Guru Aruna Mohanty

Dynamism, charisma and astounding talent makes Guru Smt. Aruna Mohanty one of the finest Odissi Dancers in the field of Odissi Dance. Smt Mohanty has always defied stereotyping. Her perception of dance and choreography is unconventional. Yet, she has been vehemently careful about preserving the basic structure and aesthetics of her art form Odissi. Aruna considered dance to be the essence of her soul. The rhythm in her feet connects her to a divine force. The perfect blend of bhava, bhangi, taala and abhinaya radiate from her performances.

She was trained and nurtured under the able guidance of Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. Beginning first as a student of the Orissa Dance Academy(ODA), she was grown into a respected performer, teacher, choreographer and administrator. She has received many awards and accolades for her contribution to the arts, including the Mahari Award , Sanjukta Panigrahi Memorial National Award , Fellowship by Ministry of HRD, Government of India, and the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar in 2010.

She is not only an eloquent dancer and performer. She also has tremendous knowledge about the evolution of Odissi as a distinct art form in India. Thus she combines extensive research, lessons from her Guru, and innovative thinking to produce provocative choreography. Some of the items in her repertoire include the dance ballet ‘Shrusti O Pralay’, ‘Varsha-Abhisara’, ‘Sravana Kumar’, ‘Kharavela’ , ‘Jatra Baramasi’, ‘Gatha Odishi’, ‘Krupa Nidhaana’, ‘Swargadapi Gariyasi’, ‘ Arjuna Dui Adhyaya’, ‘Pratinayak’, ‘Krishna Shranam’, Astapadis from Geeta Govinda and ‘Khamaj Pallavi.

She has traveled all over the globe to present solo and group presentations in addition to workshops and lecture demonstrations. She served as a member of Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi and currently holds the post of Vice President of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi. She is also the member of Indian Council for Cultural Relation, New Delhi , Ministry of External affairs , Govt. of India. She received rave reviews for her role in the National Award Film “Sri Krishna Rasa Leela”, the first full length musical film based on Odissi Dance.

Other

Sanjukta Das

Known for her graceful and subtle movements, Sanjukta Das has passed the Alankar in Odissi from Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai in 1998 and Masters in Music (Odissi Vocal) from the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. Senior teacher-cum-dancer of Orissa Dance Academy, she has staged many shows in and outside the State.

She has traveled to various places like Dehradun, Vizag, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bangalore and New Delhi. As soloist, she has performed for Doordarshan and the ‘Pankaj Utsav’. Sponsored to Europe by ICCR, she has also participated in the ‘Nrutyotsav 1996’ organized by Late Sanjukta Panigrahi. Sanjukta has received many awards, including the ones received from ’Sampark’ and during ‘Vedavyas Dance Festival’.

Madhusmita Mohant

 A Dancer Characterized By Supple And Graceful Body Movements, Madhusmita’s Expressions And Footwork Synchronize To Create An Aesthecally Gratifying Experience. Initiated Into Dance At The Tender Age Of Six, She Became An Accomplished Dancer Under Orissa Dance Academy, And Is Now A Senior Teacher And Assistant Director Of The Institution. She Has Performed At The Orissa Society Of Americas Convention, Usa And Has Also Been To Thailand, China, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Croatia, England And Other European Countries. Along With Her Husband Shri Ramesh Chandra Jena, She Received Great Laurels During Her Tour To Paris.

Madhusmita Is A Recipient Of Senior National Scholarship, The Sringarmani Title From Soor Sringar Samsad, Mumbai , Deba Prasad Dash Memorial Fellowship 1997-98 And An Empanelled Artiste Of Iccr. She Is Also The Recipient Of The Bismillah Khan Award In The Year 2008.

Ramesh Chandra Jena
Besides being a senior dancer, Ramesh is also a senior faculty member of Orissa Dance Academy. A recipient of Senior National Scholarship from the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, he has received intensive training from Orissa Dance Academy. A visiting lecturer at Auroville, Pondichery and Center for World Music, USA, Ramesh is considered an ‘A’ grade artiste by the Deptt. of Culture, Orissa and empanelled artiste of ICCR. Excluding a combination of masculine charm and stylized form, he captivates the audience by his supple body movements. Extensively traveled to USA, South Africa, France and other European countries, China and Hong Kong. Recently he has also traveled abroad to participate in the 14th International Festival of Dance & Music, Thailand and perform in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar to give cultural performances in connection with the Asian Car Rally. He also excels in stage designing and lighting.

Bijaya Kumar Dash
Received initial training at Orissa Dance Academy, Bijay took his Masters in Music (Odissi Mardala) from Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar. A Nritya Visharad from Prachin Kala Kendra as well as Alankar from Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandala, Mumbai, He is known for his perfection in chauka and bhangi postures. A senior teacher of the Academy, he has staged performances in places like New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Faridabad, Guwahati, Nagpur and Jaipur. He has also traveled abroad to participate in the 20th Spring Friendship Art Festival, Pyongyang, North Korea, 14th International Festival of Dance & Music, Thailand and perform in major cities of USA. He has also been honoured with the Senior National Scholarship from the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India.