A CELEBRATION OF BHARATANATYAM

Bharatanatyam virtuoso Leela Samson recently arrived at Dhaka with her dance troupe Spanda to present a three-day long Bharatanatyam festival “Roop Bahulya”. The celebrated artist and her company commenced the festival on Thursday at the National Theatre Hall Auditorium of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), by presenting an assortment of intricately choreographed, traditional Bharatanatyam pieces, accompanied by a remarkable arrangement of live Carnatic musicians.

The show began with a riveting piece by Leela Samson named Kalabhairava, which was followed by an array of solo, duet and group performances including Varnam, Ososi, Ananda Natamidum (Kirtan) and concluded with an extraordinary medley Tillana, performed by the entire team of dancers, including Samson herself. Samson's unparalleled stage presence paired with the grace of her crisp, staccato movements and compelling expressions had the audience undeniably captivated throughout the evening. Correspondingly, the seven dancers from Spanda, armed with fine-tuned synchronisation and incalculable verve, were phenomenal in each of their performances. But what made the show stand out was the line-up of live musicians who were flawless in providing the musical groundwork for the evening.

The second day's performance of the festival was held at the Bangladesh National Museum Auditorium yesterday, while the third and final set will be performed today, at the same venue.

Leela Samson is also scheduled to conduct a Bharatanatyam workshop for five days at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, starting tomorrow.

The festival and the workshop have been organised by Shadhona and Srishti Cultural Center, in association with the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and supported by Charuta and Kazi & Kazi Tea.