In step with a changed world, Odissi dance festival goes online

Bhubaneswar: The spread of the novel coronavirus has pushed stage performances to the brink of disappearance altogether. Noted Odissi danseuse Aruna Mohanty, however, has found a way to get around the situation, by taking her much-sought after dance festival ‘Udayaraga’ online.
From this month to December, around 46 to 50 dancers will video-record their performances for the festival. These will be uploaded on the Orissa Dance Academy’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages every Friday at 7.30 pm (IST), starting today.
Aruna started planning for the festival a month ago as she felt that dancers should get a chance to showcase their art and earn their bread with dignity even during these difficult times. “Skills unused will soon decay…talents wasted will fade away,” said Aruna, quoting British writer-director Paul King, while justifying the reason for going ahead with the festival online.
The inaugural day will see dancer Leema Bhol (40) showcase the eternal love story of Radha and Krishna through a 15-minute composition, ‘Manini’. “This will be a new experience for me. Whenever we dance, we interact with the audience. We get to see their reaction instantly. Here, we will have to wait. But this is the best way to showcase our art during the pandemic,” said Bhol, who has been dancing for the past 25 years.
Similarly, 19-year-old Subham Kumar Ojha, whose video will be uploaded on July 17, said he would miss the sound of applause in the auditorium. “But while the web is not the perfect alternative to the auditorium, it cannot be ignored totally. It has helped artists across the world showcase their love, passion and dedication to their art,” said Subham, who will be dancing to the compositions of Odia poet Banamali Das on ‘Krishna Leela’.
Some of the videos for the online edition of ‘Udayaraga’ were shot in Aruna’s home itself. She has generated funds for the show from her friends and well-wishers, besides chipping in herself. The festival’s budget of around Rs 6 lakh will pay the artists and cover the studio costs.
“The dancers will themselves act as the compère and guide the audience through the composition. They will also design the backdrop and edit the videos. We use Zoom and WhatsApp for our interactions,” said the noted danseuse. In the process, the dancers too are learning new technology and documenting their work for posterity, she said, comparing the participants of the festival to film actors who give their best shot despite not having a live audience.
Aruna said the festival is a great way for professional dancers to stay relevant, at a time when many amateur dancers or those who practise it as a hobby have gained a following on social media through their videos. “The online festival is a way to sustain the dialogue between the audience and the performer. We’ll ensure the presentation is worthy of the audience’s time,” she signed off.