Rourkela: Though the popularity of western dance forms has cast a shadow on most of the traditional dances of the state, Odissi has so far remained unaffected, thanks to its grace and elegance.
The major classical dance form has not only survived the challenges posed by modern ballets, its posture coupled with the tinkling of ankles of danseuses has been drawing people from far and abroad to learn the art.
Ekterina Radovskaya and Julia, two girls from the Russian capital Moscow are the latest addition to the list of international artistes fascinated by Odissi.
The girls are learning the dance from Sringarmani Debashis Patnaik, a young Odissi exponent, at Debanrutyam in Sector-3 here.
The training began December 15 and would continue till December 25 before their departure from India.
The girls aim to establish a small institute at Moscow to popularise the classical dance form and train local youths.
An acclaimed swimmer of Moscow, Ekterina works for an international organisation. She was attracted towards Odissi after watching the dance every year at Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Culture Centre set up by Government of India in the Russian capital. The appeal was so strong that, she started learning the nuances of the dance from 2011.
Julia, who works for a gas company, was drawn towards Odissi in 2014. Though she already had expertise in Kathak, another Indian classical dance form, learning Odissi was a passion for her.
Though the girls used to practice the dance at their homes, they realised that help from a professional trainer is essential to do better in the field.
This led them to search for a guru who can turn their aspirations into reality.
Meanwhile, the girl came to attend an Odissi dance festival in Bangalore where they were impressed by the performance of Debashis.
After returning to Moscow, they contacted the Odissi guru. On getting nod from Debashis, the girls arrived here December 15. Since then the enthusiasts have been attending the classes untiringly.
They have been practising the steps with the help of beats recorded on mobile phones. “We want to become professional dancers and hope the goal would be achieved,” the duo said.
Apart from the behaviour of Oriyas, they are impressed with the traditional cuisine of the state the girls said, adding they would definitely return to Orissa if given an opportunity. PNN
