The country's leading cultural school Chhayanaut held its Classical Dance Festival at its main auditorium on February 2. The annual festival featured both group and solo performances by various dance troupes and soloists from across the country. The artistes displayed three forms of classical dance --Manipuri, Bharatanatyam and Kathak by both emerging and renowned dancers at the festival, dedicating to eminent dance director, choreographer and teacher of Manipuri dance Guru Bipin Singh.
Laisa Ahmed Lisa, GS of Chhayanaut, delivered the welcome address while renowned Manipuri dancer Sharmila Banerjee spoke at the event, paying homage to her guru Bipin Singh. A documentary on the life and works of Bipin Singh was screened at the programme.
Chhayanaut artistes set off the event with a Manipuri presentation titled “Nrityamalika”. Three group performances titled “Mongolachoron”, “Balyakrishnanorton” and “Radhanorton” followed.
Sharmila Banerjee and Sudeshna Swayamprabha portrayed aspects of Lashya and Tandava in the duet piece “Ponboddhonorton” while Sonia Rashid, Farhana Ahmed and the artistes of Chhayanaut performed “Probondhonorton” at the festival.
Dancers of Nritym Nrityashilan Kendra and Academy for Manipuri Culture and Art (Sylhet) gave group performances while noted Manipuri dancers –Warda Rihab, Samina Husain Prema and Sweety Das presented solos at the event.
Artistes of Chhayanaut, Srishti Cultural Centre and Jago Art Centre presented group dances on the themes of jyotismaram, kirtanam and thillana respectively with which the Bharatanatyam recital began. Noted dancer Amit Chowdhury performed a solo Bharatanatyam piece at the event.
Kathak was the last featured style of the evening. Dancers of Kathak Nritya Sampradaye and Nrityanchal performed group pieces --Chhondomalika and bandish. Promising dancers Aporajita Mustafa, Maisha Maliha Ananya and Abantika Al Reza also presented a group dance piece while SM Hasan Ishtiak Imran performed a solo piece at the festival.
