Bhubaneswar, May 11: Around 45 dance enthusiasts are taking part in a month-long workshop on Odissi dance being conducted by dancer Gajendra Panda.
The dancers are being trained on the nuances of the dance form along the lines of the traditions of guru Debaprasad Das, considered one of the founding fathers of modern-day Odissi style of classical dance and credited with having taken it outside Odisha for the first time.
The students have been divided into four groups and a number of pure Odissi recitals including pallavi and abhinaya are being taught to the participants.
Several dance enthusiasts from Singapore and Japan have joined the workshop apart from a number of dancers from various parts of the country.
"We are following a syllabus and the participants are being trained depending on their experience and grasp of the dance form," said Panda.
The workshop, which is in its 27th edition, is organised by Tridhara, the institution founded by Das, and is run by Panda to preserve the works and practices of the Debaprasad gharana.
"The lesser-known forms of Sakhi Nata, Akhada Pila and Sabda Nritya find place in the style of Odissi propagated by guri ji," said Panda.
"He also believed that Odissi would essentially include tribal, folk and classical dance forms of Odisha. My aim is to instil his approach among the participants," said Panda.
With Tridhara having 15 branches across the world, a number of participants from these chapters have also arrived in the state capital and joined the workshop.
Anchal Pandey, who comes from Bilaspur, said: "It is not often that we get a chance to hone our skills in dancing and learn from such well-trained artistes."
"This workshop is turning out to be a wonderful experience," she said.
The workshop will end with a festival titled Debasmriti in which participants will perform.
"Apart from the workshop participants, a number of senior dancers will also perform at the festival," said Panda.
The festival will be organised at five places including Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
