BHUBANESWAR: The five-day choreography festival ‘Samrachana’ began on a high note at the Rabindra Mandap here on Thursday. The inaugural evening was a delight for the viewers as artistes from Srjan showcased their novel Odissi composition ‘Ravana’. Choreographed by Odissi guru Ratikant Mohapatra, the dance drama represented a unique aspect of the mythological antagonist from the Ramayana. It highlighted how an intellectual and learned Ravana wished death in Rama’s hands and thus plotted various misdeeds like ‘Sita Harana’. Ratikant played the role of Ravana with exquisite intensity. Besides Ratikant, the dancing couple Nirupama and Rajendra of Bangalore-based Abhinava Dance Company presented their composition ‘Ojas’. The festival, a joint effort of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Culture and Tourism Department and Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre, aims at giving an opportunity to dance connoisseurs in the State to witness the nuances of choreography in various Indian classical dance forms. Akademi sources said the festival is being organised for the first time in Odisha. During the next four days, the choreographers will share their innovative creativity and interpretation of their respective art forms without sacrificing the classical purity. Apart from Odissi, Bharat Natyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and contemporary choreography on Kathakali and Mayurbhanj Chhau would be presented in the festival.Besides Ratikant, Guru Durga Charan Ranbir of Nrutayan, Guru Aruna Mohanty of Orissa Dance Academy, Guru Madhavi Mudgal of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Guru Sharmila Biswas of Odissi Vision and Movement Centre, Kolkata, will perform Odissi. “Two teams will perform each day. The emphasis will be on the emerging aspects of choreography in classical dance forms,” said Kailash Chandra Sahoo, secretary of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi. Besides, two seminars on nuances of choreography in various Indian classical dance forms will be organised at the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya on Friday and Sunday.
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