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RAPID FIRE

"Our folk dance should go global"

...Shamim Ara Neepa

A Correspondent
Celebrated artiste Shamim Ara Neepa has been dancing way back since her childhood. Today, she is an internationally acclaimed danseuse. Despite her hectic schedule, she found the time to talk about her personal and professional life. Excerpts:
Is there any memory which lingers on?
A compliment by celebrated artist and the then director general of the Performing Arts Academy, Mustafa Monwar was the springboard for my dance career. I was a student in the Academy. One day, Monwar saw me sitting alone and watching the other dancers. He asked me if I was feeling down. When I answered in the negative, he said, “I recognise the essence of an artiste. A day will dawn when you will perform and everybody else will watch your dance.”
Which is your dream performance?
I have always wanted to perform in a one-hour solo dance recital in which I could use all my dance skills. Without such a performance, a dancer cannot be a complete artiste.
In 1996,1 was happy with my performance in “Matir Konya", choreographed by Mustafa Mon war. The theme was a fantasy- based love story where a human being falls in love with a fairy.
The other dance recital close to my heart is “Teen Konnyar Daan". In it I enacted all the three characters of Draupadi, Behula and Birangana Sakhina. Each role portrayed an era where women were completely sidelined in a
male dominated world. The piece was superbly choreographed by Sukalyan Bhattacharya. The present was projected through VDO while I took the audience back to the past. It was staged in 2008.
It was another memorable moment and an unforgettable day in the history of Nrityanchal when we recently performed under the guidance of maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj. Truly it seemed that the sky's the limit. The sky had descended on earth that day.
Who is your role model?
My father. As far as dance is concerned, I don't have any specific role model. I love to watch and augment my knowledge of dance by watching different artistes such as Leela Samson, Sangjukta Panigrahi, Madhvi Mudgal and Pandit Birju Maharaj.
What is your major drawback?
I am very outspoken and snappy. Sometimes people even get hurt in the process. If I don't like someone I can never make
friends with him or her.
What tires you the most?
When a mediocre fellow artiste tries to woo the media just to get exposure, it angers me. One should never lose self respect.
Are you a romantic or idealistic person?
It depends on the time and situation. But I can assure you I am not always very realistic.
Dreams ahead...
Every dancer has a dream to make a contribution to the cultural world and for this he or she needs an institution. I am very fortunate that I have had the opportunity to establish Nrittyanchal where we train 700 students. If I couldn't dance anymore, I wouldn’t have any regrets because I would still have the opportunity to train budding dance talents. We are also in the process of promoting our neglected folk dance and making our folk culture attain global standards.
Tell us how you plan to celebrate Eid.
It's been a tradition to spend this festive day with my parents. Now that my mother stays with me, all my brothers and sisters get together at our house for the day. Though I get very little time to myself, I love to buy gifts for my near and dear ones.
Do you share the day with the underprivileged?
Before my father passed away, his last wish was to be buried in our village in Karimganj, Kishoreganj. This was to ensure that we would remain close to our roots. We have set up a school for the underprivileged in our village where women attend literacy classes. The year round we share different occasions with them.