Rourkela: Dream for the sky, single-minded pursuit for victory and strong determination have propelled them to a position which is envy for many of their urban counterparts.
A group of girls who lead miserable lives in Steel City slums have surpassed 150 teams across the country to reach the final of a national-level dance competition at Mumbai.
Neither do they have decent clothes to wear nor the access to pursue careers in academics. However, their indomitable desire for recognition made them the lone team from Orissa to arrive this stage.
The Next Gen, a dance training unit of Jagannath Academi of Sector-3, had taken these slum girls of the city into its fold to hone their inherent skills a few days back.
Many of the members, living in shanties on the outskirt of Rourkela, have lost either of the parents in childhood. Fathers of a few are rickshaw-pullers while mothers maintain the families by working as housemaids.
Despite remaining half-fed for most of the time, the girls are all set to make their dreams of becoming celebrities come true. Local choreographer Anand Suna takes pride in honing the untapped talents of these girls without charging a penny.
“It feels great when the hard work pays off. The sense of satisfaction cannot be expressed when such hidden talents get their dues,” Suna said.
Trained by Suna, the only troupe from Orissa, captivated the audience November 10 by exceptional dancing skills and got a standing ovation from the gallery.
“My mother has been washing dishes after the death of my father. I supplement my mother’s earning by stitching clothes,” a group member Sunita Pati said. She, however, doesn’t neglect her dance practice even for a day amid poverty, Pati added.
Likewise, Kabita Agrawal said her mother supplies water to homes and gets about Rs500 a month. She is optimistic of her success at the national-level and bringing smile to the lips of her mother, Kabita said. PNN