Dance is a passion for them and they will do whatever is needed to pursue their love. They not only love dance, but live for it. On the occasion of International Dance Day Sunday, Orissa POST interacted with some young, experienced and talented Odia dancers, who shared their love for the art and their plans to excel.
Bhubaneswar: Sumon Rudra of Rourkela has been residing in Greece since 2014 and made the state proud through his acclaimed choreography at international dance competitions like So You Think You Can Dance and Greece Got Talent. This young dancer has left an impression on his audience with his fusion of western
and Indian dance forms. Talking about his passion, Sumon said, “I am so grateful for this life. I have the best job in the world where I get a chance to sit alongside and communicate with various artistes from all over the world and witness wonderful dance performances, different ethnicities, rich culture, various genres and of course so much energy,” adding, “The last one year has been the most eventful year of my life and it has motivated me to work even harder.” Sumon further said, “Recently, I had done workshops in Greece and Paris where I imparted lessons on different dance styles. Now, I have workshops in Greece and then Finland and Poland. ” He added, “The number and level of dancers all around the world is increasing every day and it gives me immense happiness. I hope this growth continues because I deeply believe that dance can solve a lot of problems.”
Sixteen-year-old Anasuru Nainika has beguiled the audience with her breathtaking dancing prowess. She made the state proud when she became the finalist of the dance reality show Dance India Dance. Anasuru also participated in other dance reality shows such as DID Little Masters. Hailing from Jharsuguda, this
teen danseuse said she credited success to her guru Debanjan Bose. “I have learnt a lot from the dance reality shows and my mentor in the shows, Mini Pradhan gave me the opportunity to prove my mettle.” Anasuru is also a dance teacher and Zumba trainer and says that she wants to train more and more dancers so that they can achieve great heights on the
international platform. “Presently, I am touring different areas for the workshops,” she says.
Madhulita Mohapatra is a Bangalore-based Odissi dancer. Originally from Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi, she has carved a niche as one of the leading Odissi dance exponents in south India. Madhulita has performed at several prestigious events across the country and even overseas such as the International Odissi Dance Festival, Rang Tarang National Choreography Festival, Geeva Heritage Festival (USA), Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF), Johor Bahru Arts Festival (Malaysia), Odissi International, Taj Mahotsav, Mysore Dussera Festival, Prayaya Festival, NCPA
Umang Festival, Magic in Movements (Phoenix, USA), and Kala Nadam, among others. According to Madhulita, the International Dance Day is an occasion to revel together in the joys of dance and share their passion and happiness for the art with all. “It is heartening to see so many events organised in the capital city to celebrate this day. We take part in these events every year. This time, my students are performing at a couple of events organised by city-based institutions like Kadambari Kalakeshetra & Shantala Arts and Ananya. The danseuse is of the view that there is a need for more creative works on relevant contemporary themes and ideas that related to the audiences. “In fact, we need to do things that the audience, especially the youth, can engage with. The good news is that a lot is happening now. It is necessary to adopt new approaches of teaching in multicultural
environments for effective teaching and learning,” she signed off
Odissi dancer and Padma Shri awardee Aruna Mohanty saidI must say that dance is my life and worship. I express my emotions, humanity and joys through dance. Dance has touched every aspect of my life. It is also a medium of entertain and a channel to bring changes in societies. I wish all on the occasion of International Dance Day and suggest they keep dancing and keep representing Odisha across the globe
Krishna Reddy of Prince Dance group said Dance changes life and gives hope for peace. I never imagined that dance would create a significant identity in the country. Whatever I am today is because of dance. On the occasion of International Dance Day, I would like to suggest the emerging dancers to practice hard no matter what hurdles come their way
Odissi dancer Sanchita Bhattacharya said For me, dance is like air that I breathe every day. Dance helps me to communicate with the Almighty and it is also a humble medium to give back to my societies. I feel blessed to be able to dance and represent the country across the globe. On this auspicious day, I urge all young dancers to take dance to such a level that everyone is able to realise its beauty and a divine way to communicate with the Lord
India Got talent fame dancer Harihar Das said Dance always helps to change the environ and brings joy and content to the performer as well as the audience. Dance is actually a medicine for a healthy body and mind. It is easy for a dancer to overcome any pain in life – physical or mental.
