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MANGALACHARAN: SURYA STUTEE (10 minutes) Mangalacharan marks the entrance of the dancer on stage in the Odissi style. The dancer invokes the blessings of the presiding deity, Lord Jagannath (the Lord of the Universe) for an auspicious beginning. The dancer offers salutations to Mother Earth, the teacher, the accompanists, and the audience. The central piece of this item is a prayer in praise of a Hindu God Surya the lord of sustenance.
CHOREOGRAPHY: GURU BICHITRANANDA SWAIN
In Odissi as in most of the other Indian Classical dance forms, dance is split into two categories: Nritta & Nritya. Nritta is the technical or pure dance with no meaning as such. Nritya is expressional dance. Pallavi is an example of pure dance or Nritta. Pallavi literally means blossoming. This is applicable not only to the dance, but also to the music, which accompanies it. Pallavi starts with slow, graceful & lyrical movements of the eyes, neck, torso & feet & slowly builds in a crescendo to climax in a fast tempo at the end. Pallavi is named after the raga it is seat to. This particular Pallavi is choreographed with raga Chandrika Kamodi and tala Ektaali.
CHOREOGRAPHY: GURU BICHITRANANDA SWAIN
Abhinaya is one of the significant items of the Odissi’s repertoire. Abhinaya is an example of Nritya using a most intricate language composed of facial expressions, hand gestures, and expressed using the body language. The dancers vividly depict the theme of the song using their body language. Although some Abhinayas are devotional songs, often the love or erotic theme or srngara rasa is explored. For many centuries, this Odissi repertoire consisted of songs from the Gita Govinda written in the 12th century by Oriya poet Jayadev. Gita Govinda consists of twenty-four ashtapadis (eight-versed songs), telling the story of Lord Krishna and Radha, showing their love in physical separation and finally in spiritual unification.
CHOREOGRAPHY: PABITRA KUMAR PRADHAN
Badya Bichitra is an example of pure dance or Nritta. This is a pure dance where the style, grace, and the details of abstraction are shown by the male only dancers. This is a fusion between classical abstract dance and folk music blended and experimented into perfection by Guru Bichitrananda Swain. The usage of various instruments from the remote areas inhibited by the primitive tribes and various folk groups are blended into this classical dance item through mardala badana (playing of Indian drum). This item is based on intricate foot work and gracious movements of body contours.
CHOREOGRAPHY: GURU BICHITRANANDA SWAIN
Nritta or pure dance form is an important part of the Odissi repertoire. Tala Madhurya is a composition of pure dance. This exquisitely choreographed dance piece is composed of the sculpturesque poses, intricate foot work and composite body movements. This item is devoid of expressions. Only rhythmical patterns are followed and supported by melodies or ragas. The focal point of this pure dance without thematic content is the display of purus ang (or male form) that imbibes male stylization into the Odissi form. It deviates from the dominance of the feminine form and gives prominence to the male dancers and the masculine form of Odissi.
CHOREOGRAPHY: GURU BICHITRANANDA SWAIN
Mokshya or Nirvana is the concluding piece of the Odissi dance repertoire. It means Liberation. It is liberation from material existence and physical bondage to the spiritual awareness. The dancers elevate to the state of ecstasy, fulfillment and bliss. A fast paced dance of ecstasy is followed by an invocatory prayer in Sanskrit for universal peace and harmony. In this dance item through the vocabulary of classical Odissi, the dancers express the truth of life and liberation by worshipping the goddess "Mahakali".
CHOREOGRAPHY: GURU BICHITRANANDA SWAIN
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