also not easy for many to track a guru or learn the dance form in their own country.
When Patricia Salgado of Spain first came to know about Odissi in 2007, she could not find any teacher in the entire country. "I have opened a dance school now for Odissi in Barcelona. But regular shows in Spain could make Odissi even more popular here," she said. Many Odissi gurus conduct regular classes in USA and UK. But even now, Odissi lovers in South American countries and many European countries need to come to India regularly even for basic classes.
"I love Odissi. But, it is challenging to keep coming many times to get the right training since that involves a lot of expenses," said Eiko.
Apart from challenges in training, the artistes also struggle to find opportunities to perform regularly in many cases. "Wherever Odissi is performed, people love it. But, we need the help of the Indian diaspora to spread it further globally," said Anandini Dasi.
The participants from outside India were felicitated at the opening ceremony of the festival, which took off with a scintillating performance by five-year-old wonder kid Shrinika from Bangalore.
Dinoor Elster, Israel
Learning since: 2010
Gurus: Sujata Mohapatra, Ratikant Mohapatra and Padmacharan Dehury
Journey as dancer: I was trained in contemporary dance and classical ballet. But during my visit to India on a vacation,
I joined an Odissi workshop. That’s how I got interested in Odissi. This is my third year of Odissi scholarship. Now, I am learning at Srjan in Bhubaneswar
Dream: There aren’t any Odissi teachers in Israel. I want to open a school of Indian dance and music there with my flautist husband
Salome Annen, Switzerland
Learning since: 2010
Guru: Manoranjan Pradhan
Journey as dancer: I learnt Bharatnatyam and also classical ballet since childhood. My Indian friends showed me an Odissi video and I immediately wanted to learn Odissi. I have been coming to Bhubaneswar since 2010 and learning at Odisha Dance Academy and Rudrakshya
Dream: I am performing solo for the first time at the Odissi
International. I want to become a good solo dancer. I also want to teach one day
Douglas Ridings, USA
Learning since: 2005
Guru: Ratna Roy
Journey as dancer: I was an actor, Japanese Butoh dancer and yoga teacher. A yoga student told me about Ratnadi and
I started learning Odissi from her. I love its subtlety, refinement and rigor. It is the hardest dance form as it needs tremendous co-ordination
Dream: I want to perform more in Odisha. I also want to choreograph more
Eiko Shinohara, Japan
Learning since: 2006
Gurus: Durga Charan Ranbir, Rahul Acharya
Journey as dancer: I had never danced in my life. But once I watched a programme by a Japanese Odissi dancer and it was love at first sight. Though I started at 32 with my body becoming stiff, I practiced yoga and made my body flexible for learning Odissi. I keep coming to Odisha many times a year to learn Odissi
Dream: I want to learn and perform till the end of my life
Elena Knyazeva, Russia
Learning since: 2003
Guru: Sujata Mohapatra
Journey as dancer: I saw a performance in Moscow and was awestruck by the beauty of Odissi dance. Later, Vitalina, a Russian Odissi teacher in Moscow, advised me to visit Bhubaneswar. Since then, I have been learning from Sujata Mohapatra.
Dream: I wish we get more well-trained Odissi dancers at Omkara and Indian dance theatre
Patricia Salgado, Spain
Learning since: 2007
Gurus: Gangadhar Pradhan, Lingaraj Swain
Journey as dancer: I started learning Bharatnatyam 10 years ago. My Bharatnatyam teacher told me about Guru Gangadhar Prahan’s Konark Natya Mandap. That’s how I came here and started learning Odissi. Now, I am receiving
guidance from guru Lingaraj Swain
Dream: I have started a dance school, Gungur, in Barcelona. I want to promote Odissi in Spain
Anandini Dasi, Argentina
Learning since: 2008
Gurus: Gangadhar Pradhan, Arun Pradhan
Journey as dancer: I was moved when I saw an Odissi performance of Sujata Mohapatra. Then, I started learning from the late Gangadhar Pradhan. Now, I am learning from Arun Pradhan
Dream: My husband and I started a Gotipua Gurukul in Konark. I also teach Odissi. I want to popularise Odissi across the globe
Chandramukhi Muller, Switzerland
Learning since: 2001
Gurus: Kunjalata Mishra and Pratap Narayan Behera
Journey as dancer: I started with Bharatnatyam but gradually got attracted to
Odissi. I have been learning for 14 years now.
Dream: I want to perform more often in Odisha and become a good solo artiste
