![]() Official Logo of Oxford Odissi Centre | |
Formation | 2015 |
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Headquarters | Oxford, United Kingdom |
Location |
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Region served | Worldwide |
Founder | Baisali Mohanty |
Affiliations | University of Oxford |
The Oxford Odissi Centre is a non-sports society of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. The centre aims to promote and educate about Odissi, one of the oldest Indian classical dances. [1] [2] [3]
Beside holding regular Odissi dance classes for members of University of Oxford, the centre undertakes numerous activities to promote Odissi and other Indian classical dance at the university. [4] [5] It also conducts Odissi dance workshops at other leading institutions including University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, University College London, King's College London, University of Manchester, and University of Edinburgh. [6]
The centre, in association with the High Commission of India to the United Kingdom, organizes the Oxford Odissi Festival, an annual festival of Indian classical dance at the University of Oxford. [7]
The centre was founded in 2015 by Baisali Mohanty, a post-graduate student at University of Oxford and a classical dancer and choreographer. The centre was registered with the Proctor’s Office and officially inducted as a society of the University of Oxford in 2016. [8]
The centre serves as an advance centre for learning Odissi dance at University of Oxford. It holds regular Odissi classes at several colleges of University of Oxford. Modules are offered to both fresher and advanced learners and stretches from one term to six terms.
Besides dance instruction, the centre undertakes numerous activities to promote Odissi and other Indian classical dance at the university. Activities include organizing dance events, exhibitions, symposiums, conferences, and talks. The centre also maintains a team of dancers and choreographers to undertake performance on invitation.
It also conducts Odissi workshops and performances at several Russell Group member universities in United Kingdom. [3] [9]
The administration of Oxford Odissi Centre is managed by a 10-member committee elected by the members of the centre and administered in consonance with the regulations for the societies of University of Oxford published periodically in the Proctors’ and Assessor’s Memorandum.
The 10-member committee elected for 2016 includes, among others, eminent economist Professor Matthew McCartney, Director of South Asian Studies, University of Oxford as Senior Member and Baisali Mohanty as President. [8] [10]
Only members of University of Oxford are eligible for membership of Oxford Odissi Centre.
However, the committee may also, at its discretion, admit members of Permanent Private Halls and members of Ruskin College, Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, and the Westminster Institute of Oxford Brookes University who are registered for qualifications validated by the University of Oxford. [10]
Oxford Odissi Festival is an annual Indian classical dance festival organised by Oxford Odissi Centre at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Beside exhibiting new and innovative choreographies in Odissi, the festival showcases all forms of Indian classical dance. [7] [11]
Odissi, also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India. Odissi, in its history, was performed predominantly by women, and expressed religious stories and spiritual ideas, particularly of Vaishnavism through songs written and composed according to the ragas & talas of Odissi music by ancient poets of the state. Odissi performances have also expressed ideas of other traditions such as those related to Hindu Gods Shiva and Surya, as well as Hindu Goddesses (Shaktism).
Eastern India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The region roughly corresponds to the historical region of Magadha from which it inherits its various Eastern Indo-Aryan languages.
The Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), formerly spelled Oriya, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the Indian state of Odisha who speak the Odia language. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state, with significant minority populations existing in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Gangadhar Pradhan was an Indian Odissi dancer.
Kasturi Pattanaik is a pioneering Odissi dance exponent, performer, choreographer, teacher, trainer and music composer from India.
Rani Karnaa was an Indian classical dancer, known for her proficiency in the Indian dance form of Kathak, and regarded by many as one of the greatest exponents of the art form. She was honoured by the Government of India, in 2014, by bestowing on her the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of dance.
Minati Mishra was an Indian classical dancer and actress, known for her expertise in the Indian classical dance form of Odissi. She was reported in 2011 to be the oldest-living Odissi performer. The Government of India honored Mishra in 2012, with the fourth-highest civilian award of Padma Shri.
Deba Prasad Das was an Indian classical dancer, considered by critics and connoisseurs as one of the four first generation gurus of the Indian classical dance form of Odissi. His Odissi style is robust and unique. He was a recipient of the 1977 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. and 1974 Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
Saswat Joshi is an Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and model, known for his use of the Odissi dancing style.
Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi is a scientist, academician and an Indian classical dancer of Odissi, art writer, and a biologist.. Born on 18 November 1939, she secured a master's degree and subsequently, obtained a doctoral degree in zoology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. She also mastered in Odissi from an early age under Ban Bihari Maiti and her Odissi performance at the Inter-University Youth Festival in New Delhi in 1954 is reported to have helped the dance form to gain international attention through Charles Fabri, the renowned art critic from Hungary, who was present at the function.
Baisali Mohanty is an international diplomat and United Nations official, author, Indian classical dancer and analyst of foreign and public policy. She is a regular contributor on foreign policy and strategic affairs to several prestigious international publications including American business magazine Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Diplomat and openDemocracy, London.
Oxford Odissi Festival is an annual Indian classical dance festival held at University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Ekamra Walks is a weekly heritage walk for visitors to explore the heritage trails of Ekamra Kshetra or the temple city of Bhubaneswar. The walk is a non-profit initiative by the unified effort of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Bhubaneswar Development Authority, and Odisha Tourism, and curated by an agency called Detour Odisha. The guided walk-through in Old Town, Bhubaneswar starts every Sunday morning at 0630 AM from Mukteswar Temple and terminates in Ekamravan.
Jyoti Rout is an Indian classical dancer, teacher and choreographer of Odissi dancing style.
Leena Mohanty is a leading exponent of Odissi dance, a disciple of Guru Deba Prasa Das. She is a recipient of the first Ustad Bismillah Khan Youth award, along with receiving the Mahari award, the Sanjukta Panigrahi award and is an empanelled artist of the ICCR. She is a choreographer and has performed internationally. She is the artistic director of Bansi Bilas, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha and heads the Odissi Department of Kalpana Dance Theatre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as well as the Trinayan Dance Centre in New York.
Sharmila Mukerjee is an Odissi Dancer and Choreographer, a disciple of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She is the founder and artistic director of Sanjali Centre for Odissi Dance, Bangalore which was established in 2004. She is the recipient of the Mahari Award.
Aruna Mohanty is an Odissi dancer, choreographer and guru. She is currently the Secretary of the Orissa (Odisha) Dance Academy. She has received a number of awards for her work, including the Padmashree award.
Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya is a performing arts-cum-educational institution in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
PanditGopal Chandra Panda is a Guru of Odissi classical music, vocalist, researcher and composer. A disciple of Singhari Shyamsundar Kar, he has authored several books such as Odissi Raga Ratnabali & Odissi Raga Darpana, and is acclaimed for his efforts to collect & document several traditional Odissi ragas from the hinterlands. Panda served as a lecturer and head of department in the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya for nearly three decades. He has performed in music festivals across the country and is the founder of the Gopal Panda Odissi Academy. In 2011, Panda received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contributions to Odissi music.
Laxmipriya Mohapatra was an Indian classical dancer, performing Odissi dance on stage and in films. Along with her husband, Kelucharan Mohapatra, she is credited with reviving Odissi dance in India, in the 1940s and 50s.
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