Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
and
Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi, Jodhpur

Nritya Pratibha
Festival of Young Dancers

23-26 February 2006, 6.30 p.m. Daily
Jainarayan Vyas Smriti Bhavan (Town Hall)
Jodhpur

“In the field of Dance, the great variety of Indian styles has attracted the notice of all students of arts and culture... What is most remarkable is the continuity of the tradition and the vigour they display to this day...

“In the field of theory of drama, Indian achievements are perhaps still more remarkable and serve as models even to this day...

“... in the field of music... The co-operation of Hindus and Muslims for almost a thousand years has... Brought about a consummation that has perhaps no equal in the world...

“This precious heritage of dance, drama and music is one which we must cherish and develop.”

- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Nritya Pratibha

Nritya Pratibha is a festival of dance focused on young dance talent. It is presented by Sangeet Natak Akademi as part of a well-established programme to promote dance among a new generation 0" artists all over India, helping them to find a foothold on the national dance platform. The Pratibha programme is not limited to dance; over the last twenty years, scores of festivals of music and theatre featuring young artists have also been held as part of the scheme in the different parts of the country. Many of the artists featured in these festivals have subsequently established themselves in their own fields, be it music, dance, or drama.

The present festival in Jodhpur concentrates on young dance talent in Western India; these dancers have come from the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. For the sake of wider representation of different dance styles in this all-India performing-arts event, a few dancers from States other than the above have also been included in the festival.

Thus the festival will give the audience a glimpse of all or most of the major dances of India, namely, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Manipuri, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Chhau and Sattriya dance. We hope this commingling of dances and dancers will promote communication and interaction between young artists dispersed all over the country and will encourage dancers of western India to exhibit their art not only within but outside their own States.

Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, acknowledges the support extended by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi in organizing this festival. We hope it will be welcomed by the people of Jodhpur and will offer them a wider exposure than is ordinarily available to the many dance forms thriving in different parts of India.

Sangeet Natak Akademi

Programme: 6.30 pm

Thursday, 23 February 2006
1. Rekha Sell & Sakshi Singh, - Kathak
Jaipur
2. Ajay Shendge, Aurangabad - Odissi
3. Dhruti Rampelli, Mumbai - Kuchipudi
4. Vijayatey Manipuri Dance - Dhol Cholom
Centre, Imphal

Friday, 24 February 2006
1. Surmila Devi and Kheljit, Imphal - Manipur
2. Deepti Gokhale, Pune - Kathak
3. Revanta Sarabhai, Ahmedabad - Bharatanatyam
4. Sanjukta Sinha, Ahmedabad - Kathak

Saturday, 25 February 2006
1. Auniati Sattra, Majuli - Sattriya
2. Tanmana Chowdhury, Guwahati - Sattriya
3. Indrani Mukherjee & - Kathak
Sarita Kulkarni, Mumbai
4. Kalakshetram, Thane - Kathakali
5. Seema Goyal, Jaipur - Kathak
6. H. Vijayantimala Devi & L. Anasuya Devi - Manipur

Sunday, 26 February 2006
1. Ipsita Sahu & Mallika Worlikar, Mumbai - Odissi
2. Santhi Bijibal, Kochi - Mohiniattam
3. Srikant Subramaniam, Mumbai - Bharatanatyam
4. Hitesh Chauhan & Preeti Sathe, Baroda - Kathak
5. Artists of SNA Chhau Project, Baripada - Chhau (Mayurbhanj)

Rekha Sen

Rekha Sen received training in Kathak Dance under the guidance of Smt. Rekha Thakar since an early age at Kathak Kendra Jaipur. She has given several performances both as a soloist as well as in group productions of Jaipur Kathak Kendra. Some of her performances include Rashtriya Kathak Samaroh Virasat Tridhara 2002, and Kathak Samaroh in Lucknow. Uday Shankar Ballet festival Jaipur 2003. Naad Roop Kathak Sandhya Pune, Boondi Utsav, Bikaner Utsav and Pt. Sunder Prasad Smriti Samaroh. She continues to perform as a senior disciple of Smt. Rekha Thakar.

