Promoting promising dancers

Emerging artistes performing at the programme. PHOTO: Shawkat Jamil

Dancers from Dhaka and other district towns are participating in the event, which was inaugurated by the State Minister for Cultural Affairs Begum Selima Rahman on March 11.

"Dance is an integral part of our heritage," said the State Minister in her inauguration speech. "The dancers and choreographers should put in effort to present the art form more aesthetically overseas and thereby gain goodwill. I think besides tradition, the contemporary dance forms should be included," she added.

Ashraful Mosaddek, the secretary of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy presided over the discussion session in which Abul Kamal Shafi Ahmed, director of Department of Music and Dance delivered the welcome speech.

A dance event was followed by the discussion session in which 24 upcoming dancers from Dhaka, Khulna, Sylhet, Jessore, Pabna and Narayanganj performed.

One of the distinctive features of the programme was the difference in the standard of the dancers of Dhaka and those from outside. With the exception of Mukta Rani Thakur from Khulna, all of the dancers from outside Dhaka presented folk dances and their presentation, expression, stances and even costumes left much to be desired. It was evident that dance forms have become Dhaka centric.

On the other hand, the disciples of renowned choreographers such as Belayet Hossain, Shukla Sarkar, Shamim Ara Neepa and Sharmila Bandyopadhyay were impressive.

Promising talents such as Sudeshna Swangprobha, Bishan Majumdar, Priyodarshini Auvi, Sampreeti Rezwana Rahman, Sonia Rahman, Fahmida Siddiqua and Prothoma Bhattacharya and others received a warm response from the audience.

Hopefully, BSA will take more such initiatives to give a boost to our cultural heritage.