Artists perform at the annual event of Anu’s Dance Freak in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 23: Many twinkle toes showed their talent at Naach, the annual event of city-based dance school Anu’s Dance Freak. About 180 artistes of various age groups performed with flamboyance at Rabindra Mandap on Tuesday evening.

The array of performances began with a semi-classical solo performance where a teenager artiste paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath. This followed with a group dance. Replete with turns, twists, somersaults and balancing acts, the young artistes showed their agility and flexibility.

Santoshi, a teenage girl, performed a ballet dance on popular Hindi track Kabhi jo badal barse. The subsequent act was also equally enthralling. An exotic group salsa performance was also presented in which even a senior citizen also took part.

Venkatesh, a retired banker, tried his best to match steps with the young guns. “I love dancing. I came to the institute to spend time by learning contemporary dance. But, I was patiently taught Salsa,” he said.

Anupam Nayak, who heads the dance institute, said: “I cannot be called a good teacher if my students do not perform well. I am fortunate to have found such diligent students.”

Hailing from Puri and trained in New Delhi, Nayak has been imparting lessons in international dance forms for a decade now. He also danced on the occasion, shaking a leg with both professional dancers and the tiny tots to the tunes of Meri adhoori kahani.

There were many western dance performances, such as hip-hop and b-boying, as well.

Another dance troupe of Bhubaneswar, M-Zone, is taking 35 of its students to Mumbai for a dance workshop.

The eight-day workshop will commence from May 1. The students will be taught salsa, hip-hop and Bharatnatyam by the institute’s head Mandakini Jena and her friends from the Mumbai Dance Circle.

“I want my students not just to learn the art form, but also grow in confidence. A stay in the commercial capital of the country, where most dance reality shows are shot, would do them a world of good,” said Jena, who had represented Odisha in the reality show Dance India Dance.