Sakshi Singh

Sakshi Singh trained in Kathak Dance under Smt. Rekha Thakar at Jaipur Kathak Kendra Jaipur from an early age. She has given several performances both as a soloist as well as in group productions, including lecture demonstrations as an artist of Jaipur Kathak Kendra. Some of her major performances include Rashtriya Kathak Samaroh Virasat Trindhara 2002, and Kathak Samaroh in Lucknow. Uday Shankar Ballet festival Jaipur 2003. Naad Roop Kathak Sandhya Pune, Boondi Utsav, Bikaner Utsav pt. Sunder Prasad Smriti Samaroh. She continues to perform as a senior disciple of Smt. Rekha Thakar.

Ajay Shendge

Ajay Shendge received training in Odissi dance under the guidance of Smt. Parwati Dutta at Mahatma Gandhi Mission Sangeet Academy Aurangabad. Ajay has also received training in Kathak Dance at this Institution. He has performed extensively within the country in several major festivals such as pt. Kumar Gandharv Smriti Samaroh Devas. Ellora Festival Aurangabad, Dance festival Daman and Silvasa, Achhan Maharaj Kathak Mahotsav, Nritya Sangeet festival Jammu and Kashmir and Vasant Utsav New Delhi.

Ajay has participated in several workshops and lecture demonstrations including Kathak Darpan Workshop of Pt. Birju Maharaj at Nehru Centre Mumbai. Lalit Kala Kendra University of Pune and Kalashram New Delhi. Odissi Workshop conducted by Guru Keluharan Mohapartra at Vyomasad Aurangabad. Presently he is in engaged in performing as well as assisting Smt. Parwati Dutta in teaching at Mahatma Gandhi Mission Sangeet Natak Academy Aurangabad.

R. Dhruti

R. Dhruti received her training in Kuchipudi at Kuchipudi Kala Kendra under the guidance of Shri Ram Chandramurti. She has performed extensively within the state and outside including Kuchipudi festival at NCPA, Mumbai, Indo¬-China Entrepreneurs Meet and All India meeting at Indira Gandhi Institute, Mumbai. She has also participated in various dance¬-dramas produced by the Kuchipudi Kala Kendra, Mumbai.

Vijayatey Manipuri Dance Centre Imphal

Vijayatey Manipuri Dance Centre was established in the year 1990 at Bamon Leikai, Impal by Smt. Droupadi Devi senior Desiple of Guru Gambhini Devi. The institution is engaged in imparting training to young Manipuri dancers as well as production of dance-dramas based on Manipuri dance. Since the last ten years Guru R.I< Sanayayanma Singh well known Rasdhari of Sri Govindji Temple and Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy, Imphal is imparting training to the artists of the Vijayatey Manipuri Dance Centre Imphal.

Surmila Devi

Surmila Devi received her training in Manipuri Dance at JNMDA, Imphal. She has obtained a degree in Ras Leela. She has performed within the state and outside including Manipuri Dance festival organized by Manipuri State Kala Akademi, Imphal, festival of dance and music organized by JNMDA, Imphal, Trio guru dance festival Imphal, Bharat Utsav by EZCC, Young Dancers Festivals and Swaran Nritya Prathibha of Sangeet Natak Akademi. She has performed major roles in various Productions of Progressive Artists Laboratory, Imphal and acted for films, Directed by Ajay Kumar, International ARB, London. She is presently working as a dancer at Progressive Artists Laboratory Imphal.

Kheljit Singh

Kheljit received his initial training in Manipuri dance from his grandfather, Shri Paka Singh and father, Ibopishak Singh. Later he trained at Govt. Dance College, Imphal and obtained Visharad in Manipuri Dance. He also specialized under Guru Singhajit Singh at Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi. Kheljit has performed as a soloist in various dance festivals within the state and outside including young dancers festivals organized by J N M DA, and Trio guru dance festival, Imphal, festival of classical dance organized by NEZCC and IITF, New Delhi. He has also taken part in various ballets produced by Triveni Kala Sangam, Harimati Dance Centre and Progressive Artists Laboratory, Imphal. At present he is working as Production assistant and Musician at Progressive Artists Laboratory, Imphal.

