***Nrityanchal, a front ranking platform in the country to institutionalise dance as a popular form of art, going to organise a five day-long dance festival "Nrityanchal Festival 2002" opens on January 10 at Bangladesh Shishu Academy Auditorium***

WITH a number of noted dance artists and efficient organisers involved in it, Nrityanchal has been striving forward to provide a platform for dance and institutionalise this neglected art form in the country. Nrityanchal runs a dance school and hold regular dance evenings.

Answering to queries from newsmen at a press conference held on December 25, Nrityanchal organisers said, "We don't mean this event to be termed exclusively as a dance festival since we intend to provide room for other genres of culture like music and drama in the same festival." Nrityanchal intends not only to add up a new dimension to this festival but also aspires to gain a ground for dance in the cultural area.

While speaking at the press briefing, Muhammad Jahangir, convenor, Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibli Mohammad, joint convenors of the Festival Preparation Committee, told that their aim was to hold regular dance festivals every year and elaborate dance festival with international partici-

pation every alternate year. In reply to a question, whether conservative attitude towards dance, long prevalent in our society, hinders their activities, Jahangir said, "Still there is reservation but by now a remarkable change has taken place."

Shibli and Nipa told that they appreciate and welcome any such endeavour launched by others and they applaud others' success. They further said that they intended to bring all branches of art and culture together in the festival and initiate interactive process among them.

Both Shibli and Nipa, noted dance exponents of Bangladesh, expressed their resentment over manifold constraints faced in case of dance. "We suffer from lack of a suitable and permanent stage for dance. You take it for an instance that we may book National Museum's Auditorium for a programme pretty ahead. It renders us quite helpless when immediately before the scheduled day authority cancels our programme to accommodate a government one. As a consequence we suffer a loss of lot of preparatory expenses, dislocation and disappointment. Even in media we often remain

Legendary actor of Bengali cinema and stage Soumitra Chatty-apadhaya will be accorded a reception at the Nrtyanchal Dance Festival

neglected. Particularly in electronic media dance does not enjoy same amount of air times as other art forms," they mentioned.

A written speech at the press briefing highlighted different aspects of the forthcoming festival.

The festival has been scheduled to run from January 10-14. A number of eminent cultural personalities across the subcontinent are due to take part as special guests in it. Noted Bengali actor of Kolkata Soumitra Chattyapaddaya, illustrious Indian dance exponent Mamatasankar and distinguished cultural personality Mustafa Monwar of Bangladesh are among them.

Around two hundred dance artists from Dhaka, Kolkata and different districts of Bangladesh are expected to perform in the festival. The organisers feel that this festival to be considered as a significant cultural event in the country.

The festival will devote an evening in honour of Soumitra Chattyapaddaya. Nrithanchal will

accord this legendary Bengali actor a reception. Soumitra is expected to do a solo poetry recital in the evening. To mark Soumitra's reception Nrityanchal plans to bring out a 'Reception Book' compiled with write-ups by eminent writers, artists and scholars both from Dhaka and Kalkata. Besides this, it will bring out a souvenir on the occasion of festival.

Noted dancer and choreographer Mamatasankar will conduct a workshop on dance in Dhaka on January 11. Around fifty dance artistes from different districts are expected to take part in this work shop to be organised by Nrityanchal. Mamatasankar Ballet Troupe will perform in the festival. This will be the troupe's first ever performance in Bangladesh.

Nrityanchal will also confer "Nrityanchal Honourable Mention" upon four elderly dance gurus of the country including Jinat Jahan (Dhaka), Rasheduddin Talukdar (Khulna), Jogesh Chandra Das (Mymensing) and Bazlur Rahman Badal (Rajshahi).

The following programmes are scheduled to be featured in the festival:

Inauguration and dance drama "Mahua" by Nrityanchal on January 10. Soumitra evening including reception, speech in his honour, his response regarding the reception and his solo poetry recital on January 11. Dance recital by "Mamatasankar Ballet Troupe" marks programme on January 12. Programmes on January 13 present solo and group dance recital by different artistes and the play "Bhelua Sundari" a Centre for Asian Theatre Production. On the closing day (January 14) Nrityanchal presents Kathak dance evening.

The 'Nrityanchal Festival Preparatory Committee has drawn up a ten lakhs Taka budget for the event. Out of estimated amount they have so far been promised seven lakhs Taka by different donors and sponsors. Ticket rates at the festival shows have been determined at Tk 500/-, 200/-,

100/- and 50/- each.

Organisers believe that 'Nrityanchal Festival' is a cultural event of a new stream. With the memories of short film festival still fresh, Dhaka will savour the rich and delicate nuances of subcontinental dance in the festival.