Geetanjali Acharya and troupe from New Delhi perform Odissi at the ongoing Barabati Nrutyoutsav on Monday evening. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Dec. 24: An array of traditional dance performances, with the majestic Barabati fort forming the backdrop, enchanted the audience last evening at Quila Maidan.

On the third evening of the Barabati Nrutya festival yesterday, Moscow-based Vatalina Lobach and Marda Imove presented Odissi dance. They began with a duet recital on Vakratunda. Vatalina later performed Mangalacharan and Natraj.

“It is almost 20 years now that I have been performing Odissi at various places after my initial training by guru Madhavi Mudgal,” said Valatina.

The artistes of Nrityayan group from Silchar, Assam, performed the Gaudiya Nritya, a composite art form for spiritual expression. They began with a Ganesh Vandana, invoking the god of prosperity. This was followed by rhythm-based Alapchari on Krishna-Radha leela.

“Though a classical art, this genre of dance survives in villages and is based on literature, sculpture and historical evidences,” said artiste and director Chandan Mazumdar.

However, it was an Odissi performance by Geetanjali Acharya and her troupe from New Delhi that took the cake.

“We have won huge appreciation from the audience as we have been trying to showcase a variety of traditional dance forms from across the country on a single platform,” said an organiser guru Asish Das.