Gunjan celebrates purity of Odissi dance

The show ‘Sublime, Serene & Soulful’ at Experimental Theatre had three segments giving an insight into the unique beauty and rhythm of this classical dance form. The other attraction of the evening was the Kathak performance by Sandip Mallick, tittled ‘Upalabdhi’.

Odissi dancer and teacher Guru Meera Das, who runs Gunjan Dance Academy in Cuttack. (Express photo)

The final segment of Gunjan’s show at NCPA, titled ‘Sei Ramani (That Woman)’, choreographed by Das, celebrates the spirit and strength of a woman. It is based on a poem by Fakir Mohan Senapati, Odisha’s most venerated litterateur. It is juxtaposed with poems of Ramakant Rath and Kedar Mishra.

It is worrisome for her that “people are slowly losing interest” in the tradition. “My vision is to create a new repertoire keeping the Odissi grammar and style in mind,” says Das, who set up the academy in 1995. The Cuttack-based guru believes that dance pieces should “offer glimpses into the tradition” as well as make it engrossing for the audience. She was trained under the guidance of the late Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra at Odissi Research Centre.

On Sunday, the artistes of the academy will perform at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi. Along with the staging of ‘Sei Ramani’, there will be a solo performance by Das and other special dance compositions.

Entry to Gunjan Sandhya at Ravindra Natya Mandir on Sunday at 7.30 is free.