The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The first International Dance Festival concluded at Jatiyo Natyashala at Shilpakala Academy in the city yesterday.

To mark the International Dance Day on April 29, a colourful rally was brought out from the Shilpakala Academy premises yesterday morning. Eminent journalist Kamal Lohani led the rally where hundreds of dancers and artistes attended.

A discussion meeting was held at Shilpakala Academy to mark the day. A joint dance performance by 25 dance organisations was held later to end the three-day colourful festival.

Therefore, 'Nrityamela,' dance fair, also concluded at Jatiyo Chitrashala of Shilpakala Academy.

The three-day long International Dance Day celebration programme-jointly organised by Bangladesh Nrityashilpi Sangstha (BNS) and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA)-began on April 27. Rasheda K Chowdhury, Cultural Affairs Adviser inaugurated the programme.

Noted cultural personality Mustafa Monwar; Ramendu Majumdar, President of ITI (International Theatre Institute) Bangladesh, Sharful Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Quamrul Hassan, Adviser of the International Dance Day Celebration Committee and Amanul Huq, Co-convenor of the celebration committee attended the inauguration as special guests.

About the festival Ramendu Majumdar said, "Despite being one of the basic art forms, dance in Bangladesh does not get the priority it deserves. I went to check out the Music and Dance Centre auditorium at Shilpakala Academy and I wondered which 'genius' came up with the design. The stage is not fit for dance performances at all and the sitting arrangement is shabby."

"I partly blame the leading dancers of the country for this. During the planning and construction of National Theatre Stage, we, theatre activists were directly involved. Dancers should have been more proactive. If you are not vocal, your needs will never be met."

Eminent artist Mustafa Monwar referred to Rabindranath Tagore who initially had to label dance as 'exercise with music' - due to the stigma associated with the art form - when describing the student activities at Shantiniketan- that however, didn't deter Tagore from popularising dance throughout the subcontinent.

"Dance has never had a dearth of devotees or foes," said Monwar and he quoted the National Poet Nazrul: "Ami Nrityapagal Chhando" and the legendary Sufi poet Mawlana Jalal-ad-Din Muhammad Rumi who described dance as a "spiritual route to God's proximity."

The joint performance by 25 dance organisations across the country enthralled the audience.