It was an evening of lilting tunes and lyrical moves, when noted Odissi dancer from Bengaluru, Madhulita Mohapatra and her Nrityantar Dance Ensemble brought to stage the magical beauty of Odissi dance at the Soorya-Thalam-Prampara festival organised by Thalam Cultural Trust here on Monday.
Ms. Mohapatra and dancers revealed the beauty and elegance of Odissi dance to viewers’ delight.
Performance brimmed with fluid grace, lyrical beauty, sculptural sensuality and deep spirituality with curvaceous movements, sculptured poses and impeccable rhythm.
Over the centuries, the living tradition of Odissi has been perpetuated by the Maharis (devdasis from Odisha) and the Gotipuas (young boy dancers dressed as girls). The lyrics of the Geeta Govinda written by poet Jayadev form an integral part of abhinaya in Odissi.
Complemented by soulful music, this dance of lyrical beauty cast a spell on spectators.
Graded artiste
A graded artiste of Doordarshan and an empanelled artiste of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ms. Mohapatra has carved a niche as one of the leading Odissi exponents in south India.
She is the recipient of the prestigious IIDF 2017, the BCKA Yuva Kala Pratibha & the GTF Women’s Excellence awards and has performed extensively in India and abroad.
The event showcased an array of choreographies, from the timeless ones to new flavours of Odissi, where Ms. Mohapatra enthralled viewers with clarity and precision of her dance.
