Twenty seven girls from the
dance group Leelangika took
part in a Dance Competition held on 29th April in Muscat to celebrate the
World Dance Day.
Dance is the visual
representation of the tradition, culture, and music of the people. Dance
competitions bring to the forefront the true form of this art.
The solo performances
ranging from folk to classical were choreographed by the young dancers
themselves and were an offering to their beloved Kathak guru, Jhumpa
Chakraborty, who has recently become a member of The International Council of
Dance or CID which is the official umbrella
organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world. It is a non-governmental organization founded in 1973 within the UNESCO
headquarters in Paris where it is based.
Dressed in traditional Indian
finery, the dancers lit up the stage with their vivacious performances. With a
variety of folk dances from different parts of India, and some classical and
semi- classical performances, the evening was a visual treat for spectators.
The hall resonated with the vibrant music of the country where folk fervour is
a part of everyday life. The energetic beats of favourite numbers like Maiyya Yashoda, Bumroh, and Navrai Majhi rang through
the hall and no foot in the audience could resist tapping. The classical and
semi-classical performances which portrayed an intermingling of devotion and
art were spellbinding. Dancing to the melodies like Mohe rang do lal, Bhor aayi gaya
andhiyara, and Manmohini, the girls enthralled the audience with their graceful moves.
The judges were Bharati Banerjee,
Kathak dancer, and Shalini Baburaj, Bharatnatyam dancer. Addressing the participants, Ms. Banerjee
said, “All performances were praiseworthy and you are all winners. Remember
that you must enjoy yourself while dancing. It is only when you are joyful that
you can pass on your joy to the audience.”
Jhumpa Chakraborty, who was visibly
pleased with the offering of her pupils, expressed her gratefulness and said
that although the girls had put in much hard work, the judges had to make the
difficult decision of selecting only the best performers. She also added that
facial expressions were one of the main requisites of a good dance performance
because facial expressions are just as important as the choreography. She
appreciated the performances of the girls and encouraged them to participate in
more such events to enhance their talents.
The evening ended with a
prize-distribution ceremony and the judges awarded the trophies and
certificates. In Group A (6-8 years) Rupsa Mandal bagged the first prize while
Diya Jeshrani and Miraeri Sampat won the second and third positions
respectively. In Group B (9-12 years) Manvi Shankar got the first prize while
Shaivi Kumar and Vyatibha Ashok bagged the second and third positions
respectively. In Group C (13 years and
above) Aditi Bahuguna was declared as the best performer while Hrishita
Chakrabarti and Zanam Nazer came in second and third respectively.
It was an inspiring evening for
all the Leelangika dancers and we hope to see more such spectacular
performances from them in the future.
(This report was also published in Muscat Daily, 3 May 2016)
