Closing ceremony of exhibition Boy Dancer: Convergence and Continuum - A Revisiting

Bhubaneswar(29/06/2024) : The exhibition Boy Dancer: Convergence and Continuum- A Revisiting with art works by Birendra Pani and artistic direction and curation by Dr.Rajashree Biswal, which was presented by New Bridge India in collaboration with Odisha State Museum in Bhubaneswar and with important support from Ila Panda Foundation for Arts and was inaugurated on June 14 2024 celebrated the closing ceremony on 28th of June, 2024 at Odisha State Museum.

New Bridge India in collaboration with Odisha State Museum conducted a discussion and program titled 'Gotipua Dance in Contemporary Times- A Reflection' as a part of the closing ceremony of the program on 28th June, 2024.

Dr.Rajashree Biswal convened the program, Dr.Bhagyalipi Malla presided it and Birendra Pani extended the votes of thanks.

Padma Shri Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi, eminent Odissi dancer and writer inaugurated it, Dilip Rout Ray, Director, Language, Literature and Culture was the Chief Guest of the occasion.

Honourable guests were Kedar Mishra, Gotipua gurus Lingaraj Barik, Gobinda Chandra Pal, and Ananta Behera; and Special guests of the occasion were gotipua dancer and Mardala player Dr.Bibhuti Bhusan Champati, Odissi dancers like Dusmanta Maharana, Bichitra Kumar, Chandramani Pradhan.

The other dignitaries present were Padmashri Debi Prasanna Patnaik, Padma Shri Ileana Citaristi, Sukanta Rath, Sanjya Patnaik and others. The discussion on this ceremony titled 'Gotipua Dance in Contemporary Times- A Reflection' aimed at highlighting the dimensions and directions of this dance form.

When Odissi is globally recognized, Gotipua dance is in a state of dwindling.

Then the question arises: How Gotipua dance is navigating the present and how the tradition will continue in the future? What are the inherent challenges and crises within the dance form? There was discussions on the acceptability of girls in the Gotipua dance as traditionally it is confined to Boys only.

Moreover, discussion opens up the need to look into the condition of Gurukul system and to reflect on the style and quality of the Gotipua dance education in the present changing times keeping the importance of traditions and values.

Some of them opined that the current trend of dance to a certain extent is publicity and money oriented rather than focusing on the essence of the dance form.

There were further suggestions to create more opportunity for the dancers so that they may be interested to take it as a profession with positivity.

The audience were enthralled with the performance of the Gurus, demonstration, music, song and Mardala Player by the Gurus belonging to the younger and elder generation.

This historical traveling exhibition which was containing old and new art works of paintings, drawings, mixed media works, photographs, and video-based art works which was visited by more than 8 thousand viewers belonging to different sections and age group of the society including the school and college students.

It not only created a new awareness and cultural sensibility towards the Gotipua dance tradition, but as a continuous of cultural engagement, it reached out to different viewers, audience and created new space and voices of the intellectuals, dancers and Gotipua Gurus about this dance form adding to new sensibilities about the dance form in various levels.

Other partners were Sarat Chandra Library, Baripada, PPL, MIO, Siddha Foundation and SDRC.