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ODA’s annual fest begins

BHUBANESWAR: The 24th annual festival of the city-based Orissa Dance Academy (ODA), founded by Odissi dance exponent Padma Shri Gangadhar Pradhan, began at the Rabindra Mandap here concluded on Tuesday.

Culture Minister Surya Narayan Patro inaugurated the event and hailed the contribution of the academy in popularisation of Odissi dance worldwide. Odissi dance has been the brand ambassador of Orissa, he remarked and added that it has been Orissa’s best identity abroad.

The two-day festival was dedicated to music composer Sumanta Mohanty who was murdered recently. A documentary on Sumanta was also screened. ODA secretary and noted dancer Aruna Mohanty presented an audio-visual annual report on the institution’s achievements and activities on the occasion. Dance ballet Vande Maratam, a salutation to the motherland, was staged on both evenings as a tribute to Sumanta who had scored music for the choreographic composition of Guru Aruna Mohanty.

President of Bhubaneswar Music Circle S.K.Tamotia, Odissi music exponent Ramahari Das and Odissi mardal exponent Dhaneswar Swain were among others who addressed the inaugural and valedictory ceremonies while senior dancer Madhusmita Mohanty anchored the event.

Nearly 150 budding dancers participated in ODA’s 16 group presentations . Odissi dance ballet Konark Kantee by an all-male dancers troupe was the highlight .

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