Show of folk arts
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Fascinating footwork and body language marked recitals from Orissa.
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Photo: K.R. Deepak
FOLK THEME A Sambalpuri folk dance being performed by dancers from Orissa
Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj organised a show of folk arts of Orissa in VUDA Children's Theatre. The show got off to a traditional start with the blowing of sankha (conch) in different pitch scales and rhythmic patterns. Then followed Paika (soldier) dance, depicting a few valorous feats of the bygone days accompanied to music produced on instruments like changu, nagar, dhammal, mahuri and jhenjh. Dhumpa music generated on similar instruments and the dalkhai, a secular form of the dance of tribals of Sambalpur, Bolangir, Sundaragarh and Denkhanal districts in the first half.
Replete with movements going in full and half circles associated with fascinating body language and footwork, the dalkhai is executed only by women. It started with a scintillating tempo. Then followed the Ranapa, in which men stand (about one foot above the ground) on pads fastened to about 4 ft. long sticks and exhibit their talent in dance and acrobatics.
Chadhaya, a Saivite ritualistic dance where sticks are used to beat leather covers tightly fastened on earthen pots, is connected with Vasant rutu, Ghoomra mostly done during Dussera and other such festive occasions, Bhago or tiger dance an equivalent of Puliveshalu of Andhra Pradesh, Natchnia dance mostly by men traditionally drafted to lend grandeur to processions connected with all auspicious events among many more such items, filled the air in the latter half. Noted Odissi exponent Pranathi Misra, compered the programme.
A.R.S.
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