Deepti Gokhale, Kathak

Deepti Gokhale trained in Kathak dance under the guidance of Smt. Rohini Bhate. She has performed widely in various dance festivals including Ganesh festival, All India Women's Conference rune, Navya Natak Samittee, Hyderabad. She continues to perform as a lead artist of Nritya Bharati, Pune.

Revanta Sarabhai

Revanta Sarahai received training in Bharatnatyam and various other Indian Folk and Contemporary dance at Darpana Academy of performing arts Ahemdabad under the guidance of Smt. Mrinalini V. Sarabhai. He has performed both as a soloist and as a lead dancer, in major group productions of the Darpana Academy presented in various events within the country and abroad. He has traveled extensively to Australia, China, Europe, Canada, U.K and U.S.A. He has designed lights and choreographed several dance theatre productions including Cityscapes and The Leopard. Revanta has also performed in Purush dance festival in Mumbai, choreographed and performed in a dance production called Mahatma: From Truth to Enlightenment & The story of Eklavya at the Philadelphia museum of art & the Fringe Festival.

Sanjukta Sinha

Sanjukta Sinha initially trained in Kathak under the guidance of Shri Arjun Mishra and later at Bhathkande, Lucknow. She received the national scholarship from CCRT and Department of Culture, New Delhi. She has performed in various parts of the country in many major festivals such as Kathak Samaroh, Lucknow, Taj Mahotsav and Kathak Mahotsav organized by Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. At present she is undergoing specialized training in Kathak at Kadamb, Ahmedabad.

Auniati Sattra

The Auniati, is one of the premier Sattra of Assam and was established by Shri Niranjana Deva with the royal patronage of the Ahom king Swargadeo Jayadhbaja Simha. Since then the Sattra assumed great significance in socio-cultural and spritual life of the people of Assam.

Auniati Sattra has been a centre of I literary pursuits in both Sanskrit and Assamese since its inception. It was from here that its late Sattradhikar Dattadeva Goswami (1838-1904) published the first newspaper in Assamese 'Asom Bilasini'.

The present Sattradhikar Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goswami is a Post Graduate in Assamese from Gauhati University also the first Sattradhikar to receive Ph. D for his thesis "The Sattra festivals of Assam and its significance.

Tanmana Choudhary

Tanmana Choudhary received her training in Sattriya Dance from Smt. Gourima Hazarika. She also trained in Odissi and obtained Visharad from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai. She has performed extensively within the state and outside in various festivals such as Basistha festival, Guwahati, Konark festival, Orissa. Nritya Parva and Swaran Nritya Prathibha organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi. She has also participated in various dance dramas. At present she is assisting her guru in imparting training in Sattriya and Odissi dance at Mitali Kala Kendra, Guwahati.

Indrani Mukherjee

Indrani Mukherjee has trained in Kathak under Smt. Uma Dogra at Samved, Mumbai. She received scholarship for advanced training in Kathak from Vedic Heritage, Inc, USA. She has performed as a soloist and in groups with her guru in various prestigious festivals including Puri beach festival, Orissa, Pt. Durgalal memorial cultural society, New Delhi, Nritya Pratiha organized by Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, Spic Macay's Virasat, NCPA, Kal Ke Kalakar and Sur Sringar Samsad, Mumbai, West Zone dance festival, Nashik, and Vedic Heritage, USA.

Sarita Kulkarni

Sarita Kulkarni received her training in Kathak under the guidance of Smt. Uma Dogra at Samved, Mumbai. She has obtained Visharad from Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. She has performed widely as a soloist and with her guru at the pt. Durgalal festival, Aurangabad, Kala-Ghoda festival, Mumbai, Khajuraho dance festival, and Allahuddin Khan. Nritya Utsav. At present she is teaching Kathak at Sri-ma Vidyalaya, Thane.

