Featuring more than 200 dancers, dance scholars and exponents of different dance styles from India and abroad, the first edition of India International Dance Festival (IIDF) concluded here recently.
City-based cultural organisation Samskritiki hosted the festival, which featured all dance traditions of the world. Dancers and dance researchers from Argentina, Japan, France, the USA, Hong Kong, Muscat, China and Israel also participated in the festival.
The IIDF also awarded dancers of all dance styles. Sachiko Murkami from Japan for Odishi, Warda Rihab from Bangladesh for Manipuri, leena Malakar from Nepal for Kathak, Sreelakashmy Govardhnan from Keral for Kuchipudi, Dr lima Das from Assam for Sattriya, Rejith-Vijna (dancing couple) from Chennai for Bharatnatyam, Vidya Pradeep from Kerala for Mohiniattam and Carolina Prada from Columbia for Chhau were awarded.
Five-year-old wonder kid Shrinika Purohit inaugurated the IIDF and cancer-surviving dancer Jhumpa Chakraborty also participated in the festival.
Chakraborty has been teaching Kathak in Muscat for 19 years. Though she was detected with cancer a few years ago, she never gave up dancing.
The 46-year-old danseuse’s troupe leelangika featured her choreography at the performance.
Shrinika opened the show with ‘Namami Vighnaraja’ followed by ‘Mangalacharan.’ The item was with all clear mudras. She also performed on song Kede Chhanda Janulo Sahi. She played all the different characters like naughty Krishna, Putana Asuri, Kalia Dahana, etc., and spellbound the audience present there.
Her mother Sonalika Padhi Purohit in the valedictory ceremony performed ‘JanasaMohini Pallavi.’
City-based artist Pravat Kumar Swain performed on the song Barabadhu with Rag ‘Darbari’ and Tal ‘Khemta.’
Delhi-based Bharath Natyam dancer Tanya Saxena depicted Krishna’s sweetness in her dancing. Tanya concluded her dancing with ‘Shivoham’ in Rag ‘Charukeshi’ and Tal ‘Adi,’ choreographed by Rama Vaidyanathan.
Festival director Shyamhari Chakra said, “Our attempt has been to bring talented dancers from different countries and across all age groups to the festival.”
“We have created a platform to exhibit tribal, classical and folk on one stage,” Chakra informed.
Festival chairman Sai Venkatesh said the IIDF is a travelling festival, which would be organised in Bangalore next year. The objective behind holding the festival is to bring all the dance forms on one platform, where dance teachers and choreographers also get a chance to showcase their talents.
The three-day festival, hosted at the Bhanja Kala Mandap concluded on October 27.