Ocean Dance Festival mesmerises on Day 2

Relaying the rasa of romance together with the rhythm of ghungroo, a number of artistes from across the world, kept the dance enthusiasts rapt on the second day (November 23) of the Ocean Dance Festival (ODF) 2019.

The organisers -- World Dance Alliance- Asia Pacific (WDA-AP) and Nrityajog are hoping to organise this international festival biennially. Director of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Liaquat Ali Lucky expressed his artistic solidarity with the organisers, and assured his all-out support for the upcoming festivals. Anisul Islam Hero and Lubna Marium, President and General Secretary of Nrityajog, were also present at the programme.

Mehraj Haque Tushar and his troupe with their energetic performance. Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Dancers welcomed the dawn with Yoga in the serene beach near Mermaid Beach Resort. About a hundred foreign dancers and scholars are collaborating their Bangladeshi counterparts to come up with innovative arts, scholarly seminars, lecture demonstrations, site-specific performances, workshops, dance conversations and more.

Nataraj with their charming performance. Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

The evening featured a number of scintillating performances by the artistes of WDA and ODF at Cox’s Carnival Auditorium. Evoking romance in aesthetic styles, Lei Dance Theatre (Taiwan) mesmerised with their intimate choreography. Euphoria resigned supreme, when the dancers exerted the mudra of sheer intimacy.

Bangladeshi artiste-couple Amit Chowdhury and Sweety Das beautifully performed Rupantor at the festival. Starting with their respective forte Bharathanatym and Manipuri, the dancers later presented a contemporary piece with an Anoushka Shankar composition, Lashya.

Korean troupe Seojung Dance Company emitted blossoming beauty on stage, while presenting their production, Spring, Coming with a Warm Breeze. The four dancers –two veiled in black and two adorned with innovative white costumes – created floral rhythms with their corporeal gestures. Artistes of Nrittyashaily (Sylhet) presented their production, Holy Sand at the festival. The Kathak and contemporary inspired piece ended with the harmonious display of religious symbols.

Dancers of Somatic Theatre Company (Taiwan), next took the stage to captivate the audience with their performance of Not Alone. The panic-striken performance had many redolent nuances of social decay and morbidity.

Bangladeshi soloist Tahnun Ahmedy’s fantastic presentation was followed by Mehraj Haque Tushar’s stunning contemporary piece, Trust.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy artistes set off the part with their acclaimed production, From Ganges Delta to Bangladesh. Liaquat Ali Lucky planned and directed the patriotic production.

Korean troupe Seojung Dance Company perfors ‘Spring, coming with warm breeze’. Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Rendering Lalon’s compositions, Abu Nyeem with his troupe offered the production Shohojer Sondhane, while artistes of Nataraj fantastically danced to a Syed Shamsul Haq Poem Amar Porichoy, Tagore song ‘ Borisho Dhora Majhe, among others.

Amit Chowdhury and Sweety Das perform ‘Rupantor’. Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Anamul Haque Bachchu’s troupe  Nrityabihar presented their spirited production Bhumiputra, delineating the anti-British santhal movement and adapting from the Syed Shamsul Haq classic Nuruldiner Sarajibon. Ariful Islam Arnab’s choreography Nature came alive with a Tagore song Megh Bolechhe Jabo Jabo and the semi-classic music piece Barkha Ki Rooth Aayi. Nrityagram artistes from Mymensingh performed the rhythmic piece.

Lei Dance Theatre Taiwan perform ‘Impression of our Home Town’. Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Branding Cox’s Bazar as the ultimate destination of tourism, and celebrating its cultural heritage with the art of dance, Shadhona dancer Arthy Ahmed directed an exclusive ODF promo that was screened prior to the performances.