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Sangam fest: a mix of Odissi, Manipuri

BHUBANESWAR: Being deeply rooted in its culture; Indian dance, drama and music plays a pivotal role as a unifying instrument for the socio-fabric of the nation. It not only entertains but provides an insight into our strong roots. Governor M.C. Bhandare observed this while inaugurating the annual Sangam dance festival at Rabindra Mandap.

Into its fourth edition, the festival is being hosted by the city-based cultural organisation Art Vision founded by Italian Odissi dancer and choreographer Padma Shri Ileana Citaristi. It has been conceived as a confluence of two Indian classical dance styles with emphasis on new choreographic compositions of the collaborators, explained Citaristi.

While Art Vision presents Ileana’s choreographies in Odissi style each year, it was Kathak, Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam respectively during the past three years; she informed and added that Kolkata-based Manipuri dancer-choreographer Priti Patel was her collaborator this year.

Led by Citaristi, the Art Vision troupe presented Sparsa - a joyful interplay of movements and rhythm between two dancers followed by Pallavi - a pure dance number by the group and concluded with “Mahanadi...and the river flows” - an ode to the great river that flows through Orissa. It was followed by Manipuri presentation by Priti Patel’s Anjika troupe. Malem-Prithvi - an ode to Mother Earth – depicted how man exploits its resources causing catastrophe. Bureaucrat-turned-Parliamentarian Pyari Mohan Mohapatra was a special guest .

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