Kalashethram

Kalashethram was established two decades ago by a group of devoted enthusiasts of fine and classical arts at Dombivli, Thane. The main aim of this institution is propagating the classical and fine arts of Kerala outside the state. Kalashethram has regular classes in various disciplines such as Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music etc. The artists of the institution have traveled widely within the country and participated in various festivals including Khajuraho festival and Nalacharitham festival under the leadership of Kalamandalam C. Gopalkrishnan.

Seema Goyal

Seema Goyal learnt Kathak under Smt. Shashi Sankhla and later acquired Alankar in Kathak from Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai. She has performed in various festivals within the country and outside including Uday Shankar Ballet festival, Kathak festival, Jaipur and International Tourism exchange in Berlin. She has also conducted lecture cum demonstration at S IT centre, Jaipur. Presently she is assisting her guru in imparting training to young Kathak dancers at Geetanjali Music Society Jaipur.

Santhi Bijibal

Santhi Bijibal received her training in Mohiniattam at a very young age from Kalashetra Asokan. Later she trained under the guidance of Smt. Symala Surendran at Dharani, Kerala. Santhi has performed extensively as a soloist and in group productions of her guru in India and abroad including the Middle East and U.S.A.

Mallika Worlikar

Mallika Worlikar trained in Odissi Dance under Shri Natwar Maharana at Odissi Kala Kendra Mumbai. She has performed in various festivals within Mumbai and outside including events organized by Karnatak Sangha, Russian Council, Nehru Centre, American Council and Vaishnawi Kala Kshetra. She continues to perform as a senior disciple of Odissi Kalakendra Mumbai both as a soloist and in the group production of Sri Natwar Maharana.

Ipsita Sahu

Ipsita Sahu received her training in Odissi under Shri Natwar Maharana at Oddissi Kalakendra Mumbai. She has given several solo performances as well as lead roles in dance-drama, I productions of her institution. Some of her performances include the national intergration dance festival, festival organized by Hindi Vigyan Sahitya Prishad at Bhubhaneshwar, On the occasion of the international atomic energy seminar organized by Homibhaba Centre Mumbai.

Srikant Subramaniam

Srikant Subramaniam received his initial training in Bharatnatyam at Kanaka Sabha performing Art's centre Mumbai under the guidance of Smt. Saroja Srinath and Sri Ramaswamy. He later acquired his bachelors degree from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya Mumbai. He received the scholarship from the Government of India to persue his training in Dance. Srikant Subramaniam has performed in several festivals within the country and abroad including the Kal Ke Kalakar, Kanaka Sabha. Swara Sadhna Smriti and Bakti Kalakendra Iskon Mumbai. He has appeared in lead roles in the dance-¬drama production at Nalanda presented at Vrindavan Academy of Indian classical music and dance, Hongkong and San-jose California. Presently he is doing his Master's in Fine Arts from the Nritya Kala Kendra Mahavidyalaya.

Hitesh Chauhan

Hitesh Chauhan trained in Kathak at M.S University, Baroda and also learnt Tabla under Shri Sunderlal Gangani. He has performed widely in various parts of the country in major festivals such as Kathak Samaroh, Jaipur, Kal Ke Kalakar dance festival, Ahemdabad, Kathak festival, Mumbai and New Delhi. Presently working as a dance teacher in Gujrat Public School, Vadodara, and continues to perform under the guidance of Shri Jagdish Gangani.

Preeti Sathe

Preeti Sathe trained in Kathak under Shri Jagdish Gangani. Later she acquired a Post Graduate degree from M.S University Vadodara. She has performed in various festivals such as Kathak Utsav Jaipur, Swaran Nritya Prathibha organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Kathak Mahotsav organized by Kathak Kendra Delhi.

Mayurbhanj Chhau

Sangeet Natak Akademi's project of support to Chhau dance has been launched with a view to support, sustain and provide performance opportunity to this artistic tradition. Support is extended both for strengthening the existing performers and setting up new training centers, thereby creating an ambience for regular training and practice of Chhau dance traditions. The training programme has been continuing for more than a decade in places like Mayurbhanj and Seraikella.