Ayusi Mishra and Gourishankar Dash perform Odissi on the occasion of World Dance Day at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 30: Odissi dancers came together to celebrate World Dance Day on Tuesday at the concert Nritya Kadamba — Togetherness in dance.

Hosted by city-based cultural group Odissi Dancers’ Council and supported by Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and state culture department, the event was staged at Rabindra Mandap where dance patrons assembled in large numbers to enjoy solo and group performances by various Odissi artistes.

The concert began with a unique invocation item Puspanjali, wherein senior as well as upcoming artistes Chitaranjan Acharya, Snehaprava Samantaray, Minakshi Behera, Gayatri Chand, Gajendra Panda and Gourishankar Dash matched steps on the stage. All the dancers are members of the host group. Together they paid tributes to the deities and gurus of dance and music.

A well-synchronised duet followed when dancer Gourishankar and his disciple Ayusi Mishra from his Devanshi Dance Academy presented Thei ghar nata, showcased choreography on pure Odissi dance moves. The duo displayed well-defined moves and expressions during the sequence.

Senior dancer Snehaprava Samantaray showcased agility and swiftness in her presentation of the Shankarabharan pallavi. Samantaray gracefully presented the complex composition.

Another senior artiste, Gayatri Chand, showcased a romantic enactment of Radha’s love for Krishna in the abhinaya mohane deli chahin.

Chand was expressive and articulate in her gestures to bring out the essence of youthful teasing and passionate love among the couple.

Chittaranjan Acharya displayed acrobatic moves and an intricately composed sequence Amruta Satakam based on the yogic asanas of Surya Namaskar that is incorporated in dance as Adityayana.

This received appreciation from the audience. Among other items that garnered applause were an abhinaya Jaya Bhagabati, depicting the supreme powers of the female divinity presented by Minakshi Behera and group, and veteran dancer Gajendra Panda and his disciples’ devotional item Gananayak stutee.

“We have been hosting Nritya Kadamba to mark the World Dance Day for many years now. We try to give a chance to upcoming dancers as well as include performances of senior dancers so that the audience gets a chance to enjoy a wide variety of dance items,” said dancer Acharya, also the president of the Odissi Dancers’ Council.