Indian Classical Dance w/ Odissi Dance Circle

Saturdays 9:00AM-1:00PM

For more information, please contact Nandita at:

(714) 521-5655

danceodc@gmail.com

http://odissidancecircle.com/index.shtml

Odissi is a traditional style of classical dance which originated in the temples of Orissa, an Eastern state of India.  It is one of the oldest dance forms, dating back to the second century B.C.  The two major facets of Odissi are Nritya or non-representational dance, in which body movements capture the poses etched on temple walls, and Abhinaya or stylized mime, utilizing symbolic hand gestures and facial expressions to convey a story or theme.

Class is led by Guru Nandita Behera.  A premier disciple of Padmabhusan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Gangadhar Pradham, Nandita Behera emerged from Orissa, India as a leading exponent of the Odissi Dance Style.  She combines a fascinating blend of devotional expressions, graceful movements, and captivating postures right out of Odissi’s legendary heritage.  Behera was awarded Sringaramanai by Sur Singar Samsad Bombay and is also a recipient of the National Scholarship for Dance in India.  She has performed extensively in various national and international dance festivals and has toured Europe, former Soviet Russia, Canada, and the United States.

As the artistic director of Odissi Dance Circle (Cerritos, California) for the past twenty years, Nandita has become a highly regarded instructor and choreographer.  Her students participate in charitable functions regularly.  The Orange County Register has remarked that Behera is “one of the outstanding exponents of Odissi dance in the United States” and the Los Angeles Times has reviewed Behera’s performance as “the most memorable event of the evening.”

Committed to the promotion of the art, Nandita dedicates herself to instructing this ancient dance style in America by maintaining the authenticity and purity of the form.