Duration: 00:12:28; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 75.575; Saturation: 0.073; Lightness: 0.059; Volume: 0.130; Cuts per Minute: 0.802
Summary: The 2nd International Odissi Festival was organised by IPAP between August 28 - 31, 2003, in Washington D.C. Dedicated to the memory of Guru Pankaj Charan Das, who passed away in June 2003, it brought together Odissi dancers and scholars from all over the world.
Raka Maitra is a dancer who denies classifications of classical or contemporary. Her exploration of Asian culture is through her language of contemporary Indian dance; the creation of movements inspired from martial arts and stylized dance forms. A disciple of Odissi dancer Madhavi Mudgal, Raka Maitra’s training also includes intensive studies in Seraikella Chhau under Guru Sashadhar Acharya. Raka's dance choreography spans critically acclaimed works such as Boundaries, Dreams and Beyond (2008), In Mira (2008) and Circular Ruins (2009).
She is currently based in Singapore where she co-founded The Graey Festival in 2007 to further the dimensions of Indian contemporary dance. Her work with dancers from Hong Kong and Indonesia has led to expanding the focus of this festival to contemporary Asian performance practices.
Here, Raka performs Kirwani Pallavi. Pallavi literally means blossoming. This is applicable not only to the dance, but also to the music. It is a pure dance item in which a raga is elaborated through eye movements, body postures and intricate footwork. A pallavi starts with slow, graceful & lyrical movements of the eyes, neck, torso, hands and feet. It builds up to a crescendo to climax in an extremely fast tempo. Kirwani Pallavi is set to raga Kirwani and tala jhula.
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
