A melting pot of art and culture

When Eastern Europe taps its feet alongside the South Eastern India; it’s a surreal delight in motion for you. Exotica, we say! Coming from the Bucharest National Opera House, the Romanian ballet dancers are here in the capital for the first time. A never before collaboration is bubbling up with fervour; we are just a few days away from a scintillating fusion of Indian Odissi and Romanian Ballet that hits the stage in Kamani Auditorium on 22 May.

In the fourth edition of International Ancient Arts Festival 2013, Odissi danseuse and spiritualist Reela Hota brings this unique dance recital. In this edition of the two day festival, the opposite ends of the axis meet and assimilate into one; the modern and traditional, scholars and artists will demonstate the scientific basis of traditional arts and its integration in our day to day lives. While the earlier editions of the festival highlighted the therapeutic benefits of music and dance, this time around, ancient languages, particulary Sanskrit, takes up the centrestage. 

‘The aim of this festival is highlighting how music, dance and vital therapeutic practices in traditional systems of healing can combine to meet lifestyle challenges of today,’ adds the festival director, Reela Hota. 

The confluence of dance forms, the Ballet Odissi performance will begin with Mangalacharana, an invocation to the origin of sound. With an elaborate performance on the origin of sound, to its splitting into two forces, followed by the formation of a magnetic field, that forms a universe full of vibrations of sound; take a full circle on the formation of sound and universe through a captivating performance. 

From the house of International Ancient Arts Festival, there’s a volley of talent on display. Take a sneak peak. Kicking off with a talk on ‘Can sound heal’ by Mandara Cromwell, the founder of sound therapy association, you will be guided into a session on Sanskrit: the Mantra Bhasha, and then off to the Fusion Dance on the Healing Aspect of Ancient Languages  by  Bucharest National Opera House and Odissi exponent Reela Hota. 

The following day will have no less action: Starting from a talk on Psychodrama as a living process by Sue Daniel to the grand finale with the veteran classical Indian vocal music from Padma Bhushan Pt. Rajan and Sajan Mishra, the days will be packed with performances for you all. 

Abhinaya, depicting the common sanskrit words and Mokshya, the evolution of human form by using mantras will take the evening to an exalting high as the performances draw to a close.